Natural resources management has a multi-disciplinary character. So does this course. Students will learn to unravel complex systems and to deal with different stakeholders and conflicting interests in Natural Resources Management. It will set a common basis for all sorts of research and other activities in the field of NRM. Particular attention is given to the spatial and temporal dynamics of natural systems and data needs for the management of these.
Concepts of NRM are reviewed and discussed. Students are introduced to apply systems thinking and learn to apply analytical reasoning when translating complex real-world situations into conceptual diagrams. This enables them to describe and develop knowledge about how ecosystems work and how humans make an impact on natural systems. Students discover how essential this step is in identifying meaningful biophysical and socio-economic variables for scientifically sound decision making and management of natural resources. They also put themselves in the shoes of a stakeholder in an NRM conflict and apply remote sensing and GIS to help making claims or illustrate possible solutions. Conceptualising real-world situations helps students in identifying knowledge gaps and formulating research hypotheses.
Natural Resources Management is a multiple-stakeholder effort per default. Therefore, part of the assignments will involve working in multi-disciplinary teams.