Nature Park Management l

Lesson Structure: Nature Park Management I BEN120

There are 12 lessons:

Introduction to Nature Park Management
__the role and scope of nature parks; the importance of indigenous vegetation in nature parks.
Basic Ecology
__the environment, plants and animals; ecosystem concepts.
Soil Management in Nature Parks
__soil characteristics and problems; earthworks.
Plant Maintenance - basic gardening techniques
__natural gardening; plant selection; succession planting; equipment.
Design of Nature/Wilderness Parks I
__collecting site information; preparing concept plans.
Design of Nature/Wilderness Parks II
__drawing the final plan; construction estimates; designing animal enclosures.
Weed Management
__characteristics of weeds; weed control; environmental weeds.
Pest and Disease Management
__management strategies; chemical safety.
Culture of Indigenous Plants
__techniques for establishing vegetation; planting design.
Tree Management
__role of trees in nature parks; tree maintenance plans; pruning and tree surgery.
Turf Care
__turf varieties in nature parks; lawn preparation, establishment and maintenance.
Rehabilitation: Problems and Solutions
__aims and strategies; soil problems and solutions in degraded sites. Â
Learning Goals: Nature Park Management I BEN120

Explain the importance of the interrelationships between various components of a natural environment within an ecosystem.
Develop management strategies for soils within a natural ecosystem.
Develop management strategies for plant maintenance practices, in nature parks.alt
Design a nature park, or a section within a nature park.
Develop management strategies for the control of weed problems in a nature park.
Develop management strategies for the rehabilitation of degraded sites in a nature park.
Practicals:

Differentiate between different categories or types of nature parks.
Determine thirty living components of a specific ecosystem, studied by you.
Determine ten non-living components of a specific ecosystem, studied by you.
Prepare a labelled diagram to illustrate the interrelationships between at least fifteen different components of an ecosystem.
Explain the possible impact of removing two different specified organisms from a specified ecosystem.
Explain the potential impact of adding non indigenous organisms, to a specified ecosystem.
Explain how different soil characteristics can impact upon an ecosystem.
Describe the physical characteristics of at least three different soils, which are of significant to the stability of their ecosystems.
Assess aspects of soil dynamics on a site, including:
Topography
Soil life
Susceptibility to degradation
Sunlight (canopy penetration)
Compare the likely implications of using three different types of fertilisers, including:
Benefit to plants
Method of use Environmental impact
Explain the use of different soil conditioners including:
PH modifiers
Ameliorants
Organic matter
Determine the plant maintenance requirements of a specific nature park visited and assessed by you.
Develop guidelines for the care of new plantations in a nature park visited by you.
Compare the suitability of three different types of grass cutting equipment, for mowing a specific park.
Compare the likely environmental impact of different types of pesticides used on a specific site.
Determine the significance to plant populations, of containment of different outpus, on a specified site, including:
water runoff
chemical spray drift Effluent Pollutants.
Prepare a plant collection of sixty plants.
Determine categories of landscape developments which are carried out in different types of nature parks, including: -Wildlife Reserves -Zoos -Sanctuaries -National Parks -Forest Reserves -Vegetation corridors.
Evaluate the designs of two different sections, of different nature parks, against given criteria.
Collect pre-planning information for the development of a site, within a nature park.
Prepare two concept plans for a nature park development, including:
existing features
clear labelling
legend
scale
north indicator
Compare features of two nature park concept plans.
Plan the construction of a landscape development within a nature park, including:
materials lists (types and quantities of materials)
plan of proposed landscape development; -list of manpower and equipment requirements
a work schedule.
Estimate the cost of construction in accordance with a specified landscape plan.
Estimate the cost of maintaining a specified section of a park, for a three month period.
Explain the impact of weeds on two natural environments in the learners locality, using examples.
Describe two different weed problems, in two different nature parks.
Explain five different weed seed dispersal mechanisms, for weed species collected.
alternative control methods for a specified weed problem.
Select appropriate control methods for ten different specified weed problems.
Develop guidelines for weed control, in a nature park inspected by you.
Develop a management plan to reinstate indigenous flora on a specific site.
Explain the causes of three specified types of site degradation.
Describe five different techniques for controlling site degradation.
Describe five different techniques for repairing site degradation.
Describe degraded sites at two different natural areas, you inspect.
Prepare construction details for work to be undertaken in the rehabilitation of a degraded site you inspect.
Develop a management plan for a degraded site, in a natural area you visit.