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