9.15am-2.15pm
Full-day program
Maximum of 2 classes
Students investigate the impact of a landcover transformation due to urbanisation that has occurred in the Bunyaville Conservation Park (powerline clearance). The geographical process of deforestation has occurred transforming the dry sclerophyll forest to a cleared area. Students learn about the geographical challenges this has created of edge effect, weed invasion and increased human activity and the impact of these on the site. Students undertake field work and collect data to assess the current state of the site to ultimately understand the impact on biodiversity and on people. They learn about the natural and human pressures from climate change, recreational activities and urbanisation that are impacting the Park and how they are currently managed by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Landcover transformation: From dry sclerophyll forest to a cleared area.
Geographical process: Deforestation due to urbanisation (powerline clearance).
Geographical Challenges: Edge effect, weed invasion, urbanisation (increased activity in the Park).
Landcover Management Challenge: Threat to biodiversity, species endangerment and reduction of aesthetics.
Students collect primary data in the field by using a transect line that follows the transformed site (cleared powerline) area into the forest interior. Abiotic and biotic data is collected in quadrats 10m apart along the transect line to find trends and patterns across this range. Scientific equipment and geospatial technologies such as Survey123 are used to collect the data.
Students will be able to:
- Identify the geographical process that has resulted in a landcover change at Bunyaville Conservation Park.
- Understand how geographical challenges shape the identity of the Park.
- Learn how QPWS mitigates the negative impacts.
- Start to formulate solutions that will improve the sustainability of the Park.
- Undertake fieldwork to collect all data required to complete their IA2 and work out the impact the landcover transformation has had on biodiversity and people.
Program outline
Students come together at the beginning of the day to understand the purpose of the day/investigation, learn about Bunyaville Conservation Park and the transformation site, and practice the field techniques they will use when collecting data.
Students then go out to the transformation site and collect abiotic and biotic (plants) data following a transect line from the cleared area into the forest interior. As they collect the data they can consider how the geographical challenges (edge effect, weed invasion, increased human use) have a dynamic, ongoing impact across the transect line. Students will be able to look at trends and patterns within the data as the transect line follows from the disturbed area into the undisturbed area of the forest. The weed they come across most is Signal Grass (Urochloa decumbens). The students collect the data using Survey123 as well as a workbook.
Students are led on a walk through the Bunyaville Conservation Park to look at the impact natural and human pressures have on the Park including weed dispersal, urbanisation, fire and erosion, and the management strategies used by QPWS to try to mitigate the negative impacts.
Students come back together at the end of the day, share their data and reflect on the days learning to start them thinking about their assessment.