Conservation actions in protected natural areas

To train the student to design and carry out conservation actions for species and habitats in protected natural areas

The memory of the title contemplates for this matter the following contents:

In situ and ex situconservation. Criteria and indicators for evaluating the conservation status of species. Conservation, recovery and reintroduction techniques of species. Criteria and indicators for evaluating the state of conservation of habitats. Habitat improvement, restoration and restoration. Environmental benefits and risks.

The contents of the subject will be developed according to the following agenda:

Exhibition activities (9h):

Topic 1. Introduction. Need for biodiversity conservation actions. Conservation in situ vs. Ex situ conservation. Conservation Actions. 1 hour

Topic 2.In situ conservation of animal species. Habitat management. 1 h

Topic 3. Ex situ conservation of animal species: a) zoologics. b) breeding centers and reintroduction. A release of non-natural species. 1 h

Topic 4. Ex situ and in situ conservation of plant species. Plans for conservation, recovery annd reintroduction of threatened plant 1 h

Topic 5. Habitat conservation and management: plans and actions. Habitat. Habitat restoration. 1 h

Topic 6. Conservation of edaphic places of interest. 2 h

Topic 7. Conservation of places of geological interest. 1 h

Interactive activities (12 h):

Seminar 1: Guidelines for the preparation of a work on biodiversity conservation and preparation of field practice (1h)

Seminar 2: Recognition visit to two in situ conservation projects (fauna and flora) that are carried out in the ichthyological station of O Veral (Lugo) and in the Special Conservation Area Serra do Careón (Flora Microreserve of Barazón, Santiso, A Coruña) (2h)

Practice 1. Internship trip to a protected area of the Iberian Northwest where biodiversity conservation actions are carried out. (9 h)

Basic bibliography

Bacchetta G., Bueno Sánchez A., Fenu G., Jiménez-Alfaro B., Mattana E., Piotto B. & Virevaire M. (eds), 2008. Conservación ex situ de plantas silvestres. Principado de Asturias / La Caixa. 378 pp.

Biodiversity Indicators Partnership, 2010. Biodiversity indicators and the 2010 Target: Experiences and lessons learnt from the 2010. Biodiversity Indicators Partnership. Secr. of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Tec. Series No. 53, Montréal, Canada
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Capdevila et al (2006), Especies Exóticas Invasoras. Diagnóstico y bases para la prevención y el manejo. Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales. MMA. Naturaleza y Parques Nacionales. Seria Técnica.

IUCN/SSC (2013). Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation. Translocations. Version 1.0. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN Species Survival Commission, viiii + 57 pp.

Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, y Medio Rural y Marino, 2011. Informe 2010 sobre el estado del Patrimonio Natural y de la Biodiversidad en España. Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, y Medio Rural y Marino. Organismo Autónomo Parques Nacionales. 169 pp.

Primack, R.B. & Ros, J., 2002. Introducción a la biología de la conservación. Ariel Ciencia, Barcelona. 375 pp.

Van Dyke, F., 2008. Conservation Biology. Foundations, Concepts, Applications. Springer Science and Business Media. 478 pp.

Ramil Rego, P. et al, 2008. SITEB, Sistema de Información Territorial e da Biodiversidade de Galicia. Xunta de Galicia, Consellería do Medio Rural. Dirección Xeral de Conservación da Natureza. http://inspire.xunta.es/siteb/acceso.php.

Ramil Rego, P. et al. (2008). Os hábitats de interese comunitario en Galicia. 2Vol. IBADER. Universidade de Santiago. Lugo. http://www.ibader.org/archivos_difusion.asp

Ramil Rego, P. et al. (2011). Plan Director da Rede Natura 2000 de Galicia. Memoría Técnica. 1 Vol + 7 Anexos. Xunta de Galicia. Santiago. http://www.ibader.org/archivos_difusion.asp

Complementary bibliography

European Environment Agency, 2012. Streamlining European biodiversity indicators 2020: Building a future on lessons learnt from the SEBI 2010 process. EEA Technical report No 11/2012. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. 45 pp.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Biodiversity Synthesis. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC.

Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, 2012. Perfil ambiental de España 2011. Informe basado en indicadores. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. Secretaría General Técnica. Oficina de publicaciones. 293 pp.

WAZA, 2005. Construyendo un futuro para la fauna salvaje. La Estrategia Mundial de Zoos y Acuarios para la Conservación (Asociación Mundial de Zoos y Acuarios-WAZA 2005). http://www.waza.org/files/webcontent/1.public_site/5.conservation/conse…

In this matter, the student will acquire or practice a series of generic competences, desirable in any university degree, and specific, specific to engineering in general or forest engineering in particular. Within the table of competences of the degree, the following will be worked:

- Basic, general and transversal competencies:

CB6: Possess and understand the knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
CB7 The students know how to apply the acquired knowledge and their problem-solving capacity in new or little-known settings within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
CB9: To know how to communicate their conclusions –and the ultimate knowledge and reasons that support them– to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
CB10: That students possess the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will have to be largely self-directed or autonomous.

CG2 Ability to design, direct, prepare, implement and interpret projects and comprehensive action plans in the natural environment

CT1 Analysis and synthesis capacity.
CT2: Ability for reasoning and argumentation.
CT3: Individual work capacity, with a self-critical attitude.
CT5: Ability to obtain adequate, diverse and updated information.
CT6: Ability to prepare and present an organized and understandable text.
CT7: Ability to make a public presentation in a clear, concise and coherent way.
CT10: Use of bibliographic and Internet information.
CT11: Use of information in a foreign language.

- Specific competences:

CE22 Ability to design and carry out conservation actions for species and habitats in protected natural areas.
CE29 Management of the instruments for assessing biodiversity in protected natural areas.
CE30 Ability to analyze biodiversity (species and habitats) for planning and carrying out conservation actions in protected natural areas.
CE31 Preparation and presentation of reports on biodiversity in protected natural areas.

Master lessons. They will be face-to-face and participatory with the support of ICT tools. The theoretical classes present an updated synthesis of the set of knowledge available on the actions of in situ and ex situ conservation of biological diversity in protected areas.

The practical classes will focus on the knowledge and critical analysis of real examples of various actions for the conservation of biodiversity in the network of autonomous and national protected areas. This through a field practice coordinated with another specialty subject in which the in situ conservation actions will be monitored; students must submit a report from these actions.

The seminars will be focused on the realization of a work, in which it will consult and cite scientific articles of reference published in English, and to know two projects of conservation of the biodiversity in the surroundings of Lugo (Veral and Santiso). In both cases, the particular aspects of the development of the projects visited as well as the specific topics related to the works selected by the students will be exposed and discussed, with special emphasis on their structure, approach, development, bibliography, etc.


Use of the virtual classroom. Support will be provided in the virtual classroom (bibliography, audiovisuals, scientific articles, technical documents, etc.) as well as the backing of the classes in pdf format. The calendar of activities will also be presented and the results of the evaluations and the various incidents that may arise will be communicated.

Since the activities are face-to-face, the attendance and participation of students in the different activities will be monitored.

To pass the subject, it is necessary to pass the theory test, attend the practices and seminars, and deliver the required papers and reports related to the latter. The evaluation systems, the weight of each part in the final grade, and the competences evaluated are indicated below:

Expository and interactive classes: attendance and compulsory. Participation and attendance (5%).

Tests, oral and / or written, following or continuous assessment approach (40%): competencies CB6, CB7, CB9, CT1, CT2, CT3, CE28, CE29, CE30.

Delivered and / or exposed works (40% seminary issue and 15% practical report): competences CB7, CB10, CG2, CT1, CT4, CE22, CE29, CE30, CE31.

In the case of not passing some of the assessment activities throughout the course, the student will have a second opportunity for any of them.

The waiver of assistance, in justified cases, will only be granted for exhibition activities; In this case, their evaluation will be done from the final exam with a percentage of 45%. The interactive activities will follow the same evaluation process as that carried out by the other students.

In the case of fraudulent tests or exercises, the present regulation at the USC for academic assessment and qualifications will be applied.

The subject consists of 3 ECTS credits (27 contact hours) with a total autonomous workload of the student of 48 hours. The distribution of hours for each activity is shown below:

Exhibition classes: 9 hours

Interactive classes: 12 hours (distributed in 9 hours of field practices and 3 hours of seminar)

Assessment: 3 hours

Others (group work ...): 3 hours

Total contact work: 27 hours

Autonomous work of the student:

Reading and topic preparation: 22 hours

Completion of exercises: 6 hours

Previous preparation of practices and subsequent work on them: 6 hours

Preparation of work in progress: 7 hours

Preparation of assessment tests: 7 hours

Total self-employment 48 hours

Total student work hours: 75 hours

- Participatively attend theoretical and practical classes

- Use the proposed computer resources and consult the indicated bibliography in the library