Graduate Diploma in Resource Management

Understanding and addressing Resource Management issues – new professional development

New Zealand is extremely rich in natural resources. For example, we have a large number of lakes and rivers, geothermal power, major indigenous and plantation forests, intensive horticulture and agriculture, and large tracts of Maori land under communal ownership. To maintain and utilise these resources wisely in a period of changing global economic fortunes demands a flexible and knowledgeable workforce. This workforce must be able to capitalise on the unique opportunities where there are established industries producing a mixture of primary products, an established tourism sector and untapped reserves of renewable and sustainable energy whilst still conserving our unique and beautiful environment. Unfortunately, humans are having an adverse effect on the environment. Although many people, government agencies, and businesses have rallied behind sustainable development to conserve and protect our land and water resources, environmental degradation and poor habitat management is still occurring.

Waiariki Institute of Technology has developed a new qualification with our communities and resource managers in mind to address new resource management strategies, technologies and methodologies.

It is a one year Graduate Diploma in Resource Management at level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework and the key difference with this new qualification is that we will enable students to develop a much more practical range of resource management skills pertaining to the use of forests, lakes, farmland, and conservation areas. This involves understanding resource management principles, monitoring the impact on the environment, and improving critical and economic thinking for a sustainable future.

Resource management is an interdisciplinary study that includes both applied and theoretical aspects of resource utilisation and we will have appropriate regard to politics, social organisation, economics, ethics, philosophy and science. During the qualification the student will learn about the many problems we face and then propose solutions to effectively manage these resources.

This qualification would be ideal for forest owners and managers, farmers, resource planners, , conservation practitioners, and community and iwi trust managers, who wish to extend their knowledge and skills in environmental management. The qualification has been designed as five core courses with two electives from a range of Waiariki courses such as forestry, business and tourism, and Maori development. The five core courses within the qualification are: sustainable land-use practices; environmental monitoring techniques; conservation and biodiversity; environmental policy and economics; and an industry project. Some of the key topics we will cover within this qualification are: understanding and protecting biodiversity, indigenous perspectives on sustainable land-use, environmental impact assessments, resource consent applications, sustainability in agriculture, horticulture and forestry, invasive species management, monitoring techniques, obtaining funding, restoration ecology, the Resource Management Act and other local government legislation and land-use rules.

If you are interested in more information on this new qualification planned for first delivery in 2012, contact Dr. Craig Morley craig.morley@waiariki.ac.nz

For more information about this course please complete the form below or to register for this course please see our enrolment page.

Name *:
Email *:
Current Activity:
If you are studying where do you attend?:
Company(If Applicable):
What are you enquiring about?:
How did you hear about the Forestry School?:
Image Verification Code:	Can't see it? Reload for another code
Retype Verification Code Here: