Bachelor of Land and Bachelor of Land and Water ScienceWater Science

(BLWSc)(BLWSc)

a degree from thea degree from theFaculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture,

Food and Natural Food and Natural ResourcesResources

The University of Sydney

Major Land and Water Major Land and Water issuesissues

•Allocation of water Allocation of water •Dryland and irrigated salinityDryland and irrigated salinity

•Salinisation in the Murray-Salinisation in the Murray-Darling river systemDarling river system

• Erosion and nutrient runoffErosion and nutrient runoff

ChallengesChallenges• Environmental sustainability is Environmental sustainability is

neededneeded

•Balanced with socio-economic Balanced with socio-economic sustainabilitysustainability

•Good science should be Good science should be underlying policy decisionsunderlying policy decisions

OpportunitiesOpportunities• High level of community awarenessHigh level of community awareness

• New and better technologiesNew and better technologies

• Total Catchment Management Total Catchment Management approaches and government approaches and government commitmentscommitments

• Need for well-trained graduates Need for well-trained graduates with sound scientific knowledgewith sound scientific knowledge

BLWSc BLWSc objectivesobjectives• Train graduates with a Train graduates with a

strong background in strong background in land and water science land and water science who canwho can– provide leadership in the provide leadership in the

management of our management of our precious but vulnerable precious but vulnerable natural resources natural resources

– contribute in an informed contribute in an informed way to policy developmentway to policy development

Why Why BLWSc?BLWSc?

• Opportunity to be involved in the Opportunity to be involved in the major environmental decisions of major environmental decisions of the next centurythe next century

• Career based on involvement and Career based on involvement and interaction with the human and interaction with the human and natural environmentnatural environment

BLWSc curriculumBLWSc curriculum• Foundation science Foundation science

– relevant aspects of biology, chemistry, relevant aspects of biology, chemistry, ecology, geography, geographic ecology, geography, geographic information systems, geology, hydrology, information systems, geology, hydrology, soil science, computing and statisticssoil science, computing and statistics

• Science of assessing, monitoring, Science of assessing, monitoring, and sustainably managing and sustainably managing natural resourcesnatural resources

• Socioeconomic issuesSocioeconomic issues• Strong emphasis on Strong emphasis on

communication skillscommunication skills

Field tripsField trips

Field tripsField trips

Career opportunitiesCareer opportunities• Public and private enterprises Public and private enterprises

concerned with natural concerned with natural resources, land and water resources, land and water management management – technical experts and researcherstechnical experts and researchers– environmental consultants environmental consultants – media researchers and journalists media researchers and journalists

– educatorseducators

ComparisonComparison• BSc AgrBSc Agr

– ‘‘production’ in focusproduction’ in focus– lots of ‘land’, less lots of ‘land’, less

‘water’‘water’• BSc (environmental)BSc (environmental)

– ‘‘urban’ in focusurban’ in focus– total biospheretotal biosphere– remediation and remediation and

regulatoryregulatory

Faculty of AgricultureFaculty of Agriculture•Small FacultySmall Faculty•Active student bodyActive student body•BLWS actively involved in SU BLWS actively involved in SU

Landcare societyLandcare society•Many excursions and field tripsMany excursions and field trips•Hands-on teaching and Hands-on teaching and

learninglearning

LandcareLandcare

ContactContact•Michele GairnMichele Gairn

Willem VervoortWillem VervoortPh: 9351 8744Ph: 9351 8744

w.vervoort@acss.usyd.edu.w.vervoort@acss.usyd.edu.auau