Module Information

Module Identifier
BR31910
Module Title
Countryside Management in Practice (Study Week)
Academic Year
2014/2015
Co-ordinator
Dr Peter Dennis
Semester
Semester 1

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Seminars / Tutorials 1 x 2 hours small group working (2 hours)
Seminars / Tutorials 1 x 2 hour large group presentations (2 hours)
Other Equivalent to 4 days of field trips to countryside sites (32 hours)
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Report.  A critical appraisal of a pre-defined aspect of countryside management considering strategic drivers of land use and practical implications for habitat and wildlife species conservation, scenic integrity of landscape, access and recreation, tourism and visitor management, environmental education and maintaining rural communities.   100%
Supplementary Assessment Candidates must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Evaluate the socio-economic and environmental factors affecting land use and management of the countryside for multiple objectives (including Ecosystem Services)

2. Identify and evaluate the policies and land management approaches taken by the land-based industries to countryside capital and by organizations with responsibilities for sustainable use of the rural environment.

3. Critically assess the organizational role and operational practices of a range of land management and policy organizations.

Brief description

This 10 credit module will be split between field visits, thematic workshops and personal scholarly research. Teaching and learning activities will include visits to local countryside sites managed for different objectives by different organizations or private owners. The visits will be integrative and cover the whole spectrum of countryside management from conservation to recreation. Workshop sessions, several with guest facilitators from the countryside professions, will allow in depth study of the issues associated with the management of countryside capital and evaluation of the interaction between national policies, legislation and the policies of key organizations and the methods of practical management that they employ.

Content

The field visits and workshops will be designed to provide students with insight into the multiple challenges affecting land use that are having fundamental consequences for countryside management to achieve the following objectives:

  • Habitat and wildlife species conservation
  • Scenic integrity of landscape
  • Access and recreation
  • Tourism and visitor management
  • Environmental education
  • Maintaining rural communities.
The teaching and learning activities aim to engender a holistic and integrative understanding of rural land use and current and perceived future pressures for land use and management change. The programme uses different combinations of venues managed by CCW, RSPB, Forestry Commission, Wildlife Trust, National Trust, National Parks and private landowners each year to cover the list of objectives.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Analysis and presentation of data may be involved as appropriate to visits.
Communication Written communication will be developed through the assignment. Verbal communication will be developed during the visits, expression of complex land use issues in workshops (groups), in small group working (groups) and seminars (individuals). Presentations in seminars.
Improving own Learning and Performance Personal scholarly research associated with workshops and seminars and assignment.
Information Technology The assignment should be word processed and student will need to use IT to research and present their findings.
Personal Development and Career planning Visits will include meetings with organizations and individuals directly involved with countryside careers.
Problem solving Quantitative analysis is not a significant component of the module.
Research skills Students will be required to carry out detailed research as part of the assignment.
Subject Specific Skills
Team work Small working group and workshop activities.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6