Course description for 2021/22
Nature Conservation and Management
NAT330
Course description for 2021/22
Nature Conservation and Management
NAT330
This course provides an introduction to conservation biology and into how Norwegian nature management is based on conservation-biological principles with an emphasis on forest nature.
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 focusing on forest ecosystems
- the systems of red and black lists, nature index and types of nature
- knowledge of Norway's types of nature and selected indicator and signal species
- ecology and specialized adaption for birds, mammals, insects, lichen and mushroom species
- public management of outdoor recreation, forms of outdoor recreation and the value thereof
- conflicts related to use and conservation, including conflict management
- fish farming and public management challenges
- exercises in conducting impact assessment of potential interventions in nature, designing of conservation targets for nature reserves, and case management according to the Nature Diversity Act
- students must write a specialized written assignment on a theme related to nature management.
- there will be an excursion abroad to learn about another country's nature management regime
Requirements to pre-existing knowledge: BIO 1210 Fish and deer game management, BIO 201 Ecology, BIO 1020 Zoology systematics and BIO 2060 Botany-floristics and fungistics or equivalent.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student:
Knowledge:
- has knowledge of understanding and application of the Nature Diversity Act in practical nature management
- has 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 population
- has knowledge of threats to biological diversity
- has knowledge of selected bird, mushroom and lichen species specialized adaptions and viability challenges based on a landscape-ecological perspective
- has knowledge of the significance of dead wood to biological diversity in forest
- has knowledge of key elements of the Nature Diversity Act its application to practical casework
- has knowledge of the consequences of interventions in and disturbing of nature
Skills:
- can carry out impact assessment as well as conservation target assessment of interventions in nature and protected areas
- can identify key indicator/signal species of mushroom, lichen and birds
- can write an investigative report covering biological assessment of a specific intervention in nature
- can apply the principles of the Nature Diversity Act in casework on nature intervention
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
No tuition fees. Costs for semester registration and course literature apply. Students should expect covering some of the food expenses on field courses.
Compulsory
Lectures, written work assignments and field excursions, including an excursion abroad. Field courses are mandatory.
Evaluated annually by students through course surveys. These evaluations are included in the university’s quality assurance system.
Oral examination aids: Norway's Laws and other law texts containing only law text and regulations. Special prints of laws and regulations.
BIO1010 Vegetation, climate and geologyand BIO140 Genetics, behaviour and evolution, or equivalent.
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:
NAF2006 - Nature Conservation and Management - 7.5 credits