Land Degradation, Restoration and Management

Learn how land becomes degraded, and how to manage land sustainably.

Gain an understanding how to rehabilitate degraded areas.

Sustainable land management is the key to preserving our natural resources in a healthy state for the enjoyment of all - for cultural, social, and recreational pursuits as well as for agricultural and other commercial uses, now and into the future. Where land has been degraded or its use is not sustainable, rehabilitation is required to improve or restore the land to good health and ensure future sustainability.

This course covers seven lessons including the scope and nature of land management, land degradation and rehabilitation, managing soils, managing water, managing plants, managing animal populations, maintenance and natural regeneration.

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

1. SCOPE AND NATURE OF LAND MANAGEMENT
   • Causes of Land Degradation
   • Broad Principles of Sustainable Land Management
   • Harnessing the People
   • Careers in Land Management
   • Habitat conservation
2. LAND DEGRADATION AND REHABILITATION
   • Forms of Land Degradation and Their Control
   • Land Rehabilitation Management
   • Mining Sites
   • Environmental Assessment
   • Land Management Programs
   • The Importance of Trees on Farms
   • Ecosystem Conservation
   • The environmental assessment process
3. MANAGING SOILS
   • Soil Fertility
   • Physical and Chemical Factors Affecting Nutrient Availability
   • Biological Factors Affecting Soil Fertility
   • Improved Nutrient Management
   • Loss of Soil Fertility
   • Understanding Soil Analysis
   • Sampling Soil
   • Strategies for Tackling Soil Degradation
   • Conservation Tillage and Crop Residue Management
   • Soil Biological Management
   • Land Management Using Alternative Farming Techniques
   • Using Organic Principles to Overcome Soil Problems
   • Using Plants To Extract Contamination
4. MANAGING WATER
   • Introduction
   • Water Erosion
   • Plant based erosion control
   • Mechanical erosion control
   • Gully control
   • Water Reuse And Recycling
   • Understanding waste water
   • Classifying components in waste water
   • Recycling waste water
   • Wastewater Treatment
   • Water sanitation methods
   • Constructed wetlands
   • Treating saline water
   • Using swales and key lines
5. MANAGING PLANTS
   • Controlling Plants
   • Using Plants For Erosion Control
   • Planning Rehabilitation
   • Plant Selection And Establishment
   • Plant Varieties
   • The Economics of Plant Selection
   • Planting Preparation - Soil Cultivation
   • Cultivation Machinery & Tools
   • Planting Techniques
   • Other Techniques
   • Soil And Water
   • Types of Water Wastage
   • Irrigation Systems
   • Coping With Dry Conditions
   • Plant Protection Methods
   • Weed Management
   • Crop Rotations
6. MANAGING ANIMAL POPULATIONS
   • Introduction
   • Urban settings
   • Creating Habitat Corridors For Wildlife
   • Types of corridors
   • Design considerations
   • Edge effects
   • Wildlife Conservation
   • Managing abundant species
   • Managing threatened species
   • How to save frogs from extinction
7. AFTERWARDS
   • Plant Associations
   • Examples of plant associations
   • Natural Regeneration
   • Implementation
   • Natural revegetation relies on succession
   • Community stability
   • Benefits of indigenous vegetation
   • FINAL ASSESSMENT

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Who is this course for?

• Farmers
• Conservation officers
• Park managers
• Landscapers, gardeners, horticulturists
• Land managers
• Developers, planners, builders, investors, property managers
• Anyone seeking employment or refreshing/expanding their knowledge in land care