Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a Master's program in Landscape Architecture and Nature Management, with a course focused on People, Nature, and Recreation.

Course Description

The course, NIGK23008U People, Nature and Recreation, is a problem and knowledge-based course that provides a unique insight into the linkages between people's recreational use of nature and the sustainable management and planning of nature areas in the Anthropocene.

Content

The course deals with practical and theoretical aspects of planning, management, and governance of outdoor recreation, with a strong focus on balancing use and protection of nature. It covers various themes, including:

• Visitors' values, norms, attitudes, experiences, and behaviors
• Conflicts between user groups
• Monitoring of visitor flows
• Accessibility and availability
• Children and nature
• Pro-environmental behaviors
• Nature-based integration

Learning Outcome

The course aims to provide students with the following knowledge, skills, and competencies:

Knowledge

• Analyze nature-based recreation as a product of a human-nature relationship
• Identify benefits and motives of different outdoor recreation practices
• Identify areas of conflict, which sustainable planning and management practices must address
• Explain and describe outdoor recreation planning frameworks and visitor monitoring approaches
• Describe and reflect on key actors, user groups, and stakeholders in relation to creating opportunities and regulating nature-based recreation

Skills

• Apply and discuss a variety of frameworks for sustainable planning and management of nature-based recreation
• Discuss strengths and weaknesses of methods for visitor monitoring and mapping related to sustainable management

Competencies

• Apply the main points of theory and evidence-based knowledge about outdoor recreation to planning practice and areas of conflict
• Apply and justify the choice of specific methods and adapt them to real-life planning practices and management situations

Literature

The course literature is available on Absalon.

Recommended Academic Qualifications

A Bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Management, Landscape Architecture, Geography, Biology, Exercise and Sports, Environmental Science, or similar, is recommended.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course includes theoretical exercises, active student participation, discussions, and oral student presentations. Excursions and interactions with Danish key outdoor recreation organizations are also integrated into the course.

Workload

The course workload is as follows:

• Lectures: 40 hours
• Preparation: 134 hours
• Theory exercises: 20 hours
• Practical exercises: 3 hours
• Excursions: 8 hours
• Guidance: 1 hour
• Total: 206 hours

Assessment

The course is assessed through an oral examination, with a 24-hour preparation period for a presentation, followed by a discussion.

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: NIGK23008U
• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 3
• Schedule: B
• Course capacity: 40

Study Board

The course is under the Study Board of Geosciences and Management.

Contracting Department

The contracting department is the Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management.

Contracting Faculty

The contracting faculty is the Faculty of Science.

Course Coordinators

The course coordinators are Anton Stahl Olafsson and Sandra Gentin.

Lecturers

The lecturers include Anton Stahl Olafsson, Sandra Gentin, Søren Præstholm, Hans Skov-Petersen, and Natalie Gulsrud.