Nature Park Management II

This course builds on Nature Park Management I, concentrating more on indigenous plants and using them to create natural, balanced ecosystems. Learn to manage wildlife, build trails, plus amenities, water, recreation & water areas

Course Code: BEN207
Fee Code: S3
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
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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
  • Creating nature trails
  • Building rockeries and pathways
  • Constructing ponds and watercourses
  • Designing picnic grounds

 

 

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. Natural Environments
    • preserving natural environments; plant associations and environment rehabilitation
  2. Recreation and the Environment
    • impact of recreation on natural environments
  3. Wildlife Management in Nature Parks
    • impact of park visitors on wildlife; managing wildlife
  4. Visitor Amenities in Nature Parks
    • design; provision of visitor amenities including picnic areas and campgrounds; management of facilities
  5. Park Interpretation
    • interpretative facilities including signs and education programs
  6. Trail Design and Construction
    • designing access routes in parks; designing and constructing walking tracks
  7. Water Areas
    • conserving and managing natural water bodies in nature park; impact of humans on water areas
  8. Marketing Nature Parks
    • strategies used to promote nature parks
  9. Risk Management I
    • identifying, minimising and managing natural hazards; safety issues
  10. Risk Management II
    • 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

  • Explain the role of nature parks in preserving natural environments.
  • Explain the role of nature parks as a recreation resource.
  • Explain the issues of managing wildlife in nature parks.
  • Explain the design of visitor amenities in nature parks and their impact on the environment.
  • Explain the role interpretative facilities in nature parks.
  • Explain the design and construction of trails within nature parks.
  • Explain the importance and management of natural water areas in nature parks.
  • Explain the importance of effective marketing in promoting nature parks.
  • Explain safety issues and hazard management in nature parks.
  • Explain the use of risk management plans in nature parks.

What You Will Do

  • Explain how by changing drainage patterns man can damage a natural environment? Consider both urban and rural areas.
  • Why would you plant trees several years before planting lower plants in an area you are attempting to return to natural bush?
  • How would you go about rehabilitating or establishing an area?
  • Present your notes and sketches from a study of natural rock areas.
  • Present photos or sketches of rockeries you have inspected.
  • In what situations would you be likely to create rockeries in a wildlife enclosure? Why?
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Design a magazine or newspaper advertizement to promote a park you visited.
  • 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?
  • Describe step by step everything you need to do to grow a eucalypt from seed into a healthy plant over a ten year period.
  • Select 25 different species of Eucalyptus which you have details about and write a description and notes for each of these species.
  • Write descriptions for six different species of wattles which will grow successfully in your locality.
  • What are the principle uses of the Proteaceae and leguminous plants as you see them in a park situation.
  • Make up a list of at least 30 Myrtaceae species which will grow well in your locality.
  • Draw a concept plan for the development of a wildlife park.
  • Draw a detailed plan for the construction of an animal enclosure.
  • Design a picnic area.
  • Submit the drawing (or photo) of the picnic area you looked at with your comments on the design of that facility.
  • Design a piece of park furniture and prepare a costing for the production of the item.
  • List six different types of park furniture you looked at.
  • Collect catalogues from lawn seed suppliers, instant lawn companies etc.
  • Contact several quarries in your area. Collect samples of the materials they supply.
  • Contact artificial turf companies and make up a list of materials available.
  • Find three examples of bad selection of surfacings in a landscape.
  • List freshwater and saltwater animals that can be farmed under aquaculture management in your locality.
  • Design a water feature of your choice.
  • 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.
  • Design a sign which will enable visitors to distinguish between the different animals in an enclosure.
  • Write a short piece of literature for children which relates what you can observe in an enclosure.
  • Suggest a supervised activity for children which could be used in a wildlife park during school holidays.
  • 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.
 
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
Member Nursery and Garden Industry Association.
Member Nursery and Garden Industry Association.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

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There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

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If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

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Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

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We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

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We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

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You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

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We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
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Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

John Mason (Horticulturist)

Parks Manager, Nurseryman, Landscape Designer, Garden Writer and Consultant.
Over 40 years experience; working in Victoria, Queensland and the UK.
He is one of the most widely published garden writers in the world.

Rosemary Davies (Horticulturist)

Leading horticultural expert in Australia.
Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer, taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer.
She then studied Education and Training, teaching TAFE apprentices and developing curriculum for TAFE, before taking up an offer as a full time columnist with the Herald and Weekly Times and its magazine department after a number of years as columnist with the Age. She has worked for a number of companies in writing and publications, PR community education and management and has led several tours to Europe.
In 1999 Rosemary was BPW Bendigo Business Woman of the Year and is one of the founders and the Patron, of the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic gardens. She has completed her 6th book this year and is working on concepts for several others.
Rosemary has a B Ed, BSc Hort, Dip Advertising & Marketing

Dr Robert Browne

Zoologist, Environmental Scientist and Sustainability, science based consultancy with biotechnology corporations. Work focused on conservation and sustainability.
Robert has published work in the fields of nutrition, pathology, larval growth and development, husbandry, thermo-biology, reproduction technologies, and facility design.Robert has B.Sc., Ph, D.

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