This course follows on from Nature Park Management I, but can be undertaken on its own.
In Nature Park Management II, you will focus on:
- Indigenous plants to create a natural ecosystem
- Building rockeries and pathways
- Constructing ponds and watercourses
Lesson Structure
There are 10 lessons in this course:
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Natural Environments
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preserving natural environments; plant associations and environment rehabilitation
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Recreation and the Environment
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impact of recreation on natural environments
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Wildlife Management in Nature Parks
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impact of park visitors on wildlife; managing wildlife
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Visitor Amenities in Nature Parks
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design; provision of visitor amenities including picnic areas and campgrounds; management of facilities
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Park Interpretation
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interpretative facilities including signs and education programs
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Trail Design and Construction
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designing access routes in parks; designing and constructing walking tracks
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Water Areas
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conserving and managing natural water bodies in nature park; impact of humans on water areas
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Marketing Nature Parks
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strategies used to promote nature parks
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Risk Management I
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identifying, minimising and managing natural hazards; safety issues
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Risk Management II
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preparing a risk management plan
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Explain the role of nature parks in preserving natural environments.
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Explain the role of nature parks as a recreation resource.
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Explain the issues of managing wildlife in nature parks.
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Explain the design of visitor amenities in nature parks and their impact on the environment.
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Explain the role interpretative facilities in nature parks.
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Explain the design and construction of trails within nature parks.
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Explain the importance and management of natural water areas in nature parks.
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Explain the importance of effective marketing in promoting nature parks.
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Explain safety issues and hazard management in nature parks.
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Explain the use of risk management plans in nature parks.
What You Will Do
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Explain how by changing drainage patterns man can damage a natural environment? Consider both urban and rural areas.
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Why would you plant trees several years before planting lower plants in an area you are attempting to return to natural bush?
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How would you go about rehabilitating or establishing an area?
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Present your notes and sketches from a study of natural rock areas.
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Present photos or sketches of rockeries you have inspected.
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In what situations would you be likely to create rockeries in a wildlife enclosure? Why?
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Prepare a list of 30 Australian native plants stating how you would propagate them and why you would use that method in preference to others.
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Prepare a table of at least 20 different recreation activities that you may be familiar with that indicates how compatible these activities are with each other.
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Design a magazine or newspaper advertizement to promote a park you visited.
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Name a nature park which you know of through their marketing, though you have never visited it. What aspect(s) of their marketing have made you aware of this park?
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Describe step by step everything you need to do to grow a eucalypt from seed into a healthy plant over a ten year period.
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Select 25 different species of Eucalyptus which you have details about and write a description and notes for each of these species.
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Write descriptions for six different species of wattles which will grow successfully in your locality.
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What are the principle uses of the Proteaceae and leguminous plants as you see them in a park situation.
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Make up a list of at least 30 Myrtaceae species which will grow well in your locality.
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Draw a concept plan for the development of a wildlife park.
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Draw a detailed plan for the construction of an animal enclosure.
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Design a picnic area.
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Submit the drawing (or photo) of the picnic area you looked at with your comments on the design of that facility.
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Design a piece of park furniture and prepare a costing for the production of the item.
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List six different types of park furniture you looked at.
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Collect catalogues from lawn seed suppliers, instant lawn companies etc.
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Contact several quarries in your area. Collect samples of the materials they supply.
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Contact artificial turf companies and make up a list of materials available.
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Find three examples of bad selection of surfacings in a landscape.
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List freshwater and saltwater animals that can be farmed under aquaculture management in your locality.
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Design a water feature of your choice.
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Compare the alternative methods of sign production to show the differences between methods with respect to cost, durability, the situations where it would be appropriate or inappropriate to use each type.
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Design a sign which will enable visitors to distinguish between the different animals in an enclosure.
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Write a short piece of literature for children which relates what you can observe in an enclosure.
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Suggest a supervised activity for children which could be used in a wildlife park during school holidays.
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Design a trail.
Learning about Plants can be a Big Advantage
Being able to identify plants (and to some degree animals), is of fundamental importance for anyone working in managing a wilderness area.
- You must be able to determine the difference between wanted and unwanted plants (i.e. weeds)
- You must know what plants to plant where in order to improve and not degrade the landscape
In this course, for each lesson, you will choose and review five different plants - including the name (include genus and species name where possible), appearance and various characteristics.
You will consider details on its cultural requirements (i.e. feeding, watering etc.), its uses (i.e. windbreak, flowers, shade etc.), its propagation, any common pests and diseases etc.
Plant (and animal) knowledge are critical cornerstones to understanding, and managing a wilderness area. Nature Park management staff need to be able to foresee problems, control the impact that any activity has on a landscape, while at the same time facilitating a positive experience for the visitors.
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