121-420 Environmental Impacts and Assessment

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Normally, entry to honours year Environmental Studies.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

Environmental Impacts and Assessment will prepare students for environmental management roles by providing them with the principles of how human activities act upon natural and cultural systems; how physical and ecological processes fit into political and other regulatory frameworks and how human impacts on the environment might be mitigated. At the completion of the subject students should understand the theory and practice of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Students will be able to recognise the physical, ecological and social pathways through which impacts are effected and be able to recommend practical treatments for a wide variety of ecological problems. Key areas of interest include the characteristics of ecosystems which are most sensitive to change. Rates of change in ecosystems. Global practice in the preparation of EIS documentation. The regulatory framework that exists between formulation of EIS and implementation of recommendations. Case studies of particular environmental problems from a number of ecosystems.

Assessment

Individual reports on group assignment, up to 4000 words. Essay up to 2000 words. Proportions to be advised.