WILD3001: Taronga Project

Evidence-based decision making is at the heart of wildlife conservation. The application of evidence helps to support and inform management and helps answer questions such as 'what are our conservation goals', 'what action will be effective', 'can we create greater impacts for conservation' and 'where should our valuable resources be allocated'. The ability to undertake evidence-based decision making is a crucial skill not only in wildlife conservation but in many careers. This unit presents the opportunity to undertake a project bringing together concepts and skills you have learnt in your discipline and apply them to a real-world problem. For example, you may participate in a wildlife conservation project that will address threats to a species or habitat through the analysis of a range of information (such as peer-reviewed publications, expert assessments, Indigenous knowledge) before assessing the effectiveness of any current management plans. You may address questions such as 'how do species adapt in an urban environment', or 'how have biosecurity systems contributed to maintaining Australia's biodiversity'. In this unit you will continue to understand and explore disciplinary knowledge. You will collaborate with other students from the Taronga Wildlife Conservation degree stream gaining skills in identifying and solving problems, collecting and analysing data and communicating findings to diverse audiences. This unit will also foster your ability to be an independent learner and work effectively in group contexts. All of these skills are highly valued by employers.