Biodiversity Conservation, MRes, MSc

Due to increasing pressure on land-use across the world, the demand is growing for postgraduates with environmental surveying qualifications. This comprehensive course is designed to meet a growing need for highly skilled conservationists with academic qualifications at Masters level. The programme aims to provide you with the knowledge to enable you to work within the environmental and ecological consulting and conservation professions.

Bursary news: Apply for a £1,000 reduction in tuition fees for 2014 entry - apply online before 1 July 2014.

Reasons to choose this course:

• Brackenhurst campus is a 200 hectare estate with conservation projects in woodland, wetland, farm and grasslands. It's the perfect environment to develop the expertise required for a career in biodiversity conservation.
• A number of protected species are studied on site including yellowhammers, great crested newts, badgers and hedgehogs.
• The latest GPS tracking equipment and surveying techniques employed by students on this course.
• The course provides an industry standard approach to career progression into the ecological and environmental consultancy sector.
• Opportunity to contribute to UK and international research projects currently running within the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.
• Brand new 1,000 square metre, £2.5 million pound campus library due to open in Autumn 2013.

About the course
Students enrolled on Biodiversity Conservation will develop specialist scientific skills in areas such as GIS, environmental assessment and consultancy and protected species surveying relevant to UK legislation. Students will enhance their research expertise enabling them to analyse and report findings to a high scientific standard, and communicate to a wide range of audiences.

How do you study?
Specialist researchers and staff teach current industry techniques and research skills, supplemented by practical sessions and lectures from some of the most experienced consultants in the country.

Full time study is designed to give intensive training at postgraduate level, suitable for graduates from a background of biological sciences. The research project enables students to undertake and develop their own research interests with the support of experienced supervisors.

The part time study option enables continuing professional development on a day-release basis for ecological consultants looking to enhance their career prospects. Recent students have secured sponsorship from their employer to participate in the course. Students are supported throughout their studies by our excellent teaching staff, with email tutorial contact and access to a virtual learning environment.

DEFRA Environmental Stewardship
The estate is part of the DEFRA Environmental Stewardship scheme that supports effective environmental management of farm land and countryside estates. Initiatives include the establishment of six metre field margins of permanent grass to protect hedgerows and ditches from fertilizer sprays and soil leaching. Over the years species of wildlife have flourished at Brackenhurst including Barn Owls, Lapwings, Yellowhammers, butterflies and moths.

Brackenhurst campus
Brackenhurst campus is a 200-hectare estate in an idyllic rural setting close to the market town of Southwell and just 14 miles north-east of Nottingham City centre.

Well served by public transport, Brackenhurst campus benefits from a frequent bus service to and from Nottingham. Newark Northgate station is on the high-speed East Coast mainline train service, with connecting buses which stop outside the campus.

Assessment
Achievement is assessed through written assignments, a dissertation and formal examinations. MSc and MRes degree students will complete an individual research project.

Core modules:

Research Methods and Data Analysis
This module will provide postgraduate students with advanced skills in interpretation of quantitative and qualitative research data relevant to whole-organism biology. Students will also develop a critical understanding of the ethical considerations involved in the collection of data from field surveying.

This Research Methods and Data Analysis module also underpins the surveying modules by investigating survey design and exploring computerised biological recording and management systems. Statistical techniques will be used to provide students with a robust set of analytical tools to conduct research. These include traditional parametric and non-parametric statistics, multivariate statistics, ordination techniques and probability-based analysis. The module has a large eLearning component supported by theoretical lectures and practical sessions.

Conservation priorities
This module aims to integrate different disciplines concerning conservation of species and habitats to provide a thorough basis from which students can develop a coherent approach to the specialist taxonomic and surveying techniques and the legal framework behind these. Specifically, the 5 major threats to species on the planet will be studied in detail (climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive alien species, human wildlife conflict and exploitation). The format of delivery will be based on formal lectures and be core for students on the Biodiversity Conservation and Endangered Species Recovery and Conservation programmes.

Species Recovery: Theories, Methods and Techniques
This module will cover both the theoretical and applied aspects of successfully recovering species under threat of extinction. The module will develop an understanding of population dynamics, and the various methods used to facilitate species recovery. Methods covered will include those employed in the removal of invasive species (plant and animal), habitat preparation, modelling, mitigation, inciting public support, reintroduction/translocation and ex-situ aspects of conservation not related to captive breeding.

In addition to lectures, seminars and e-learning, this module provides a vehicle to equip students with practical applied skills often required for species recovery such as radio-telemetry, necropsy, scat dietary analysis, survey methods and animal capture and handling techniques.

Furthermore, whilst the development of effective communication skills will run throughout the programme, this module specifically addresses methods of facilitating species recovery through enhanced dialogue and progressive thinking when consulting with local communities.

Environmental Assessment and Consultancy
Provides a thorough and detailed knowledge of the identification and taxonomy of plant species, including the methods used to map habitats such as Phase 1 surveys. The role of consultant ecologists and the consultancy process will be examined; including project management; client liaison; legislation; mitigation and reporting.

Protected Species Surveying
Provides a thorough and detailed knowledge of the identification and taxonomy for a range of protected species, many of which are protected in the UK and EU, and provide students with the skills and knowledge to carry out and evaluate different methods used to survey and record species distribution and abundance. Many of the survey techniques demonstrated in this module are applicable Internationally.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Employers in the management of the environment sector are increasingly looking for GIS experience in person specifications. GIS is an important tool for monitoring biodiversity and can be used to store, manipulate, analyse and present large amounts of spatial and attribute data; data that can be used to target surveys and monitoring schemes. Data collected during field surveys and from remotely sensed images taken into GIS allow the monitoring of both the location and extent of change. This module explores the application of GIS and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technology within biodiversity conservation through work in both the classroom and in support of fieldwork sessions.