GSE808 Management of Degraded Environments
About this Unit
Semester 2, 2008
Offered: E2 - Evening; Second Half-Year
Convenor: Dr Trish Fanning
Prerequisite: GSE803 OR Permission of Head of Department (Permission will be granted if the student has a science based degree)
Credit Points: 4
This interdisciplinary unit aims to provide an outline of some aspects of the impact of human activities on the environment and, importantly, remedial actions which can be taken. The unit will be divided into three main sections:
- Contaminated Site Remediation in Urban Environments
- Land Degradation and Remediation in Rural Environments
- Mining and its Impact on the Environment, Human Health and Management, including Remediation.
This unit is a combination of evening classes, weekend field days, and web and library and field-based individual research and learning. Students must already have an undergraduate degree in Science or have successfully completed GSE803 Science in Environmental Management before enrolling in this unit. Prior knowledge of introductory geoscience and/or environmental chemistry would be useful.
Teaching Staff
Convenor: Dr Patricia Fanning
Contributors:
Professor Brian Gulson
John Coffey (DECC)
Dr Bill Ryall (HLA Envirosciences)
Classes
There will be a limited number of "background" presentations, essential for field trips, to be held at the times shown in the Schedule on Tuesday evenings from 1830 to 2130h in Room E8A 360A. Attendance is compulsory.
Unit web page
There is no web page for this unit.
Learning Outcomes
Through the successful completion of this unit, students will:
- Gain an understanding of the fundamentals and processes involved in the degradation of urban, rural and mining sites.
- Gain an understanding of the management of degraded urban, rural and mining sites.
- By individual research and field observations be able to critique the processes involved in the degradation of 2 of the 3 types of sites and their management and offer solutions for improvement.
- Demonstrate an effective grasp of the international literature relating to degraded environments.
- Gain experience in preparing a poster and "getting your message" across to your peers.
- Gain experience in peer evaluation and self-evaluation.
- Gain experience in succinct report writing.
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Urban Field trip (Saturday 16 August 2008, 9.00am - 13.00)
Will include a visit - led by John Coffey and Bill Ryall - to contaminated sites undergoing remediation at Rhodes Peninsula.
Rural/Mining Field trip (Friday and Saturday 12 and 13 September, 2008)
During the two-day field trip, staying over night in Goulburn, we will visit:
- the Goulburn area 200 km southwest of Sydney to view land degradation and soil conservation and catchment management practices.
- the rehabilitated Woodlawn copper-lead-zinc mine on the shores of Lake George (east of Canberra), now the site of a waste processing facility for Sydney's trash, and
- the remediation at the lead-zinc mine at Captains Flat, southeast of Queanbeyan.
Costs
In addition to normal fees, costs include overnight accommodation and meals in Goulburn, and transport to and from field trip locations. Group booking at a motel in Goulburn will mean that room costs can be kept to a minimum (approx. $40 pp. twin or triple share). Further details will be provided at the first meeting on 5th August 2008.
Schedule of Classes
| Week | Time | Location | Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.30pm - 7.30pm |
E8A 360A |
Introduction: Organisation, reading and research, assignments etc. |
| 2 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Degraded urban environments (John Coffey/Bill Ryall) |
First field trip Saturday 16 August 2008 |
9.00am - 1.00pm | Rhodes Peninsula | Contaminated site remediation (John Coffey and others) |
| 3 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Introduction to impacts of mining (Gulson) |
| 4 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Mine site Rehabilitation (Gulson) |
| 5 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Rural land degradation processes (Fanning) |
| 6 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Rural land degradation rehabilitation (Fanning) Assignment 1 due 9am. |
| Second field trip Friday and Saturday 12-13 Sept 2008 |
7am Friday - 6pm Saturday | Southern Tablelands (overnight in Goulburn) | Rural land degradation Goulburn, Bungonia; Woodlawn mine, Captains Flat: acid mine drainage and rehabilitation |
| 7 | No Class | ||
| MID SEMESTER BREAK | |||
| 8 | No Class | Assignment 2 due | |
| 9 | No Class | ||
| 10 | No Class | ||
| 11 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Assignment 3 due. Research project presentations |
| 12 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm | E8A 360A | Presentations continued |
| 13 | 6.30pm - 9.30pm |
E8A 360A |
Presentations continued (if required) Unit evaluation and feedback |
Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes
Performance in the unit will be assessed as follows:
| Assessment | Marks | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Research Proposal | 20% | September 10 |
| Field Trip Reports | 50% | October 8 |
| Research Project Presentations | 15% | October 28 |
| Research Project Written Notes | 15% | October 28 |
*All students must be prepared to present on October 28 and must submit their Powerpoint presentation and hard copy of notes to Trish by October 28 PRIOR TO THE CLASS.
Please note that Assignments 1 and 2 must be submitted via the ELS Centre by 9 a.m. on the due date. No extension for submission of written work/presentations will be given without prior permission from the unit convenor. A penalty of 10% per day for work submitted after the due date will apply unless prior permission has been sought and granted, both in writing.
Research Proposal (20% of marks)
A detailed outline (maximum 3000 words) of your proposed research topic including: aims, scope, research methods, expected outcomes from proposed research, and incorporating a detailed review of all relevant literature. Title page, table of contents, short abstract (summary minimum ½ page), tables, figures (or photos), and bibliography are not included in the word count. We encourage you to use dot points and tables, where appropriate.
Each student will be required to research a topic of their own choice consistent with the course objectives, i.e., assessing the nature and extent of the degradation problems, existing management techniques and recommendations for future management (i.e. a management plan). As remediation is one important aspect of degradation, some students may prefer to incorporate legislative or political ramifications of degradation into their research.
The research project will initially require a literature search, which will be an important aid in defining specific aspects to be examined and in producing a research proposal. The research project may or may not involve fieldwork (measurements, surveys, questionnaires, interviews etc).
Students are encouraged to discuss their topics and research design with any of the staff. The topic/site must be different from that chosen for the field report assignments.
Field Trip Report (50% of marks)
Provide a concise review (maximum 4000 words) of management practices at ALL of the sites visited on TWO of the 3 field days (urban, rural, mine sites). Using field observations and relevant literature to support your findings, include comments (where appropriate) which address the following:
- What is the nature of the land or mine site degradation/urban contamination problem?
- Is the existing management/remediation approach appropriate and/or effective?
- What options should be considered to address the land or mine site degradation/urban contamination problem or improve existing management strategies? (you can include the "do nothing" option)
- What is the recommended approach or solution, taking into consideration factors such as cost-benefit to landholders/stakeholders and the environment, legislation, feasibility of works and barriers to implementing management change?
Title page, table of contents, short abstract (summary ~1/2 page), tables, figures (including maps and/or photos), and bibliography are not included in the word count. We encourage you to use dot points and tables, where appropriate.
NOTE: Students undertaking their Research Project in the mining, urban site remediation or rural land degradation fields must review different topics for the field trip reports: check with convenors if in doubt about this.
Research Project Presentations (15%)
PLEASE NOTE: The format for the research project presentation will be by PowerPoint. The presentations are to be submitted to Trish at the commencement of the class on 28th October 2008, via CD or USB stick.
Each student will give a (maximum) 12 minute oral presentation and answer questions from the group (max. 3 minutes).
The presentations will be assessed by the group and a self-evaluation is to be undertaken but final grades will be the prerogative of the convenors. Equal weight will be given to the oral presentation and the written notes (see below) in determining the final grade (i.e. 15% each). A guide to our expectations for the presentation and written notes will be outlined at the first class meeting. Each presentation will be evaluated by staff and peers.
Research Project Written Notes (15%)
A hard copy of the PowerPoint presentation are to be submitted, at the same time as the presentation, to Brian at the commencement of the class on 28th October 2008.
The hard copy will use the PowerPoint option of NOTESPAGE (i.e. 1 slide to each page) to allow for elaboration of the material on each slide. These notes will include extra data or information that supports the material on each slide, and should include all references as citations. Please include your Bibliography as a separate sheet (s) using the standard format as per the GSE Writing Guide.
NOTE: Word length for all assignments does not include Table of Contents, Short summary (minimum ½ page), Tables, Diagrams, Photographs or Bibliography.
Assignment Submission
Except where otherwise advised, all assignments must be submitted to the appropriate assignment box for your unit. Assignment boxes are located in the reception area of the ELS Centre (Room 101), which is on the ground floor at the western end of building E7A.
The Centre opens from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday. There is also an after-hours assignment submission box at the door of E7A which opens to the central university walkway. You can access a campus map to assist in locating the building.
All assignments are to be submitted by 9.00am on the date specified and must include a completed and signed coversheet stapled to the front cover. You can download an Assignment Cover Sheet from the ELS website. Please note that ELS Centre staff have requested that assignments are NOT placed in folders or plastic covers.
Required and Recommended Texts/Materials
Abundant reference materials for the subject matter of this unit exist in Macquarie University library, the libraries of other universities and government departments in Sydney, and especially on the World Wide Web.
Reading lists will be provided on a CD that will be distributed to each student at the first meeting. This CD will also contain presentations, additional resource material, and images from previous field trips.
Plagiarism
The University defines plagiarism in its rules: "Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own." Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University's rules and carries significant penalties. You must read the University's practices and procedures on plagiarism. These can be found in the Handbook of Postgraduate Studies or on the web at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/
The policies and procedures explain what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, the procedures that will be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism, and the penalties if you are found guilty. Penalties may include a deduction of marks, failure in the unit, and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.
The GSE recommends that students familiarise themselves with the information contained on the Georgetown University Honor Council website which discusses plagiarism in an easy to understand and comprehensive manner.
University Policy on Grading
Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).
On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results.
It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.
The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students. A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark.
For an explanation of the policy see:
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/Guidelines2003.doc or
http://senate.mq.edu.au/rules/detailedguidelines.doc
Student Support Services
Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.
Advice for Students with Disabilities/Health Conditions
The Equity Support Unit (ESU) provides support and assistance to students with a disability/health condition in aiming to ensure that they do not experience disadvantage in reaching their academic potential. Service provision is determined on a case-by-case basis following an assessment of a student's needs and the provision of supporting documentation. Service provision is also dependent on the availability of resources.
To register with ESU, download an Advice of Disability/Health Condition form from http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html. This form must be completed annually, irrespective of whether a disability/health condition is temporary, long-term or permanent. Students wishing to request support services from the ESU should make an appointment to see a Disability Advisor immediately after enrolling at Macquarie University.
Phone: (02) 9850 6494/7497
Fax: (02) 9850 6063
TTY: (02) 9850 6493
Email: equity@mq.edu.au
In person: Level 2, Lincoln Building (C8A), Macquarie University
Website: http://www.sss.mq.edu.au/equity