Students gain essential knowledge for environmental managers concerning ecosystem structure and function, ecological sustainability, maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, restoration of disturbed ecosystems, bioeconomics, conservation of threatened populations, and impacts of particular environmental threats such as climatic change, pollution, salinisation and species invasions. The course emphasises the effective management and monitoring of complex ecosystems where inherent uncertainty, limited ecological understanding and political, economic and legal constraints must be factored into environmental decision making. Issues in management of terrestrial and marine ecosystems are introduced through lectures, learning exercises and field excursions.

Assumed knowledge: This is a basic training in ecological concepts and principles for non-biologists and no biological knowledge is assumed.

Note: This course is one of the Fundamental Knowledge core courses available within the Masters of Environmental Management degree program. If places are available it may also be taken as a short course in stand-alone mode or as part of other postgraduate programs. It is offered as an intensive 2-week course in December with field training at the UNSW Field Station at Smiths Lake followed by a week of study on campus at Kensington.