NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The course is part of the training activities characterizing the Master's Degree in Environmental Sciences - Global Environmental Change and aims at introducing students to the principles of natural resource management and current challenges that arise in implementing operational tools in a changing world.
This course is designed to raise students' awareness of the state of natural resources globally and the need for more effective, innovative approaches, helping students develop critical skills in choosing the right tools to address management issues of natural resources at different scales and in a multidisciplinary perspective.
The main focus of the course is on innovation methods and tools to analyse the interactions between the natural and anthropogenic components of the socio-ecosystems.
The spatial and temporal dynamics of phenomena are explored through concrete examples taken mainly from forest and agricultural systems.

1. Knowledge and understanding
1.1 Understand and recognize the relationships of interdependence that link anthropic activities and natural resources
1.2 Know the main tools for analysis and territorial assessment to support planning
1.3 Understand the links between development, well-being and exhaustible and non-natural resources.
2 Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
2.1 Use analysis tools such as indicators and evaluation indices in a territorial context
2.2 Apply simple spatial, dynamic and integrated models
2.3 Apply evaluation methods to support decisions
3 Ability to judge
3.1 Reflect on the relationships between economic activities and the environment with integrated analysis tools
3.2 Choose between different approaches for sustainability measurement and environmental assessment
3.3 Reflecting on sustainability as a criterion for territorial economic development.

There are no prerequisites, but basic knowledge of ecology, economics, statistics is helpful

Introduction to the course and definition of NRM
Humans and the environment
Natural resources
Natural resources and adaptive management
Economic growth and natural resources
Water resources
A new paradigm for watrer resources management: the WEF Nexus
Land, climate and biodiversity
Non-monetary valuation: FAO Land evaluation
Economic valuation of natural resources
Economic policies and measures for the environment
Payments for ecosystem services
A framework for sustainability assessment 1/3
A framework for sustainability assessment 2/3
A framework for sustainability assessment 3/3
Each topic is treated with reference to a specific example of innovative methods and tools and one or more case studies.

Teaching materials (slides and further readings) are made available by the instructor through the Moodle platform

The final exam is oral, about all the contents of the course. Attendance and active participation to class activities and discussions is taken into account in the final grade

oral

Below is a reference grading:
28-30L: excellent mastery of the topics covered in class and ability to select and prioritize information; use of appropriate terminology;
26-27: good knowledge of the topics covered in class and fair ability to organize information and present it orally; familiarity with terminology;
24-25: not always in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in class; correct oral presentation, but with limitations for example in the use of terminology;
22-23: superficial knowledge of the topics covered in class and unclear oral presentation, or lacking in terminology;
18-21: deficient knowledge of the topics covered in class and not completely adequate oral presentation.
Suggestions to obtain medium or high grades:
• Attend and participate in class and timely accomplish possible homeworks
• Study course materials in advance during the attendance
• Study in depth the various topics on recommended texts

The course foresees a series of lectures making use of powerpoint presentations made available to students since the beginning of the course, questions and answers to monitor learning progresses and - possibly - some sutent (group)works

The blog functionality provided by the Moodle platform is used for on-line communication with students.

Course materials (powerpoint slides, homework, readings, etc.) can be found in the Ca' Foscari Moodle web site: http://moodle.unive.it/

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development