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REN3302 Sustainable Resource Use

Subject Cat-nbr Class Term Mode Description Units Campus
REN 3302 78200 2, 2008 ONC Sustainable Resource Use 1.00 Toowoomba
Academic group: FOSCI
Academic org: FOS002
Student contribution band: 2
ASCED code: 050999

Contents


STAFFING

Examiner: Andrew Le Brocque
Moderator: Joachim Ribbe


REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: BIO2208 or REN1201


RATIONALE

Present and future Australian decision-makers require an understanding of the principles of sustainable development. Students in all programs will benefit from an appreciation of the environmental impact of current land and resource uses. As options for sustainable land and resource uses become more constrained, the need for integrated catchment and regional resource planning, becomes more urgent and more crucial to Australia's future.



SYNOPSIS

THIS COURSE IS OFFERED IN EVEN-NUMBERED YEARS ONLY. The course is based on an explanation of ecological principles as a basis for managing Australia's land and water resources sustainability. The effects of economic growth and traditional management approaches on land use for agriculture, mining, forestry, protected areas, water catchments and urban expansion are analysed and explained. Environmental impacts are studied and compared economically, ecologically and socially. Current approaches to land and resource use planning and resource use are evaluated in terms of their contribution to a sustainable Australian society. A major component of the course is a student project which examines a local resource management issue in detail.



OBJECTIVES

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1.
demonstrate an appreciation of the potential and limitations of Australian land resources (project updates and participation, project, exam);
2.
recognise the relative advantages and disadvantages of agriculture, mining, forestry, conservation reserves and other land uses (project updates and participation, project, exam);
3.
demonstrate an understanding of and be able to apply the principles of ecologically sustainable development (project updates and participation, project, exam);
4.
demonstrate a significant contribution to an understanding of sustainable resource use issues through individual and group project work (topic outline, project updates and participation, project);
5.
integrate knowledge of development and conservation into their major study (project updates and participation, project, exam).


TOPICS


Description Weighting (%)
1. Human Impacts and Land Use in Early Australia.
 10.00
2. Overview of Recent Human Impacts
 10.00
3. Sustainable Development
 10.00
4. Major Land Issues in Australia
 20.00
5. Policy, Institutions and Future Perspectives
 10.00
6. Student Project
 40.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).



REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

VIDEOS: Biodiversity, 1995, London TV Service, London Biological Seatbelts, 1997, Video Education Australasia, Bendigo, Vic. Water Through the Ecosystem, 1999, AGC/Unitd Learning, Evanston, Ill Interactions and Relationships Among Organisms, 2000, Marcom Projects, Evanston, Ill

Aplin, G 2002, Australians and their environment: an introduction to environmental studies, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.

Caro, T (ed) 1998, Behavioural ecology and conservation biology, Oxford University Press, New York.

Chapman, J & Roberts, MBV 1997, Biodiversity: the abundance of life, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Cocks, D 1992, Use with care: managing Australia's natural resources in the 21st Century, University of NSW Press, Sydney.

Flannery, T 1997, The future eaters: an ecological history of the Australasian lands and people, Reed Books, Sydney.

Jeffries, MJ 1997, Biodiversity and conservation, Routledge, London.

Mercer, D 2000, A question of balance: natural resources and conflict issues in Australia, 3rd edn, Federation Press, Sydney.

Roberts, BR 1995, The quest for sustainable agriculture and land use, University of NSW Press, Sydney.

State of the Environment Advisory Council 2001, State of the environment: Australia 2001, CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.

Urbanska, KM, Webb, NR & Edwards, PJ 1997, Restoration ecology & sustainable development, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Yencken, D & Wilkinson, D 2000, Resetting the compass: Australia's journey towards sustainability, CSIRO, Collingwood.



STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY HOURS
Examinations 2.00
Lectures 26.00
Private Study 40.00
Project Work 80.00
Tutorials 22.00


ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description Marks out of Wtg(%) Due date Notes
QUIZ 10.00 10.00 22 Aug 2008  
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 15.00 15.00 12 Sep 2008  
PROJECT (SEMINAR) 25.00 25.00 20 Oct 2008  
2HR CLOSED EXAM 120.00 50.00 END S2 (see note 1)
NOTES
1.
Examination dates will be available during the Semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item. To complete the examination satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for the examination.
  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
  6. Examination information:
    In a Closed Examination, candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into the examination.
  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will normally be held during the examination period at the end of the semester of the next offering of this course, although at the discretion of the examiner, in consultation with the student(s) an alternative date may be arranged.
  8. University Regulations:
    Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

9. The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the Examiner. Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. If requested by the Examiner, students will be required to provide a copy of assignments submitted for assessment purposes. Such copies should be despatched to USQ within 24 hours of receipt of a request being made. The examiner of a course may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
10. A Course Assignment Cover Sheet, signed by the student must be attached to all submitted assignments. Failure to do so may result in the assignment not being graded.
11. Students who obtain an overall passing mark, but who do not perform satisfactorily in one assessment item, may, at the discretion of the examiner, be granted a supplementary assessment. Students will be granted a deferred examination only if they perform satisfactorily in all other assessment items.

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.
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