On-Ground River Protection and Restoration
Description
This subject is concerned with the selection, design and implementation of on-ground river and water protection and restoration projects. The content will focus at an activity level and at a site scale. Subject material will present a range of techniques but will focus on understanding selection and applicability (rather than providing a prescriptive methodology that is better suited to written manuals). The subject will complement the new manual being written for the Department of Sustainability and Environment: “Technical Guidelines for Waterway Management”.
The “Principles of Natural Resources Management” deal with:
- achieving balance
- promoting stewardship
- landscape scale change
- adaptive management
- proactive management
- flexible programs that are enabling not prescriptive
Topics will include techniques for:
- stakeholder engagement
- riparian restoration (particularly vegetation management)
- controlling exotic species
- instream habitat
- fishways
- achieving environmental flows in rivers and wetlands
- maximising effectiveness of environmental flows
- managing water quality
- floodplain management
- reconnecting rivers and floodplains
- managing sand and sediment
- erosion control, and
- responding to floods, wildfires and other natural disasters.
The structured remote learning component will review available techniques and familiarise students with their selection and application as preparation for activity sessions during the four-day intensive component of the subject. Students will also work remotely on their project, which for this subject will involve the selection and application of a technique in response to a real catchment management issue from their workplace. The four-day intensive face-to-face session will focus on the knowledge needed to select and apply particular techniques and use of the “Guidelines”. As the fulcrum of this session, students will select and apply techniques in real situations, with their work subject to review by a panel including specialists, a contractor, a landowner and an experienced waterway manager. There will also be a presentation dealing with managing staff, contractors, consultants and the Board.
Subject Code
NRMT90030
Credit Points
12.5
Objectives
On the successful completion of this subject students will:
- be able to describe the seven Principles of Natural Resource Management
- understand how the principles apply to selection and application of techniques at a project level;
- exhibit analytical and problem-solving skills in selecting and applying catchment management techniques at a project level;
- understand the limitations of decision-making at project level and the need for projects to be part of broad-based activity programs serving broad catchment management objectives; and
- be familiar with creating and acquiring the knowledge necessary for successful implementation of techniques.
Generic skills students will develop
Please see Objectives
Pre-requisites and/or Co-requisites
Successful completion of Fundamentals of Catchment Management or equivalent in training or experience
Mode of Delivery
Combination of remote learning and lectures, tutorials, practicals and projects
Contact Time
120 hours total time commitment, 40 hours contact including fieldwork
Assessment
- A written test on techniques and their applicability (10 percent)
- Group “site assessment” exercise. Equivalent to 1,000 words each plus participation (20 percent)
- Tutorial exercises and short tests during the intensive phase (10 percent)
- Individual project report(s) equivalent to a 4,000 word assignment (50 percent)
- 500 word (equivalent) ongoing critique of the relevance of the key natural resources management principles (10 percent)
Students will be required on commencement of the subject to sign a statement (in hard copy) that they undertake that all work submitted will be their own, that they understand they may be required to take an examination in the subject if there is any doubt as to the authenticity of their assessed work, and that they understand plagiarism and/or collusion are the basis for disciplinary action.
Subject Coordinator
Dr John Tilleard
Course Coordinator
John has 30 years experience in theory and practice of river management
Venue
The majority of this course is via distance education, with a 4 day intensive program at the All Seasons Lake Hume Resort in the Albury/Wodonga area.
Dates
15th October - 7th December 2012
Course Fee
$2600 per subject
Associated Intensive Delivery Costs: The expected cost per 4 days remote intensive session is approximately $600. Travel to and from the sites is the participants responsibility, however transport will normally be available from Melbourne if required.
Prescribed Textbook
A study guide and a book of readings is provided to students
Online Learning System
SOLE
For further information contact
Sharnee Chislett
Project Manager
School of Melbourne Custom Programs
University of Melbourne
T 61 3 9810 3146
F 61 3 9810 3149
E sharneec@unimelb.edu.au
Application Process
Applications are managed by Student Services