Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Nature Conservation and Management
NAF2006
Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Nature Conservation and Management
NAF2006
This course provides an introduction to Norwegian nature management and the principles of conservation biology and landscape ecology that it is based upon.
The main themes are:
- sustainable use of Norwegian nature as part of the public Norwegian nature management and area planning
- conservation biology and landscape ecology as the basis for nature management
- The systems for Norwegian handling of biodiversity information: the Norwegian red lists of species, alien species list and red list of nature types
- classification of nature types in Norway and characteristics of main types
- conflicts related to use and conservation, including conflict management and conflicts between different useages
- specialized written assignments on the species levels
The subject is reserved for students of the following study programmes:
- Nature Management (Bachelor programme)
Other students can get admitted if there are places available. Contact student advisor.
Requirements to pre-existing knowledge: NAF1000 Fish and Wildlife Management, BIO1004 Nature types, Climate and Geology, BIO1011 Introduction to Botany, BIO1012 Introduction to Zoology, ØKO2002 Population Ecology and NAF1001 Legal Doctrine for Nature Managers.
After completing the course, the student will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge:
- has knowledge of understanding and application of the Nature Diversity Act in practical nature management, as well as knowledge of conflict issues in nature management
- has knowledge of basic principles of conservation biology, with emphasis placed on landscape and island ecological theories including understanding of the term meta populations
- has knowledge of threats to biological diversity
- has knowledge of microhabitat structure in general, and particularly dead wood in forests, and what this means for the species diversity of a given nature type
- has knowledge of key elements of the Nature Diversity Act and other important Norwegian legislative texts and their application to practical casework
- has knowledge of the consequences of interventions in and disturbing of nature
Skills:
- can apply the principles of the Nature Diversity Act in casework on nature intervention
- can assess and evaluate critically red list status of species based on observational data and natural history knowledge
- can assess risk for ecological and economic damage from alien species
General competence:
- has knowledge of nature protection and sustainable use as well as management of nature resources based on a conservation-biological approach
- has knowledge of public nature management tasks at various levels, including international cooperation and its regulatory frameworks
Paid semester fee and syllabus literature. It is also required that students have a laptop at their disposal.
Compulsory
Lectures and written work assignments.
Evaluated annually by students through course surveys, forming part of the university’s quality assurance system.
Grades are determined based on a weighted average of a group written assignment (20%), individual written assignment (20%) and oral exam (60%). To qualify to the passing grade, the candidate must in addition pass mandatory group written assignment and mandatory oral presentation.
Prior knowledge equivalent to NAF2004 Nature Monitoring is recommended.
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
NAT330 - Nature Conservation and Management - 7.5 credits
NAF2007 - Land Use Ecology - 7.5 credits
NAF2008 - Biodiversity Management - 7.5 credits