This course has two major components. The first component is an introduction to Natural Resources and Management (NRM). NRM can be viewed as a set of principles and practices that organize and exchange the use of resources for human consumption in a manner that does not compromise the ability of the managed environment to provide other essential services. In light of these, this course aims to provide students with a broad understanding of natural resource management across many fields (e.g., land, water, forests, aquatic resources, etc.) organized using a systems perspective.
The second component is aimed at giving an introduction to and an overview of environmental economics. This will give you a better understanding of and appreciation for the role economics plays in the management, use, and protection of natural resources. Its focus is to develop your capacity to understand and apply economic decision-making criteria in the management of natural resources. The course emphasizes the practical application of economic principles and concepts to natural resource management problems.