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Overview

Natural resource management (NRM) refers to the scientific field that studies the sustainable utilisation of natural resources such as water, vegetation and land. Together, these resources provide the ecosystem services that underpin and enable human life. Land management has a major impact on all natural sciences (particularly the nexus of agriculture, forestry and conservation) and this module is designed to introduce MSc students to the major paradigms currently associated with land management. The aim of this module is to give you a theoretical understanding of the systems approach to managing natural resources, as well as a practical grounding in the ways in which natural resource managers can draw on a variety of knowledge sources to inform themselves and others of the impacts of land management decisions across a range of scales.

Natural resource management (NRM) refers to the scientific field that studies the sustainable utilisation of natural resources such as water, vegetation and land. Together, these resources provide the ecosystem services that underpin and enable human life. Land management has a major impact on all natural sciences (particularly the nexus of agriculture, forestry and conservation) and this module is designed to introduce MSc students to the major paradigms currently associated with land management. The aim of this module is to give you a theoretical understanding of the systems approach to managing natural resources, as well as a practical grounding in the ways in which natural resource managers can draw on a variety of knowledge sources to inform themselves and others of the impacts of land management decisions across a range of scales.

Summary of course content includes: Ecosystem services
Working across scales Systems concepts
Theory of Change Degradation and Resilience Livelihoods Local Knowledge Systems Participatory modelling of natural resource management issues

Assessment Strategy

Threshold (C) Written assignment – Review: Students are able to provide a rudimentary review of the major arguments and knowledge gaps associated with a major NRM paradigm - but this is based mainly on material provided during the module and shows limited evidence of supplementary reading or independent thinking. Written assignment – Plan. Students are able to draw on available evidence to build a moderately coherent set of NRM interventions to address degradation in a specified area. The plan draws on a limited evidence base, has limited critical analysis, and misses some of the major knowledge gaps.

Good (B) Written assignment – Review: Students are able to provide a solid review of the major arguments and knowledge gaps associated with a major NRM paradigm – this draws on material provided during the module and draws on the wider evidence to provide additional insights. Written assignment – Plan. Students draw on available evidence to build a coherent set of NRM interventions to address degradation in a specified area. The students recognise and understand uncertainty and develop basic strategies to address this. There is evidence of critical analysis, and an outline of monitoring and evaluation requirements.

Excellent -(A) Written assignment – Review: Students are able to provide a succinct, comprehensive review of the major arguments and knowledge gaps associated with a major NRM paradigm – this draws from and summarises knowledge from a wide range of sources to provide insights on the application of NRM on the ground in a range of settings. Written assignment – Plan. Students draw on available evidence to build an exemplary set of robust NRM interventions to address degradation in a specified area that ties in directly with local stakeholder needs. The plan uses all available evidence and sets out how knowledge gaps will be addressed. There is strong evidence of critical analysis and includes a deliverable monitoring and evaluation strategy.

Learning Outcomes

• compare and contrast major paradigms that inform natural resource management (including ecosystem services, resilience, restoration and sustainable intensification) and can identify limitations associated with 'operationalising' these paradigms.

• critically evaluate systems theory and the use of livelihoods frameworks in development.

• explain temporal and spatial scaling in natural resource management – and can propose methods to address these uncertainties for future land use change decisions.

• identify different methods to measure changes to natural systems (including degradation and restoration of biotic and abiotic components and the effects of these on stakeholders) and can assess different approaches for doing this.