Unit 4 revision

Area of Study

Knowledge and evaluation of the contemporary state of natural environments and the importance of healthy natural environments for the future of individuals and society

State of environments

What are our concerns?

Understand state of WP/MRNP/ANP

You need to be able to assess the health of an environment?

What measures can we use to assess the health of a natural environment?

Overview of OES study

Importance of environments.• Definitions of biodiversity• Importance of biodiversity• Importance for individuals• Importance for society (resources, research, medicines, intrinsic values …)

Be able to give explanations for the importance of environments for humans.

Biodiversity is important for our

future If we lose biodiversity we lose some of our values

Other problems may also occur

Biodiversity is essential for humans in order to ensure effective food and production supplies.

Can effect our standards of living – undeveloped countries

Why else? Your own def

I.e important as prescription drugs are derived from plants, others may be undiscovered

individuals

Importance for individuals (psychological benefits, health, recreation, adventure, rest, inspiration, spiritual benefits, education …)

Society

resources,

research,

Medicines

Intrinsic values (must be able to explain in relation to society

Education

Q. from 2006 exam paper

Potential impacts on society of damage

Human interactions and impacts have the potential to either diminish or enhance the state of the NE

If damage does occur it influences things such as biodiversity and our values

Also

- job loss

- $$ money needed to repair

- Reduction in water and air quality

- Increase in greenhouse

- Climate change

- Erosion

- Less places for recreation and tourism

Potential impacts of significant environmental damage.

• Loss of biodiversity• Climate change• Land degradation• Pollution• Introduced species

What causes potential impacts

Impacts such as

Destruction and loss of plant and animal diversity, soil and river erosion, other associated soil problems, economic problems, loss of native species, health of coastlines and fisheries.water bodies all damaged, loss of potential medicine

Overview of OES study

Safe and Sustainable interactions.• Minimal impact actions• Planning and preparation

Be able to tie minimal impact actions into particular environments and/or particular activities.

Area of Study two

Sustaining Natural Environments

Conflicts of interest.

Conflicts – occur due to differing interactions and opinions

Interest groups are formed to influence decision makers, they put strategies into action to influence and put pressure on; (don’t confuse interest groups and decision makers)

Be able to write about a conflict. What it was about? Who was involved? What happened?

Be able to write about an interest group. Who are they? How did they form? What are their aims? What have they done.

Methods to influence decision making.• Direct action• Lobbying• Petitions, letters and postcards• Use of media• Research and publication• Meetings• Partnerships and coalitions

Be able to describe and evaluate these methods. What works and what doesn’t? What are the likely effects?

•Decision making processes.• Consultative groups• Legislation• Management plans• Use of the court system• Police action• Political processes

• Regulations and zoning• Environmental statement• Management plan• Apply for world heritage listing

Know the pros and cons of these.Be able to target processes to real or imaginary scenarios.

Management strategies.• Parks and reserves• Zoning in parks• Management plans• Codes of conduct• Weed and pest species control• Fencing, signs, education• Re-vegetation• Research• Indigenous management strategies• Fire control

•Closing areas•Limiting numbers•Penalties•Education•Building infrastructure•Eradicate introduced species•Management of fire•Wildlife corridors

Environmental policies.• Local council policies• Business and industry policies• State government policies and laws (such as Flora and Fauna Guarantee [FFG] Act)• Federal policies and laws (such as Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act)• International treaties and agreements (such as World Heritage and RAMSAR conventions)

Know about one of these.What’s it for? What does it do?

ESD

What is ESD?

How do the area above aim to achieve ESD?

What are sustainable recreational activities?

Maintaining sustainable environments.

• Renewable energy options• Ecotourism• Landcare, Coastcare, Land for wildlife• Green architecture• Sustainability guidelines•What can individuals do?