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About the course

The course provides broad knowledge of ecosystem management work, and discusses and critically evaluates the scientific basis on which ecosystem management practices rest. Focus is also put on understanding the roles different actors play in management of ecosystems, especially the role of ecologists. The course includes an in-depth assignment in which the students work in groups to analyze some aspect of the restoration and conservation of species and ecosystems, as well as excursions where ecosystem management practices are studied in the field.

The course is divided into the following modules:

Module 1, Theory, 8 credits

The module covers the following areas:

Social dimensions of ecosystem management. The goals and implementation of ecosystem management is affected by views and attitudes that do not have its roots in ecological science, but which ecologists must deal with. The section deals with how conflicts of interest, attitudes and human values influence the management of nature.

Landscape ecology. The course provides an overview of the principles and concepts that form the basis of landscape planning. The students get an introduction to how landscapes can be described and quantified, as well as to the effects of land use on landscape structure (e.g., fragmentation and edge effects).

Management and restoration of populations and ecosystems. Various methods aimed at conserving species and protecting or restoring ecosystems are covered, including compensatory measures in case of permanent exploitation, restoration of ecosystems, and different types of management and conservation with examples from several ecosystems, such as rivers, forests and agricultural lands.

Module 2, Group project, 6 credits.

The module consists of an in-depth assignment where the students analyze some aspect of the management or conservation of species and ecosystems. Special emphasis is placed on scientifically evaluating ecosystem management practices and the scientific evidence that various management practices have the desired results. The students are expected to search for information themselves using e.g., scientific literature and interviews with ecosystem management actors, and the progress of the work is continuously followed by the group's supervisor. The work results in a written report and the results are presented in an oral seminar. The students then do an individual assignment, where they compare and reflect on similarities and differences in ecosystem management conditions and practices among ecosystem types and organism groups.

Module 3, Excursions and field assignments, 1 credit

The module consists of excursions where the students get to see examples of different conservation, restoration and compensatory practices in for example boreal forest, streams and rivers and agricultural landscapes