DESCRIPTION: There is one question that must be answered in the form of a cohesive and well-thought-out argumentative essay. This assessment is an evaluation of the concepts from Module 3 and should be written with references to the ideas in those lectures – and the big ideas from the course as well. The idea is for you to engage with the ideas we have discussed in class and examine a range of academic papers in order to answer the questions and support your arguments. Feel free to use other documents that you might find but be sure to cite EVERYTHING that you use and provide a list of references at the end of the assignment. The citation style does not matter, as long as you are consistent – you MUST cite your references.
LENGTH: 1200 words (4-5 pages double spaced). References are not included in word count.
SUPPORT WITH DOCUMENTATION/LITERATURE: You must support your argument effectively, drawing on a range of documents and supporting literature including at least 5 course readings. You may also refer to course lectures as well. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own experiences and knowledge from other courses into the argument, but you must ground your arguments using support from the course and reading list.
QUESTION: The paradigm that guides the field of ‘conservation’ began a major transition at the end of the 20th century, moving from a protectionist, ‘fences and fines’ dominated approach and embracing ‘community conservation’, integrating poverty alleviation and social justice in this broader idea of ‘new conservation’. Though initially met with a great deal of enthusiasm, the ambitious nature of achieving both of these goals has resulted in disappointing or underwhelming results. In recent years, debates among academics and conservation practitioners have emerged, with some calling for a return to the protectionist focus for conservation, and others more adamantly embracing the critical integration of human concerns, particularly in the context of the ‘anthropocene’. At the same time, debates about the integration of capitalism into conservation approaches (typically, but not solely associated with “New Conservation”) continue to be widely contested.
Choose a place you are connected to (where you grew up, or where you live and/or work, etc.) where biodiversity is at risk. Imagine that, as an expert on environment and sustainability, you have been contracted to advise on a general conservation policy for this place.
Write an essay recommendation that answers the broad question – what direction do you think is the best way forward for biodiversity conservation for this place?
In your essay include the following:
- Identify the place of concern and your overall argument (thesis statement) for your proposed conservation policy (I recommend this portion should account for about 1 page of your essay).
- Briefly explain your connection to the place,
- Describe the major biodiversity challenges faced there. For example,
- Are there globally significant populations of important and charismatic biodiversity?
- Are there key ecosystem functions and/or services that are at risk there?
- State your main argument/thesis statement on the best approach for biodiversity conservation in this place
- Present, defend, and sustain an argument for what you think is the best way forward for biodiversity conservation in this place (I recommend this portion should be about 3-4 pages). To support your argument:
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- Draw specifically from the discussions of conservation spaces and paradigms (‘protectionist’, ‘new conservation’, ‘community conservation’, ‘convivial conservation’)
- Consider what role (if any) digital technologies should play, and why?
- Consider how your ‘way forward’ addresses and accounts for the specific context of the place, including:
- local social and economic development concerns
- Indigenous communities and Indigenous sovereignties
- Issues of jurisdiction (‘levels’ of government like municipal, regional, national, Indigenous)
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In general, make sure to connect your argument to ideas from the course, such as sustainable development, construction of nature, command and control, resilience, regenerative sustainability, participation, Indigenous futurisms, post-Anthropocene and human-more-than-human relations, and/or anything else that you think is relevant.
Note: it should go without saying that you cannot choose the Great Bear Rainforest as the place you will discuss in your response.
Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
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CLARITY AND STRENGTH OF ARGUMENT
Logical structure and coherent development
– Does it address the assignment and answer the questions – Does it identify a place and your connection to it? – Does it outline some main biodiversity concerns in that place? – Does it address the discourse of protectionist vs new conservation/ community conservation/ convivial conservation? – Does it address digital technologies in conservation? – Does it consider the specific contexts of the place? – Is there a clear argument? A thesis statement at the beginning of the essay from which the rest of the argument flows? – Is the writing clear and concise – Basic strength of writing quality – topic sentences and relevant paragraphs, full sentences, discernible |
10 pts
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SUPPORT WITH DOCUMENTATION/LITERATURE
– Relevance of information, importance, validity
– Linking and contextualizing information – Does it support the argument effectively (ensuring that points are supported with documentation)? – Does it make use of a range of documents and supporting materials? (anything less than 5 course readings is under the expectation) – Does it demonstrate an ability to navigate the documents and interpret the materials to answer questions and support claims – Are documents cited clearly and consistently (using any form of citation style – but cohesion is key) |
10 pts
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INTEGRATION WITH CONCEPTS FROM THE COURSE
– Providing links to ideas from the course
– The most common big ideas might be – social construction of nature; the anthropocene; wicked problems; resilience; sustainable development; command and control management (and the challenges of scientific management in general); ecosystem functions and services, how to value biodiversity; environmental management – participation and environmental co-management, adaptive management, ecosystem management; art and perception of environment….The list goes on… – Using these links as the basis for higher level evaluation of the ideas and connecting/ evaluating community conservation or traditional conservation directly with these frameworks – Creating novel ideas not found directly in the academic papers where ideas from various sources are brought together |