Ecological Restoration for Ecosystem Sustainability

Code: BIO15150O

6 ECTS

Duration: 6 weeks/168 hours

Scientific Area: Biological Sciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Sustainable Development Goals

4. Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

13. Ação climática - Tomar medidas urgentes para combater a mudança climática e seus impactos (*).

14. Proteger a vida marinha - Conservação e uso sustentável dos oceanos, dos mares, e dos recursos marinhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável.

15. Proteger a vida terrestre - Proteger, recuperar e promover o uso sustentável dos ecossistemas terrestres, gerir de forma sustentável as florestas, combater a desertificação, deter e reverter a degradação da Terra e deter a perda da biodiversidade.

Learning Goals

Ecological restoration is a key practical tool for biodiversity conservation, that aims to recreate, initiate, and accelerate ecosystem recovery after being altered or degraded by disturbances. There is a pledge and a growing demand for ecological restoration actions, framed in several European policies, which will require well-trained, qualified professionals. This course is designed to provide skills to understand ecological and conservation complexity integrating analytical and operational competencies for restoration plans implementation.

The course is divided into four modules described as follows:
Module 1. Restoration concepts
Module 2. Restoration drivers and objectives
Module 3. Planning restoration projects
Module 4. Restoration in practice: analysis of case studies

Teaching Methods

The teaching methodology will involve a combination of theoretical knowledge, practical exercises, and interactive discussions. Students will have to attend online and in-presence lectures; engage in discussions to share their perspectives and insights on the case studies presented; carry out group work to actively participate in inquiry-based and challenge-based learning to actively participate in problem-solving exercises and foster collaboration; take part in field trips to observe and analyse ongoing restoration projects and provide formative feedback to students.

Assessment

Assessment methods will be based on several assignments developed individually and in transnational groups: a practical exercise on restoration principles, a debate on drivers and challenges of restoration among working groups, the elaboration of a restoration plan, and a critical evaluation of case studies.