Landscape Conservation and Recreation
PostgraduateTAS-KGA5272025
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- Online & on-campus
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Start dates
- 24 Feb 2025
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Landscape Conservation and Recreation
About this subject
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Construct inventories for geodiversity for heritage, tourism and conservation purposes
- Evaluate land degradation and vulnerability of geodiversity elements and values
- Recommend appropriate infrastructure, experiences, and management options for geodiversity elements using decision-support tools
- Communicate geodiversity values to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences
- Scientific values assessment
- Geosites - scientific values assessment
- Impacts and degradation
- Additional values, secondary geodiversity, and geotourism
- Introduction to geotourism
- Making complex decisions in geotourism
- Geotourism valorisation and experience interpretation
- Sustainable development goals
- Rare, special and wonderful
- Geoparks and geotourism
- Communicating geoheritage and geotourism
Conservation efforts globally are focussed primarily on biodiversity, but geodiversity elements and features such as soils, rivers, mountains and caves provide humans with a wealth of ecosystem services and enjoyment. In this subject, you will learn about how to recognise geodiversity elements as critical system supports for biodiversity and ecosystem function, and to appreciate their cultural and recreational value for society. Using a series of masterclasses with global experts (in-field, in person or online), you will be immersed in the practices of 'geoconservation' and 'geotourism'. With no prior knowledge or skills required, you will develop skills as a communicator and conservation professional, and learn how to:
- Rank and assess geodiversity elements (as 'subjects' of conservation) and features in terms of their rarity, uniqueness, importance to science and society,
- Construct inventories of abiotic, biotic and cultural elements and values for recreation and reserve establishment
- Undertake in-field degradation assessments of landscapes used by humans for tourism and production
- Recommend management strategies to restore landscape features and values for human enjoyment and wilderness protection
- Undertake decision-making in a range of modes – graphical, consensus methods, GIS methods and qualitative methods.
- Communicate landscape features and conservation strategies to a broad range of audiences.
Any student interested in how to undertake conservation practice, curate heritage, assess landscape suitability for tourism and other ventures, or to communicate natural values will find KGA527 useful. All skills and knowledge required to successfully complete KGA527 are developed within the subject.
For face-to-face mode (or any interested online students) - A three-day in-field camp to northern Tasmania will be scheduled in week 7 of semester. The cost of this camp; which includes 5 meals per day; transport; accommodation and entry fees; is $150. An online payment portal is available to students from week 1 of semester, and the camp cost can be paid down progressively in increments until the end of week 4.
For students who cannot attend camp, a compulsory online 3-day seminar and workshop program is scheduled for Friday evening, and 5 hours each on Saturday and Sunday. This seminar and workshop program is delivered live online, and will feature world-renowned presenters and experts in geoconservation and geotourism, outstanding virtual field-trips, and dedicated training and interactions with our KGA527 teaching team.- Weekly interactive task development (10%)
- Geotrail or Heritage Trail (30%)
- Geosite Nomination (30%)
- Video Experience - E-Media/Podcasts (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Equivalent subjects
You won't be able to enrol into this subject if you've already successfully completed or currently enrolled in the following subject(s) as they are considered anti-requisites due to the similarity of the content.
Additional requirements
- Software requirements - Access to a computer with a generous download and streaming allowance, and at least 30 GB of hard drive space is absolutely essential for maximal success in this subject. Please contact the unit coordinator if this will be a problem for you.
- Travel requirements - For face-to-face mode (or any interested online students) - A three-day in-field camp to northern Tasmania will be scheduled in week 7 of semester. The cost of this camp; which includes 5 meals per day; transport; accommodation and entry fees; is $150. An online payment portal is available to students from week 1 of semester, and the camp cost can be paid down progressively in increments until the end of week 4. For students who cannot attend camp, a compulsory online 3-day seminar and workshop program is scheduled for Friday evening, and 5 hours each on Saturday and Sunday. This seminar and workshop program is delivered live online, and will feature world-renowned presenters and experts in geoconservation and geotourism, outstanding virtual field-trips, and dedicated training and interactions with our KGA527 teaching team.
- Other requirements - KGA527 is delivered online and face-to-face. It's a bit different to other subjects you might undertake with UTAS, in that this subject offers fully-developed and customised experiences for students attending on campus in Tasmania (face-to-face), online live - where you will have a dedicated teacher, customised virtual field experiences, and other activities to participate in with other online students conducted over Zoom, and online asynchronous whereby you complete all work in your own time. KGA527 trains you to be a competent abiotic landscape conservation, heritage or professional in three ways: 1. Through weekly masterclass workshops (on-campus face-to-face; online live: watch later/asynchronous). These classes teach you skills related to conducting landscape assessments, curating inventory, designing sustainable recreational experiences, learning conservation approaches and challenges, and how to use digital and communication tools. 2. Via field immersion on Friday March 14th (for on-campus, face-to-face students) or dynamic virtual field immersion (online live students, and available to participate in your own time/asynchronously). These experiences will help you to assess landscape and heritage degradation, recognise geodiversity elements, appreciate the impacts and options for development, restoration, and pure enjoyment of the physical environment. 3. Through the togetherness of a field camp on April 6-7th (any KGA527 student welcome) or professional seminars and specialist online training workshops for students who can't attend camp. These experiences will enable you to meet and discuss conservation and recreation with world experts, learn how to conduct geotouristic assessments, and immerse yourself in the second-most geographically diverse landscape in the world, Tasmania.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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Graduate Diploma of Strategic Communication
PostgraduateTAS-SCM-GDI
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