Course coordinator
Dr Berndt Janse Van Rensburg
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (24/06/2024 - 05/08/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- The Environment School
The major aim of this first course is to present some real-life conservation challenges that include cases of industry, tourism, conservation and local communities working together. As part of the experience you will be collecting data that will be used to learn how geographical information systems (GIS) techniques can be used to address conservation issues.
While spending time at UQ’s research station on North Stradbroke Island, providing for an “outside classroom” experience, students will be exposed to a variety of real-life conservation challenges and solutions related to terrestrial ecosystems. The focus will be centred on sand mining activities and the challenges to maintain transparency between mining objectives and conservation objectives. The collection of biological data, on both plants and invertebrates, will be used to assess how successful the mine efforts are to rehabilitate areas that have previously been mined by comparing the fauna and flora of the mined areas with areas that have not been mined before.
Conservation in context: it is all about conflicts between humans and conservation. The field or discipline of conservation is multidisciplinary with many components linked to it such as economics, social aspects, conservation theory, etc.ﾠ
In the classroom component of the course, we will focus on best practices to communicate conservation messages to different stakeholders – the challenge of communicating conservation challenges to different stakeholders – this is difficult to do effectively yet a major component of putting conservation in context with decision makers.ﾠ
Participation in the field trip for CONS7029 ﾠis compulsory. Students who do not attend the field trip will not be able to pass the course.
ﾠ
With ﾠMs ﾠMaggie Muurmans - Industry lecturer:
Practical skills for international conservation (Lecture Series): ﾠWorking with ﾠMaggie Muurmans, you will be given practical insights into challenging issues on an international conservation platform, including sourcing funds, community conflict resolution and changing behaviour in the field of conservation. You will learn how to write grants and source funds successfully as well as obtaining skills on what is involved in working with local communities towards conservation outcomes. In addition, the course provides ideas and suggestions to be one step ahead on the highly competitive conservation-career market.
Bio:ﾠMs Maggie is a community building with over 20 years experience in community conservation, community engagement and sustainable livelihood development in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Her projects include the establishment of community conservation areas, protected area management and alternative livelihood development. She also managed a coastal community engagement program on the Gold Coast which reaches over 9000 community members each year and has co-founded an NGO in 2012 in this region with a focus on citizen science and environmental education for the marine environment.ﾠ
Maggie has successfully implemented debt-for-nature swaps, micro credit systems and fishery alternatives. Her experience also extends to comprehensive coastal community engagement, education and conservation programs. She also lead ranger exchanges between the Gumurr Marthakal rangers from the Arnhem Land region with Indonesian rangers. Maggie has received several national and international conservation awards for her work. She has also extensive experience in event management, capacity building activities and workshop facilitation for all levels of community and governance. Maggie is currently conducting a PhD in effective engagement in nature conservation and has been working as part of the teaching team with Griffith University and University of Queensland teaching undergraduate and post graduate courses such as Innovation for Impact, Business of Changing the World, Emerging topic for Conservation, MSc in Conservation Biology and Introduction to environmental sustainability. She also co-facilitated community research projects with a focus on employment pathways for migrant refugees in Logan.
Maggie recently commenced a role as senior program manager – behaviour change at a consultancy business based in Brisbane.ﾠ
ﾠ
Course requirements
Restrictions
Enrolment restricted to Master of Conservation Biology and Master of Conservation Science students.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Berndt Janse Van Rensburg
Ms Maggie Muurmans
Demonstrator
Dr Elizabeth Williams
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
While exposed to the complexities ofﾠreal-life conservation challenges and solutions including the communication of conservation messages to different stakeholders, and the multidisciplinary nature of conservation biology includingﾠindustry, tourismﾠand local community involvement, you will be engaged with the collection of primary field data that are considered essential for the regional mining industry because it facilitates transparency for development. ﾠThis data will be integrated into your semester long course focusing on statistics (CONS7008), and into an intensive course within Summer Semester where you willﾠlearn and explore ways on how to apply Geographical Information Systems (GIS) techniques to analyse biological data and address research questions relevant to the field of conservation biology (GEOM7005).
ﾠ
With Maggie Muurmans
Format:
1.How to find employment in conservation and what are the career perspectives on an international platformﾠ
Students will learnﾠwhereﾠto find employment in conservation,ﾠhowﾠto network within the close-knit community of conservationists andﾠwhichﾠskills would be a great advantage to acquire before entering the competitive conservation job market. Some career planning activity for each student will be included as well as how to address some of the skills gaps.ﾠ
2.Grant writing and Fundraising for Conservation NGO’sﾠ
Students will learn the basic principlesﾠwhere to find conservation grants, write successful grant proposals andﾠhowﾠto conduct fundraising activities.
Students will be the “grant-writer” for an NGO that is based in a developing country that works towards conservation for which they will need to find suitable grants. ﾠLectures will concentrate on writing content according to grant guidelines including its budget. They will also be taken through the process to f
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Analytically review conservation literature.
LO2.
Identify, interpret and apply methods for data capture and analysis
LO3.
Appreciate competing demands between different land users and their affect on the environment
LO4.
Develop conservation strategies while considering local and indigenous communities.
LO5.
Obtain essential skills to raise funds and write successful grant proposals
LO6.
Being able to communicate a comprehensive grant budget
LO7.
Understand the process once funds have been received and follow up to donors
LO8.
Understand stakeholder views and how to successfully communicate and collaborate with a range of stakeholders for grant submissions and in conservation programmes
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Assessment 1: Group presentation | 15% |
12/07/2024 10:00 am
Fri 12 July: Assignment 1: 10am-5pm (group presentations in class) (Muurmans) |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Assessment 2: Writing a winning conservation grant | 35% |
25/07/2024 2:00 pm
Thu 25 July: Assignment 2: 2pm (written report, Turn-It-In electronic submission) (Muurmans) |
| Role play/ Simulation | Assessment 3: oral exam | 50% |
1/08/2024 - 2/08/2024
Thu & Fri 1 & 2 Aug: Assignment 3: 10:00am-5pm (van Rensburg, Hall) |
Assessment details
Assessment 1: Group presentation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
12/07/2024 10:00 am
Fri 12 July: Assignment 1: 10am-5pm (group presentations in class) (Muurmans)
- Learning outcomes
- L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
Task Description:
Lecturer: Muurmans
Assessment: Group presentation in-class: Conservation planning for communities at grassroot level
A group of 4-5 students will work on a community conflict case study, which will be provided to them in class. The students are presented with a case study, located in a developing country with natural resources that are part of the community’s livelihood. You will need to collaborate to generate project activities that would have community support based on the data provided. This will need to be presented to your class as a suggested community strategy for conservation.
Purpose:
To provide real life scenario practice in finding patterns in quantitative data and developing a strategy for conservation in a local community to benefit a natural resource or biodiversity.
Learning objectives: 5 - 8
Submission guidelines
In class oral assessment. No submission needed.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment 2: Writing a winning conservation grant
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
25/07/2024 2:00 pm
Thu 25 July: Assignment 2: 2pm (written report, Turn-It-In electronic submission) (Muurmans)
- Learning outcomes
- L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
Task Description:
Lecturer: Muurmans
Assessment: (written document, submitted via Turn-It-In (electronic only)): Writing a winning conservation grant proposal
Each student will receive a grant application form to complete for an NGO or Not-for-Profit and species/conservation issue of their choice, providing they are eligible to apply for this selected grant.
Students will be assessed on the quality of their “submitted” grant proposal according to the marking grid.
Purpose:
To re-enforce learning following the lectures and provide practical experience in writing grant proposals.
Learning objectives: 5 - 8
Submission guidelines
Electronically via Turn-It-In
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment 3: oral exam
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Role play/ Simulation
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
1/08/2024 - 2/08/2024
Thu & Fri 1 & 2 Aug: Assignment 3: 10:00am-5pm (van Rensburg, Hall)
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
Spoken Examination - Arguing a Case with Data, and Thinking Critically About Both Sides of a Complex Conservation Issue
Weighting: 50% of your total grade for CONS7029
Introduction – General Overview
In the real world, conservation issues are never simple, and there are always arguments either for or against any given perspective in the conservation debate. One of the most important reasons for taking you to Stradbroke Island was for you to experience this for yourself in the context of the arguments for and against sand mining. This assessment has been designed to develop your ability to think critically about both sides of a complex conservation issue and to construct a fair and well-reasoned response to a challenging debate. Such a response is based on evidence and argument, rather than an emotional or intuitive reaction to the controversy.
Task Instructions - What You Will Be Doing
As explained below, this assessment task will include both a spoken and written component. The exercise will take the form of a brief, small-group discussion involving yourself, Berndt, John and one other student. This discussion will take place on campus in the days after our return from Stradbroke Island, and each student will need to make their own appointment to see Berndt and John during this time. The exact dates and times for these interviews, and instructions on how to reserve your appointment, will be explained during class.
This assessment will take the form of a role-playing scenario…
From the end of 2019, the long history of sand mining on Stradbroke Island officially came to an end. But for the purposes of this assessment, imagine that there has been a change in the Government of Queensland, and that the mining company has lodged a formal request to the new government to recommence sand-mining on Stradbroke Island. This request will be considered by the new minister for conservation and sustainable development. In the role-playing discussion that you will be participating in, the part of this minister will be played by Berndt, and John will take the role of his (long-suffering?) ministerial aide!
You will take the part of an informed expert…
Your role in this scenario will be as an expert advisor, who has been invited to a meeting with the minister to offer your advice on the government's Stradbroke Island policy. Specifically, you have been asked to offer your informed opinion on this question "should sand-mining be allowed to continue on Stradbroke island?"
You were asked to provide your input because the minister knows that you have conducted extensive fieldwork on Stradbroke island, investigating post-mining rehabilitation success (using ants as bioindicators, and surveys of vegetation diversity and structure). He is also aware that you have earned a reputation among the Stradbroke Island community as a fair and unbiased observer who has developed a strong understanding of the broader ecological, socio-economic and indigenous issues surrounding the sand-mining debate.
Choose your position…
Half the class will be arguing in favour of the proposition that sand mining should be allowed to return to Stradbroke Island, and the other half against. Hence, you must identify whether you will be arguing either for or against the proposal at the outset of assessment task (we will do our best to give everyone their first preference of position in the debate, but because the class does need to be split half-half on this, please appreciate that some flexibility may be required). You may argue for your broad position in any way that you wish, as long as your conclusions are backed by evidence and a well-reas
Submission guidelines
In class oral assessment. No submission needed.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | - |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Fail: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass.Work of a very poor quality showing a very limited understanding of subject matter and a very low level of appreciation of issues covered in course content, including laboratory and field-based activities (as relevant to the course). The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 0% |
| 2 (Fail) | - |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Fail: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. Work of poor quality showing a very limited understanding of subject matter and a low level of appreciation of issues covered in course content, including laboratory and field-based activities (as relevant to the course). The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 30% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | > - |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: <p>Fail: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 45% |
| 4 (Pass) | - |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Work of fair quality demonstrating a basic understanding of most aspects of subject matter and a modest appreciation of issues covered in the course, including laboratory and field-based activities (as relevant to the course), but with serious deficiencies in some areas. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 50% |
| 5 (Credit) | - |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Work of a good quality demonstrating a good understanding of most subject matter and a competent level of appreciation of issues covered the course, including laboratory and field-based activities (as relevant to the course), although with some lapses and inadequacies. The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 65% |
| 6 (Distinction) | - |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Work of a very good quality demonstrating a strong understanding of a wide, but not complete, range of subject matter and a good level of appreciation of issues, although not necessarily of the finer points, across the course content and activities, including laboratory and field-based activities (as relevant to the course). The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 75% |
| 7 (High Distinction) | - |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: <p>Work of exceptional quality showing a deep understanding of a wide range of subject matter and a clear appreciation of issues covered in across the course content and activities, including laboratory and field-based activities (as relevant to the course). The minimum percentage required for a grade of 7 is: 85% |
Additional course grading information
Hurdle Requirement:
Participation in the field trip for CONS7029ﾠis compulsory. Students who do not attend the field trip will not be able to pass the course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Courses graded 1-7
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here - my.UQ Applying for an extension
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a Word document outlining why you cannot provide the documentation and upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
Please note: While your extension request is being considered, you should work towards completing and submitting your assessment as soon as possible.
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 4 weeks in a semester, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses. You might need to consider applying for removal of course. We strongly recommend you seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Academic Integrity:ﾠAll students must complete the Academic Integrity Tutorial:ﾠhttps://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/
Use of AI:ﾠThe assessment tasks in this course evaluate students’ abilities, skills, and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI).ﾠStudents are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct
Assessment Re-mark:ﾠFor information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ:ﾠhttps://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/academic-progress-and-final-results/querying-result.
GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
Students may be required to work in groups and submit an assessment item as a group.
If you submit one assignment for the whole group then ALL group members MUST attach a signed coversheet to the group assignment and submit it by the due date. Late submission of a coversheet will result in a late submission penalty. If a coversheet is not attached the student will be recorded as not having submitted the item.
In some cases, students are expected to work in a group to gather data or generate ideas, but are expected to submit individual assessment items based on the group work. This means that you can use the group-generated ideas or data but you cannot collaborate to produce the individual written submissions. If the divisions are unclear, ask for clarification.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Here are two text books that could be handy for the Masters course overall:
ﾠ
Essentials of conservation biologyﾠby Primack, Richard B
Content Type:ﾠBook
Publisher:ﾠSinauer Associates
Date:ﾠ2010
Pages:ﾠxv, 601
Edition:ﾠ5th ed.
ISBN:ﾠ9780878936403, 0878936408
Subjects:ﾠConservation biology
Language:ﾠEnglishﾠ
ﾠ
Conservation biologyﾠby Pullin, Andrew S
Content Type:ﾠBook
Publisher:ﾠCambridge University Press
Date:ﾠ2002
Pages:ﾠp. 345
ISBN:ﾠ0521642841, 0521644828, 9780521642842, 9780521644822
Subjects:ﾠConservation biology
Language:ﾠEnglishﾠ
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Jun - 30 Jun) |
Lecture |
Australian Mammal Extinctions and the Dingo Controversy - Thinking Critically About a Difficult Issue in Conservation Thursday 27th June 2024 10:00am: LECTURE "Hope and the Numbat" Part #1 (Hall)
11:00am: DISCUSSION GROUP Synthesis of a paper on dingoes and conservation (Hall)
12:45pm: Introduction to the logical fallacies "homework" task (Hall) Friday 28th June 2024: 10:00am: DISCUSSION GROUP Syntheses of a paper on Dingoes and conservation (Hall)
11:00am: LECTURE "Hope and the Numbat" Part 2 (Hall)
12:00noon: TUTORIAL "Spotting a Logical Fallacy" (Hall) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Week 2 (01 Jul - 07 Jul) |
Lecture |
Conservation careers, grant writing, challenges & tools needed Mon 1 July: Conservation careers & grant writing 10am-1pm: Careers in conservation (Muurmans) 2-5pm: Writing successful grants in conservation (Muurmans) Tue 2 July: Conservation challenges & tools needed 10am-1pm: Conservation challenges in developing countries & fundraising (Muurmans) 2-5pm: Framing conservation problems (Muurmans) Fri 5 July: 10am-3pm: Individual Q & A related to Assessment 2 (will be done online only via Zoom) (Muurmans) Learning outcomes: L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Week 3 (08 Jul - 14 Jul) |
Lecture |
Community engagement Mon 8 July: 10am-1pm: Community engagement for conservation and conflict resolution (Muurmans) 2-5pm: Case study presentation and assessment introduction (Muurmans) Tue 9 July: 10am-1pm: Method and impact mapping (Muurmans) 2-5pm: Stakeholder mapping and idea generation (Muurmans) Fri 12 July: 10am-5pm: Assignment 1 – group presentations (15 mins presentation and 5 mins questions) (Muurmans) Learning outcomes: L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Week 4 (15 Jul - 21 Jul) |
Fieldwork |
Field trip to N. Stradbroke Is 15-21 July: MBRS field station Field trip LEG 1: 1st half of the cohort (15-18 July) (van Rensburg & Hall) Field trip LEG 2: 2nd half of the cohort (18-21 July) (van Rensburg & Hall) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 5 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Practical |
Ant and plant identification · 22 July: 10am-2pm: Ant identification-Field trip LEG 1 cohort (van Rensburg, Williams) · 23 July: 10am-1pm: Ant identification-Field trip LEG 1 cohort (van Rensburg, Williams) · 23 July: 12-3pm: Ant identification-Field trip LEG 2 cohort (van Rensburg, Williams) · 24 July: 10am-2pm: Ant identification-Field trip LEG 2 cohort (van Rensburg, Williams) · 24 July: 2-5pm: Plant data discussion and any final Assessment 3 Q&A. NOTE - both cohorts need to attend this class (Hall, van Rensburg) Learning outcomes: L02 |
Week 6 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Case-based learning |
Self directed learning preparing Assessment 3 25-31 July: Self-directed learning preparing for Assignment 3 Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course: