ENV421E

Coastal environments

Associate Professor Jim Peterson

6 or 8 points -2 hours per week -Summer school Mixed mode delivery -Clayton -Prerequisites: None

Objectives To exemplify the interrelationships between science, history, policy and management with a study of the Australian coastal zone with special reference to the coasts of Victoria.

Synopsis Most of the coastal fringe of Australia is public land and its immediate hinterland includes most of the nation's most valuable real estate and infrastructure. Images of both crowded and wilderness coastlines are an important component of tourist industry icons and images. The coastal environment is also one in which both natural and capital assets have been degraded because of thoughtless investment. A succession of inquiries into this unfortunate situation has culminated recently in publication of state coastal policies. Our coasts have only been developing for about 6000 years, ie since sea level stabilised after the melting of the last great continental ice sheets of the present ice age caused global flooding of continental shelves. An explanatory account of the nature of Australian coastal landscapes, however, includes not only environmental factors, but also those that refer to socio-economic matters as reflected in the politics and techniques of management, regulation, conservation and investment.

Assessment (6 points - 1998 students) One essay (3000 words): 70% -One field report (1500 words): 30%
Assessment (8 points - pre-1998 students) One essay (3000 words): 50% -Two assignments (1500 words each): 50%

Recommended texts

Bird E C F Coasts ANUP, 1984
Bird E C F Coastal changes Wiley, 1985
Bird E C F The coast of Victoria MUP, 1993
Viles H and Spencer T Coastal problems Edward Arnold, 1995
Bird E C F Beach management Wiley, 1996

Reports

All Resource Assessment, Commission Reports on the Coast (GP333.917)
Government of Victoria A coastal strategy for Victoria DCE, 1990
Land Conservation Council Marine and coastal special/investigation: Proposed recommendations Land Conservation Council, 1995
Management plans for specific regions

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