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Urban Forest Ecosystems (FRST30003)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject imparts detailed knowledge on the crucial role that urban forests are playing in the development and resilience of sustainable cities around the world, using both local and international case studies. It begins by exploring the unique composition of urban forests, and the multiple social and ecological drivers that shape them in the context of global environmental change. This includes extreme biotic and abiotic stressors, such as changing pests and pathogens, fundamental plant physiology principles of drought, heat, light and pollution tolerance. The benefits that the urban forest generate for fauna habitat and biodiversity, human health and wellbeing, nature connectedness, microclimate cooling, and improved hydrology and water quality are discussed and analysed in detail. Finally, the subject brings these themes together through an urban landscape management lens to explore practical approaches to building our future urban forests through remote sensing, modelling ecosystem service values, and community engagement and participation. A central theme will be planning and managing urban forests for environmental equity, multiple social values and ecological outcomes in a contested urban landscape.
Intended learning outcomes
Students completing this subject should be able to:
- Describe the composition and structure of an urban forest, and identify important biogeographical, bioclimatic, demographic and cultural factors shaping urban forests globally;
- Analyse the role of biotic and abiotic stressors on urban tree health and function and how these shape tree selection under past and future urban climates and management regimes;
- Critically compare and assess the various social, ecological and ecosystem service benefits the urban forest is claimed to provide;
- Develop a community engagement and urban forest management plan to improve the long-term social and ecological functioning of an urban landscape.
Generic skills
In addition to learning specific skills that will assist students in their future careers in science, they will have the opportunity to develop generic skills that will assist them in any future career path. These include:
- Apply ecological principles to help mitigate climate change and society challenges in our cities;
- Assess data quality, then collate, analyse and synthesise quantitative and qualitative data to understand and communicate complex issues;
- Inter-personal skills needed to work effectively in teams, through clear communication, listening, reflection and compromise;
- Application of a socio-ecological (systems) approach to diagnose and solve complex problems and make management decisions;
- Communication to, and engagement with, multiple stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and levels of scientific understanding.
Last updated: 20 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Undergraduate Students
One of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL10001 | Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL10002 | Biomolecules and Cells | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL10008 | Foundational Biology: Life's Machinery |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
BIOL10009 | Biology: Life's Machinery | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
BIOL10010 | Foundational Biology: Life's Complexity | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL10011 | Biology: Life's Complexity | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
LARC10001 | Natural History | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL10003 - Genes and Environment
BIOL10004 - Biology of Cells and Organisms
BIOL10005 - Genetics and the Evolution of Life
HORT20026 - Designing with Plants
Postgraduate students
Admission into the MC-URBHORT Master of Urban Horticulture
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
- HORT20027 Greening Landscapes
Or 25 points of second year study from across biology, ecology, environmental science, plant sciences and social sciences provides suitable background knowledge. Examples include:
- BOTA20001 Green Planet: Plants and the Environment
- BOTA20004 Flora of Victoria
- ECOL20003 Ecology
- ENST20001 Human Behaviour and Environment
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 20 February 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Essay
| Week 6 | 25% |
In-Class LMS Test
| Week 12 | 25% |
Final Report
| During the examination period | 50% |
Last updated: 20 February 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Chris Szota Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 2x 1 hour lectures per week; 4x 2 hour practicals; 6x 2 hour tutorials; 2x 3 hour field trips Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 26 February 2024 to 26 May 2024 Last self-enrol date 8 March 2024 Census date 3 April 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 3 May 2024 Assessment period ends 21 June 2024 Semester 1 contact information
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 20 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 20 February 2024