Aims of the module
To provide students with an understanding of the positive and negative environmental impacts of ecological farming systems, and an understanding of how to use nature design principles to enhance the environmental impacts.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module the student should be able to:

(i) identify potential environmental impacts of particular production systems and practices;

(ii) know how to use design principles such as diversity, mutualism and feed-back loops to enhance the environmental impacts
of farming systems;

(iii) identify cultural and aesthetic capital in agriculture;

(iv) have an understanding of the problem of goal conflicts and the balance between environmental concerns and production
requirements;

(v) analyse impact on the environment at farm level;

(vi) set up a nature-conservation plan on a farm level (including handling goal conflicts).

Syllabus / Curriculum design
The module will cover the following topics: Environmental impacts of agriculture; Sustainability criteria (time perspectives, goal-conflicts); Natural, cultural and aesthetic capital and life support functions of agriculture; Resource use, conservation and pollution (key issues, impacts of ecological agriculture, potential and techniques for improvement with respect to soils, water, nutrients, organic matter, agrochemicals, energy and atmosphere); Farm waste management planning; Biodiversity (wildlife and genetic biodiversity); Landscape ecology/agricultural habitat management; Creation/management of non-agricultural habitats; Whole-farm conservation planning; Landscape aesthetics; Landscape design/planning strategies; Measuring whole system quality; Environmental audit/impact assessment techniques; Natural capital measurement and valuation, Sustainability assessment methods. Whole farm conservation plans will be prepared as group projects.