Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Analysis and Management of Natural Landscapes
Code: 43054Credits: 6
2026/2027
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability | OP | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Marc Sanchez Morales
- Email :
- marc.sanchez.morales@uab.cat
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Students are recommended to have a basic background in environmental sciences and sufficient proficiency in English to follow lectures and course materials.
Objectives
- To analyze landscape as an expression of the natural and social history of territories.
- To understand the historical evolution of nature conservation and the development of Protected Natural Areas (PNAs), as well as the legislative framework governing their protection.
- To examine planning, management and monitoring tools for PNAs and biodiversity, in relation to the challenges of global change and their implications for sustainability.
- To apply interdisciplinary methodologies for the understanding and analysis of case studies of natural areas and landscapes in Europe and the Mediterranean region.
- To develop analytical and management criteria and tools for diagnosis, critical evaluation and decision making in the management of Protected Natural Areas, from a perspective of sustainability, territorial governance and equity.
Learning outcomes
- CA16 (Design innovative strategies and proposals for the sustainable management of natural spaces.) Design innovative strategies and proposals for the sustainable management of natural spaces.
- CA17 (Work effectively in a multidisciplinary context in natural space management projects.) Work effectively in a multidisciplinary context in natural space management projects.
- CA18 (Propose sustainable management measures that promote territorial equity and reduce barriers to access to natural spaces.) Propose sustainable management measures that promote territorial equity and reduce barriers to access to natural spaces.
- KA17 (Describe the different types of natural spaces (marine and/or terrestrial) in relation to their ecological, social and economic characteristics.) Describe the different types of natural spaces (marine and/or terrestrial) in relation to their ecological, social and economic characteristics.
- KA18 (Define the factors and effects of global change on natural spaces, considering their ecological, social and economic dimensions.) Define the factors and effects of global change on natural spaces, considering their ecological, social and economic dimensions.
- KA19 (Correctly select management tools for the protection of natural spaces, considering their use in various territorial and socio-environmental contexts.) Correctly select management tools for the protection of natural spaces, considering their use in various territorial and socio-environmental contexts.
- SA18 (Independently select relevant scientific information on natural areas to assist decision-making in their management.) Independently select relevant scientific information on natural areas to assist decision-making in their management.
- SA19 (Select the key actors in the management and conservation of natural spaces.) Select the key actors in the management and conservation of natural spaces.
Contents
- Natural areas: what should be conserved? Biodiversity (genetic, species and ecosystem levels), ecosystem services, drivers of biodiversity loss, global prioritization areas (biodiversity hotspots, ecoregions...) and socioecological values.
- Protected areas and international initiatives: International, European and national frameworks for protected areas.
- Strategic management planning of natural areas: Diagnosis of natural areas, data evaluation, definition of strategic goals, strategies and actions, implementation of the plan, and evaluation.
- Species conservation strategies: In situ and ex situ conservation. Recovery and conservation plans as management tools.
- Unprotected natural areas: Role of non-protected areas in biodiversity conservation and landscape connectivity, including a case study from Arenys de Mar.
- Tourism in natural areas: Impacts and management challenges.
- Socioecological Heritage and Landscape: Indicators of landscape dynamics.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development of a final project | 10 | 0.4 | CA16, CA17, CA18, KA19, SA18, SA19 |
| Preparation of assignments and practical exercises | 10 | 0.4 | CA16, CA17, CA18, KA19, SA18 |
| Writing of documents | 20 | 0.8 | CA16, CA17, CA18 |
| Fieldwork - visit to natural areas | 7 | 0.28 | CA18, KA17, KA18, SA19 |
| Guided practical exercises | 15 | 0.6 | CA17, KA19, SA18 |
| Theorical presentations | 16 | 0.64 | KA17, KA18, KA19 |
| Study of theoretical contents | 18 | 0.72 | KA17, KA18, KA19 |
| Information search and analysis | 50 | 2 | KA19, SA18, SA19 |
| Fieldwork - habitat characterization | 2 | 0.08 | CA17, KA19, SA18 |
Guided activities
- Oral lectures delivered by the teaching staff.
- Presentation of the practical assignments of the course. In some sessions, innovative active learning teaching methodologies are used, including cooperative learning through the expert groups (jigsaw) technique.
- Fieldwork for habitat characterization.
- Two compulsory field trips: one to a protected natural area and one to a non-protected natural area. Field trips may be adapted or modified depending on current conditions and availability.
Supervised activities
- Support and supervision for the development of the course practical assignments.
Autonomous activities
- Study of the theoretical contents of the course.
- Independent work related to the preparation of the practical assignments.
Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual assignments | 20% | 0 | 0 | CA16, CA17, CA18, KA19, SA18 |
| Habitat characterization assignment | 20% | 0 | 0 | CA17, KA19, SA18 |
| Final project | 30% | 0 | 0 | CA16, CA17, CA18, KA19, SA18, SA19 |
| Final exam | 30% | 2 | 0.08 | KA17, KA18, KA19 |
This course does not provide for a single assessment system.
The final grade will be obtained from the following activities:
Theory assessment (30%)
- Final exam (30%)
Practical assessment (70%)
- Habitat characterization assignment (20%)
- Individual assignments (20%)
- Final project (30%)
The following must be taken into account:
- Compulsory activities: The final exam and the field trips are compulsory.
- Minimum grades: In order to calculate the average with the remaining assessment activities, a minimum grade of 5 must be obtained in the final exam.
- Not assessable: The student will receive a “not assessable” grade if more than 30% of the assessment activities are not submitted.
- Academic irregularities: If the student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment activity, that activity will be graded with a 0, regardless of any disciplinary process that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.
- Reassessment: Students have the right to a reassessment of the final exam through a resit exam, which will take place on the date established by the degree coordination.
- Use of artificial intelligence: For this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively as complementary support in the learning process. However, these tools may not replace practical knowledge or direct observation, which are fundamental in this subject. In any assessable activity, students must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in partial or total penalties in the activity grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.
Bibliography
- Alexander, M. (2020). A Guide to Management Planning. WTSWW,
- Bridgend Wales, UK. Brooks, T. M., Mittermeier, R. A., Da Fonseca, G. A., Gerlach, J., Hoffmann, M., Lamoreux, J. F., ... & Rodrigues, A. S. (2006). Global biodiversity conservation priorities. Science, 313(5783), 58 61.
- Dudley, N. (Ed.). (2008). Guidelines for applying protected area management categories. IUCN.
- EUROPARC-España. (2018). Conectividad ecológica y áreas protegidas: Herramientas y casos prácticos. Fundación Fernando González Bernáldez
- European Council (1992). Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. Official Journal of the European Communities, L 206, 7-50.
- European Council. (2009). Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds. Official Journal of the European Union, L 20, 7-25.
- Groom, M. J., Meffe, G. K., & Carroll, C. R. (2006). Principles of conservation biology (3rd ed.). Sinauer Associates.
- Karadeniz, N., & Yenilmez Arpa, N. (2022). Guidelines for protected area management planning. Food & Agriculture Org.
- Rodrigues, A. S. L., Andelman, S. J., Bakarr, M. I., Boitani, L., Brooks, T. M., Cowling, R. Fishpool, L. D. C., Fonseca, G. A. B., Gaston, K. J., Hoffmann, M., Long, J. S., Marquet, P. A., Pilgrim, J. D., Pressey, R. L., Schipper, J., Sechrest, W., Stuart, S. N., Underhill, L. G., Waller, R. W., Watts, M. E. J., & Yan, X. (2003). Global gap analysis: Towards a representative network of protected areas. Advances in Applied Biodiversity Science, 5, 1–99.
- Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2021). A framework for monitoring biodiversity in protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures. Convention on Biological Diversity.
- Watson, J. E., Dudley, N., Segan, D. B., & Hockings, M. (2014). The performance and potential of protected areas. Nature, 515(7525), 67-73.
- World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) (2024). Living Planet Report 2024: A system in peril. WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
Software
Basic office tools (e.g., word processor, spreadsheets and presentation software). No specific software is required.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | English | first semester | afternoon |
| (PCAMm) Field practices (master) | 1 | English | first semester | afternoon |
| (PCAMsm) Suport a les pràctiques de camp (màster) | 1 | English | first semester | afternoon |