Land Use Change & Management: perspectives from agriculture & forestry - ENV00040H

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  • Department: Environment and Geography
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23 to Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

The Land Use Change and Management course aims to integrate ecological, historical, social, political and economic factors affecting land use, with a focus on agriculture and forest management. The field trips will provide a range of information of the issues being balanced in the management of an arable farm (Manor Farm near York) and a forest (Dalby forest on the North York Moors). The lectures review different aspects of land use management elsewhere in the world by reference to specific topics and a series of case studies.

Module learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the key issues faced by today's land use managers, in particular the balance between environmental sustainability, economic production and provision of socially valuable goods and services.
  • Be able to understand time and space horizons in agriculture and forestry.
  • Understand the fundamentals of autotrophic production (e.g. processes and associated environmental limits) and how these form the basis of the varied agricultural and forest systems in evidence today.
  • Demonstrate a detailed and contextual understanding of the issues related to modern day agricultural and forest land use with reference to the future sustainability across the globe.
  • Understand the driving forces for agriculture and forestry (both social, political and economic) and how these can realise different land use management systems and impacts on the environment and society.
  • Develop the ability to individually prepare a land use management plan that takes into account the costs, benefits, opportunities and constraints of a set of management actions. This can focus either on agriculture or forestry and can be based in a developed or developing country context.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) 60

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Verbal feedback during a timetabled feedback session. Written feedback on formative assessment via the VLE. Written feedback on summative assessment.

Indicative reading

  • Bruenig, E.F. 1996. Conservation and Management of Tropical Rainforests. CAB International, Wallingford
  • Smedshaug, C.A. (2010) Feeding the World in the 21st Century: A historical analysis of agriculture and society. Anthem press, UK.
  • FAO (2015) The state of food insecurity in the World in 2015. FAO.
  • Hunter, M.L. 1999. Maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Cambridge University Press.
  • Lang, T., Barling, D. and Caraher, M. (2009) Food Policy: Integrating health, environment and society. Oxford University Press.
  • Rackham, O. 1993. Trees and woodland in the British landscape. Dent.
  • Wilson, B. et al. 1999. Forest Policy: International Case Studies. CAB International.
  • The World Food Economy. (2011) 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons