This course critically analyses the relationships between people and their environments. It focuses on the big issue facing the globe - the equitable and sustainable use of this planet's resources. We examine different ways of conceptualising the nature of resources, the environment and society. The contrasts and connections between scientific and social science theory and methods will be examined. Key factors mediating the inter-relationships between society and environment will be explored including resource use, population and technological change. Other key concepts critically explored will include social justice, equity and sustainability. These issues will be explored through case studies that will include: the role of Indigenous people in resource management, the international dimension of global climatic change, water and land degradation and biodiversity conservation. Guest speakers will be drawn from the many ANU Colleges and the government, community and business sectors.

Honours Pathway Option

This course participates in the Honours Pathway option run by the College of Science. Further information and expressions-of-interest will be sought at the commencement of the semester.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of different perspectives proposing to explain causes and consequences of environmental change.
2. Demonstrate understanding of awareness of theories explaining and informing environmental governance and the formulation of policy instruments.
3. Demonstrate understanding of social, cultural and linguistic diversity in environment-society relations in Australia and the world.
4. Contribute to class discussions and demonstrate a capacity to evaluate and respond constructively to different viewpoints.
5. Produce a high standard of written material, demonstrating independent research skills.

Field Trips

Field trips

Attending a field trip is compulsory. The 3 day Kioloa field trip will run in two groups 15-17 April or 17-19 April this year and will cost ~$200. This

three-day field trip is a highlight for most students. An alternative can be available for students that have documented and appropriate medical evidence. The equivalent workload to attending is expected in order to complete assessment 1.

Recommended Resources

See course information published on Canvas.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction – Ways of seeing the environmentMonday 23 February	Tutorials run in week 1.Required readingMeasham, Tom & Richard Baker (2005), 'Combining people, place and learning', in M. Keen, V.A. Brown & R. Dyball (eds), Social Learning in Environmental Management: Towards a Sustainable Future, Abingdon: Routledge.Castree, Noel, David Demeritt, Diana Liverman & Bruce Rhoads (2016), 'Making sense of environmental geography', in, A Companion to Environmental Geography, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
2	The myth of terra nullius & Australia's developmentMonday 2 March	Required readingLangton, Marcia (1996), 'What do we mean by wilderness?: Wilderness and terra nullius in Australian art [Address to The Sydney Institute on 12 October 1995.]', The Sydney Papers, 8(1): 10-31.Ens, Emilie J, Max Finlayson, Karissa Preuss, Sue Jackson & Sarah Holcombe (2012), 'Australian approaches for managing ‘country’ using Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge', Ecological Management & Restoration, 13(1): 100-107.
3	Sustainable development & institutionsMonday 9 March (online recording, Canberra Day.)	Required reading Redclift, Michael (2005), 'Sustainable development (1987–2005): An oxymoron comes of age', Sustainable Development, 13(4): 212-227.Hardin, Garrett (1968), 'The tragedy of the commons', Science, 162(1243-1248).Dietz, Thomas, Elinor Ostrom & Paul C Stern (2003), 'The struggle to govern the commons', Science, 302(5652): 1907-1912.
4	Science in actionMonday 16 March	Required readingRichardson, Katherine, Will Steffen, Wolfgang Lucht, Jørgen Bendtsen, Sarah E Cornell, Jonathan F Donges, Markus Drüke, Ingo Fetzer, Govindasamy Bala & Werner Von Bloh (2023), 'Earth beyond six of nine planetary boundaries', Science, 9(37): eadh2458.Oreskes, Naomi (2004), 'Science and public policy: What’s proof got to do with it?', Environmental Science & Policy, 7: 369–383.
5	Conservation, inequalities & trade-offsMonday 16 March	Required readingHirsch, Paul D, William M Adams, J Peter Brosius, Asim Zia, Nino Bariola & Juan Luis Dammert (2011), 'Acknowledging conservation trade-offs and embracing complexity', Conservation Biology, 25(2): 259-264.Fletcher, Robert (2012), 'Using the master's tools? Neoliberal conservation and the evasion of inequality', Development and Change, 43(1): 295-317.
6	Maps & fieldworkMonday 30 March	Required readingHazen, Helen D & Leila Harris (2006), 'Power of maps: (Counter) mapping for conservation', ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies,, 4(99-130).Katz, Cindi (1994), 'Playing the field: Questions of fieldwork in geography', The Professional Geographer, 46(1): 67-72.
7	Growth. uneven development & environmental limitsMonday 20 April	Required readingsForsyth, Tim (2016), 'Population and natural resources', In Richardson, D et al (eds) International Encyclopedia of Geography: People, the Earth, Environment and Technology: People, the Earth, Environment and Technology, New York: Wiley. pp. 1-6.Victor, Peter (2010), 'Questioning economic growth', Nature, 468(7322): 370-371.
8	Green economics & valuing natureMonday 27 April (online recording, Easter Monday holiday)	Required readingRaworth, Kate (2017), 'Why it's time for Doughnut Economics', IPPR Progressive Review, 24(3): 216-222.Costanza, Robert, Gar Alperovitz, Herman E Daly, Joshua Farley, Carol Franco, Tim Jackson, Ida Kubiszewski, Juliet Schor & Peter Victor (2015), 'Ecological economics and sustainable development: Building a sustainable and desirable economy-in-society-in-nature', in M. Redclift & D. Springett (eds), Routledge International Handbook of Sustainable Development, London: Routledge.
9	Government decision-makingMonday 4 May	Required readingDovers, Stephen (2013), 'The Australian environmental policy agenda', Australian Journal of Public Administration, 72(2): 114-128.Gauja, Anika (2015), 'The state of democracy and representation in Australia', Representation, 51(1): 23-34.
10	Policy implementation in the Murray Darling BasinMonday 11 May	Required readingConnell, Daniel. (2011) 'Water reform and the federal system in the Murray-Darling Basin', Water Resources Management, 25: 3993-4003.Alston, Margaret, Kerri Whittenbury, Deb Western & Aaron Gosling (2016), 'Water policy, trust and governance in the Murray-Darling Basin', Australian Geographer, 47(1): 49-64.
11	Democracy & environmental rightsMonday 18 May	Required readingDryzek, John (1995), 'Democracy and environmental policy', in R. Eckersley (ed.), Markets, the State and the Environment: Toward Integration, Melbourne: Macmillan Education Australia.Eckersley, Robyn (2019), 'Ecological democracy and the rise and decline of liberal democracy: Looking back, looking forward', Environmental Politics, 29(2): 214-234.
12	Review - hope in actionMonday 25 May	Recommended readingSolnit, Rebecca (2017), 'Grounds for hope', Tikkun, 32(1): 30-39.Celermajer, Danielle, Millicent Churcher, Moira Gatens & Anna Hush (2019), 'Institutional transformations: Imagination, embodiment, and affect', Angelaki: Journal of the Theoretical Humanities 24(4): 3-21.

Tutorial Registration

Students will need to register for a weekly tutorial (starting Week 1) on MyTimetable.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Field trip report (3000 words)	40 %	29/05/2026	2,3,4
Tutorial notes and questions	20 %	*	1,2,3,4
Tutorial quizzes	40 %	*	2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students are expected to attend all tutorials. Assessment assumes participation in all activities (lectorials, tutorials, and the fieldtrip). Furthermore, students are expected to have done the reading for tutorials. If you cannot make your tutorial, make arrangements to attend another one that week. Failure to attend more than four tutorials can render you liable to fail the course.

Examination(s)

There are no exams

Assessment Task 1

Field trip report (3000 words)

Due: 5pm Friday 29 May

Length: Up to 3,000 words (±10%), plus figures, tables, and references

Weighting: 40%

 

Overview. Your task is to write a fully referenced essay that analyses a place-based environmental management issue encountered on the Kioloa field trip.

 

You will address one of the broader questions listed below by developing a case study from south-eastern NSW, drawing on your field observations, course concepts, and academic literature.

 

In answering these questions, students should consider how historical development patterns and economic inequalities shape contemporary environmental management.

 

Essay requirements. Please write an essay that addresses one of the broader questions below through the analysis of a concrete environmental management issue encountered on the Kioloa field trip. Your essay should develop a specific case study drawn from one of the ENVS1001 field trips in south-eastern NSW, identify the key stakeholders and managing institutions involved, analyse their positions, interests, and perspectives, and evaluate any options for coordination, compromise, or conflict resolution. The essay should demonstrate an understanding of environmental management processes, including relevant governance arrangements, policy or planning instruments, and practical constraints. It must include at least one annotated map illustrating the case study and adhering to the mapping conventions taught in this course, and be fully and consistently referenced using Harvard style to a high academic standard, with careful attention to consistency in punctuation, capitalisation, and formatting.

 

Essay questions. Choose one of the following:

1. How can environmental management in south-eastern NSW better support Indigenous rights to land and sea Country? The case of south-eastern NSW.
2. How can threatened species be conserved in heavily used coastal environments? The case of the Hooded Plover at Kioloa.
3. How should coastal development be managed in Kioloa in a changing climate? The case of Kioloa.
4. What does sustainable forest management mean in a multi-use landscape under climate change? The case of Murramurrang National Park.

 

Further guidance.

Your analysis should draw on academic readings from the course, including key concepts discussed in lectures and tutorials, such as debates around sustainability, governance, the tragedy of the commons, progress, or environmental limits. Where appropriate, you should also use peer-reviewed academic sources to support your argument. Strong essays integrate field trip observations with course material, using each to inform and deepen the other, rather than treating empirical observation and theory as separate components.

 

When analysing stakeholders, students should move beyond listing viewpoints. Strong essays identify who holds decision-making authority and who does not, analyse stakeholders’ material interests, values, and constraints, and situate their perspectives within historical, economic, and institutional contexts. Effective analysis shows how power, inequality, and history shape whose interests prevail in environmental management decisions, and why conflict, compromise, or coordination occurs.

 

You are encouraged to prepare a base map prior to the field trip and refine it using on-site observations. Base maps are available on Wattle in electronic and hard-copy formats. Maps may be hand-drawn or electronic, but should be clearly labelled and legible, illustrate features relevant to the environmental management issue (for example land tenure, zoning, habitat areas, access restrictions, or infrastructure), and support your analysis rather than serve as decoration.

 

We have tested these questions using generative AI tools, which produced generic and inaccurate responses. These tools are not capable of analysing the specific sites, management arrangements, and field observations required for this assignment. You are expected to conduct your own research, analysis, and writing.

 

Assessment criteria

1. Key sustainability and environmental management issues clearly defined, appropriately scoped, and well evaluated
2. Evaluation draws on and demonstrates understanding of key course concepts and academic literature
3. Field trip case study is used effectively to analyse a real-world environmental management problem
4. Stakeholder and institutional perspectives are clearly identified and analysed
5. High-quality annotated map
6. Clear, well-structured report with coherent flow of ideas
7. Well-written, with no major grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors
8. Accurate and consistent Harvard referencing.

Assessment Task 2

Tutorial notes and questions

Due: During your selected weekly tutorial

Length: 500 words (±10%)

Weighting: 20%

 

Across semester, each week, 2-3 students will prepare a 500 word tutorial paper for their nominated week. The tutorial paper is an individual written submission that synthesises and works through key ideas from that week’s lectures and readings. You will sign up for a week in Week 1 and coordinate with the other students presenting in the same week, with support from your tutor.

 

The tutorial paper is marked individually, but cooperation with other students about summary ideas and questions to pose to the class that week is a hurdle component of the assessment.

 

Purpose. This task is aiming to help you develop strong reading, note-taking, and analytical skills, and to practise using writing as a way of clarifying your understanding rather than simply summarising material. You are not expected to cover everything from the week. Strong tutorial papers focus on two or three key ideas, debates, or tensions and develop them carefully, drawing on both the lectorial content and the assigned readings.

 

Your paper should make active use of lectures and readings. Good notetaking will make this task much easier. You are encouraged to use short, well-chosen quotes or key terms from readings, and to refer to specific arguments, examples, or concepts introduced in lectures. Quotes should be used as objects for analysis, not as stand-alone evidence. For example, you might unpack what a particular phrase reveals about an author’s assumptions, compare how two speakers or texts frame the same environmental issue differently, or consider how an argument plays out in practice. Lectures may be quoted or paraphrased where relevant; these do not require formal citation but should be clearly attributed (e.g. ‘In the Week 5 lecture, Professor Howden argued that…’).

 

Reflection is the goal. The tutorial paper should do more than summarise readings. Use the writing to interrogate the ideas and issues discussed that week, comparing perspectives, concepts, or methods and commenting on how evidence is used and interpreted. You should also include brief reflection on your own understanding of the topic. Reflection does not require agreement or disagreement. It might involve noticing how your thinking has shifted, identifying uncertainties or tensions that remain, or explaining why you found particular arguments convincing or unconvincing. Recognising ambiguity is often a strong response.

 

Students submitting a tutorial paper in the same week will work together to propose two to three questions for class discussion. These questions should be open, exploratory, and grounded in the week’s lectures and readings. The discussion itself is not marked, but to pass this task you must contribute to the discussion questions for your week.

 

Referencing. The tutorial paper should be lightly referenced using Harvard style. You should reference readings you directly quote or engage with, and any readings you draw on in your analysis. You don't need to read anything other than the required readings. Quality and accuracy of your engagement is what we're trying to gauge.

Assessment criteria

1. Clear and selective synthesis of key ideas from the week’s lectures and readings
2. Accurate and effective use of sources, including well-chosen quotes or concepts
3. Insightful commentary comparing perspectives, concepts, or methods
4. Reflexive discussion questions that support class engagement
5. Well-written text with attention to grammar and expression
6. Accurate and consistent Harvard referencing

Assessment Task 3

Tutorial quizzes

Due: During weekly tutorials

Weekly in-class quizzes are used to support regular engagement with lectures and readings and to help students consolidate key concepts as they move through the course. The quizzes are completed during tutorials in Weeks 2 and 11. We use a mix of formats, including multiple-choice and short written responses to allow you to show your understanding in different ways. The quizzes are designed to be low-stakes. We are trying to reward the practice of turning up to class.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

All assignments must be submitted on-line via the Canvas course site on the TurnItIn software links before the due date. This is your guarantee that you have submitted the essay by the due time as your time of submission will be recorded on Canvas. TurnItIn checks your submitted text against that of all other students and any document on the internet gobally to ensure originality. This software also enables course staff to provide feedback to students online.

 

Use the ANU Fenner School’s Harvard style referencing system for your work. A detailed description of this style can be found in the referencing document on Canvas. The ANU Fenner School’s policies of loss of marks for submitting text that is over the word limit or late will apply (-5% per day late). All policies regarding academic honesty, submission of work late penalties and word limits, can be found on Canvas.

 

Assignments cannot be resubmitted on TurnItIn. Your assignment will always have a TurnItIn originality score greater than zero because it will match legitimate text, including the assignment cover sheet, assignment questions, properly referenced quotes and references. Course staff will not penalize you for this. If you have genuinely written the assignment in your own words and properly referenced quotes then you have nothing to worry about.

Hardcopy Submission

No hardcopy submissions are accepted in this course.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

Assignments will be returned via Canvas.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments allowed until the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students