Outcome 1

1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4, 1.1.5

Human Nature

a term used to describe human characteristics. Eg Sadness

Nature vs Nurture

Concept regarding our genetic makeup (nature) vs the environment (nurture)

The laws of nature

laws of science and maths that relate to the way the world works. Eg Laws of Thermodynamics

The nature of …

expression about the nature of something

Mother nature

a term that generally refers to the earth’s biosphere and all the living things and systems within

Definition of Nature

The living things, the ecosystem and the processes that form them and the places in which we find all of these.

Natural

Something that comes from nature Eg Koalas

Artificial

things that are created by humans Eg motorbike

Unnatural

Refers to an object or process that humans have affected in some way. Eg introduction of pest species or mountain bike trails

Urban/Built environments

areas of permanent infrastructure designed to support higher population densities such as cities and towns. Eg shopping centres, schools

Wilderness

an area that is big, remote and untouched. Eg Wabba Wilderness park

Big (Wilderness)

Minimum 2000 hectares and needs to be sufficient and maintain its own ecosystem and biological diversity.

Remote (Wilderness)

Refers to the ease of how we can reach a place. Typically wilderness areas are a distance from large urban populations and harder to get to.

Untouched

Undamaged or unmodified. A place that looks like you would expect any outside impact from humans.

Protected areas

A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed through legal or other effective means to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.

Examples of protected areas

World heritage protected areas, national parks, wilderness parks, marine parks, state parks and local parks

World Heritage protected areas

Places deemed so significant for humans and for environmental protection that they are given a status of protection beyond the borders of the state or country. Eg Great Barrier Reef

National Park

Nationwide significance due to outstanding natural environments, features, scenic landscape and diverse land type.

They protect natural and cultural features and usually offer visitor facilities.

In national parks there are often limited areas for intensive recreation or development.

Eg Grampians and Great otways

Marine Parks

Protect marine and coastal environments

Safeguard marine habitats for important plants and animals

Conserve natural, culurals and aesthetic values

Eg Wilsons Promontory Marine Park

State Parks

Managed for same purposes and act as national parks

Are generally smaller then national parks

Make up an area of land containing natural environments and features, scenic landscapes and 1 or more land types representing major land types of the state

Eg Werribee Gorge

Metropolitan and local parks

Managed for intensive recreation and conservation where appropriate.

Eg Cherry Lake

List of protected area categories around the world by IUCN

• Strict Nature reserves

• Wilderness Areas

• National Parks

  Natural monument or feature

• Habitat/species management area

• Protected landscape/seascape

• Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources.

Strict Nature Reserve

• strictly protected areas

• Set aside to protect biodiversity and geological/geomorphic features

• human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values

• can serve as a reference area for scientific research and monitoring

Wilderness area/park

• A wilderness area that is protected and managed to persevered natural condition

• Eg: Avon Wilderness Park and Wabba Wilderness Park

Natural monument or feature

Protected areas set aside to protect natural monuments such as landforms, sea mount, submarine cavern or geological features such as a cave.

Eg Uluru and Great Barrier Reef

Habitat/Species management area

aim to protect particular species or habitats

Protected landscape/seascape

intervention of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct significant ecological, biological, cultural and scenic value

Safeguarding the integrity of this value is vital to protect and sustain the area

Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources

• conserve ecosystems and habitats along with associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management

• generally large with most area in natural condition

• a proportion is under sustainable nature resource management

• low-level non-industrial use of natural resources compatible with nature conservation is a main aim

• In vic most state parks fall into this category

Wilderness areas are important as heritage because ….

• special and unique

• play a role in history

• provide a link between culture of aboriginal people and increasingly willingness of Non-Aboriginal Australians to value their beauty and irreplaceability.

People value wilderness because….

• source of enjoyment and recreational pleasure

• can teach something

• great spiritual or aesthetic value

What is motivation

A driving force or reasoning behind a persons desire to do something.

Intrinsic Motivations

Motivations we get from within ourselves. (What within you makes you do something?)

Extrinsic Motivations

Motivations we get from outside ourselves. External factors

Categories of motivation

• Competence/mastery

• stimulus avoidance

• socialisation

• cognitive reward

Competance/Mastery

• Being competent in the activity

• building strength through participating in the experience

• being the first to achieve something

• setting a record or other achievement

Stimulus avoidance

• negative reinforcement

• do something as it helps us avoid something

• Eg: Participating in the outdoors as an escape from aspects of everyday life

Socialisation

• about social benefits

• personal and social developments

• feelings of community

• feeling of growth and independence

Cognitive reward

• about mental rewards

• Eg

  • learning something new

  • achieving something new, different or risky

  • obtaining an adrenaline rush

  • proven something to yourself or others

  • seeking trascendence

Positive responses

result in positive behaviours such as protecting, preserving and enhancing the environment

Responses include

• appreciation

• awe

• contemplation

• inspiration

• exhilaration

• connection

• curiosity

Appreciation

recognition of value and significance in an outdoor environment

Awe

A feeling of wonder or admiration for an outdoor environment

Contemplation

a feeling that engenders long and thoughtful observation or a deep reflection about an outdoor enviroment

Inspiration

A feeling about the outdoor environment that leads a person to want to do or create something

exhileration

a feeling of excitement or happiness, resulting from an outdoor experience

connection

A feeling that we are a part of a place or connected to a place. Can come with spiritual feelings or feelings of the wondrous nature of an environment

Curiosity

A feeling of wanting to know more and wanting to understand an environment in more detail or in other ways

Negative responses

Probably lead to damaging behaviours or dangerous actions with respect to an outdoor environment such as a desire to clear, change or remove things from the environment.

Responses include

• Fear

• Revulsion

• curiosity

Fear

Unpleasant feeling resulting from a belief that something in an outdoor environment or an activity in an environment is dangerous

Revulsion

sense of disgust and loathing. An environment could cause revulsion due to something negative that a person sees in it

Varying responses

Peoples responses to an outdoor environment vary significantly. The ways we respond can also change over time, as we age and as society changes.

Factors influencing personal responses

• age

• education

• culture

• background

• experience

• religion

• socioeconomic background

• media

Outdoor environments as a resource

• Something from the environment that

  • supplies

  • support

  • aids

  • source or income

• Developed ways of exploiting environmental resources such as

  • timber

  • wood

  • harvesting

  • mining

• Tourism and education have become aspects that people use to make money

• the removal, exploitation and pressure on natural resources has caused lots of damage

Outdoor environments as recreation and adventure

• Many experiences in outdoor environments are based on recreation and adventure

• These experiences provide time to reflect, appreciate and respect the environment

• can be challenging and encourage people to push themselves to achieve a particular goal

• can include passive, active, exploratory, educational and high risk activities

Recreation

an activity done for enjoyment, amusement or pleasure and is considered fun

Adventure

can be described as exciting, risky or daring and is in some way hazardous or dangerous

Environment as a spiritual connection

• a spiritual connection where you find a sense of place and can put life into perspective

• Deeper connection that can’t be achieved through participation in a recreational activity

• Indigenous Australians are often described as having deep spiritual connection with the land

Outdoor environments as a study site

• location or place where investigation, analysis and other activities occur in the pursuit of knowledge

• people including scientists, students, land managers, volunteers, and outdoor education companies utilise the environment

• may observe, explore, test, monitor, record or report to better understand the environment, why and how it changes and human interrelationships with it.

Knowing outdoor environments

• environments are encountered from various viewpoints and positions including

  • experiential knowledge

  • environmental and natural history

  • ecological, social and economic perspectives

• to know outdoor environments we need to spend time in them, gather information and learn about them

• People can experience the environment by:

  • recreational activities

  • media

  • literature

  • geographic location

Experiential Knoweldge

• obtaining knowledge and understanding through actively engaging in an activity

• a personal experience

• people who come to know the environment through their own individual experiences often have a deep and clear understanding of it

Environmental and natural history

• based on land formations, climate and weather events, changes to the landscape and animals and a basic knowledge of what has occurred in an environment throughout a period of time.

• have the ability to reflect on what has changed and why as well as make predictions about what will happen

ecological

• grounded in biology

• the interrelationships between living organisms and their surroundings

• important role in ensuring adequate functioning of ecosystems

social

• human interaction is the foundation of the social perspective

• refers to actions of society as a collective

• gather knowledge about activities and behaviours that have and have not been successful

Economic

• directly linked to profit

• what the environment offers in terms of resources and income opportunities

• may be narrow minded with the desire to make money

• May help people understand the value of protecting the environment

Alps

• granite, sandstone, limestone, basalt and slate rocks

• Difficult to determine the highest peak from the surrounding

• Highest parts are treeless being dominated by grasses, shrubs, and small flowering plants

• climate is often harsh

• Covered in snow for more than a 3rd of the year

• Suffer hot and dry summers, high winds and regular fire events

• Eg: Mount Buffalo National Park

Grasslands

• dominated by grasses and other small plants such as herbs and wildflowers

• Trees are either not found at all or in small numbers

• Fertile by rocky soils and low rainfall

• Support some very rare animal species

• Eg: Derrimut grassland

Heathlands

• soil and wind conditions prevent the growth of trees and taller shrubs

• dominated by low, woody shrubs

• often found near windswept, salt-sprayed coastal areas on sandy and low fertile soils

• birds are common

• Fire is an important part of Victorian heathlands

• Eg: Wilsons Promontory national park

Mallee

• named for small mallee trees

• a group of eucalyptus trees that dominate this type of environment

• Tend to have Sandy soils with saltbush and small heathy shrubs combing with grasses to form an understory

• climate is hot and dry with rainfall typically low

• soils are poor

• rich biodiversity in plant species

• Eg: Little Desert National Park

Dry forests and woodlands

• encompass many different types of environments

• occur on well-drained but nutrient poor soils

• often found in areas with low rainfall

• have to cope with periods of extended drought and high summer temperatures

• Trees are tall but not as tall as wet forests

• Have an understory of native grasses

• Mammals are rich in these forests

• Eg: Brisbane Ranges national park

Biome

a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat

Wet forest and rainforests

• include Victoria’s tallest tree which often dominate their environments

• utilise fire in germinating seeds

• cooler temperatures and generally high rainfall

• Eg: Great Otway

Inland waters and wetlands

• include flowing water sources such as creeks and rivers

• many of these are permanent features in environments

• provide habitats for a variety of plants and animals

• land surrounding inland waterways often have tall canopies

• key component in natural water purification process

• Eg: Murray River

Coast and marine enviroments

• subject to constant change

• Wind, large waves, and constant salt spray create a wide variety of landforms

• grasses and small shrubs and trees dominate the flora

• include an enormous range of habitats such as reefs, kelp forests, mudflats and seagrass beds

• Eg: Wilsons Promontory

Types of risk in the outdoors

• environmental risks

• risks associated with people

• risks associated with equipment

Environmental risks

risks that originate from the outdoor environments

eg:

• weather

• terrain

• remoteness of an area

• dangers of flora and fauna

Risks associated with equipment

Risks with specialised equipment that is used while on outdoor trips or equipment used to get to a place

Eg:

• clothing

• buoyancy aids

• kayaks

• surfboards

• tents

• climbing ropes

• motor vehicles

• trangia

Risks associated with people

risks connected to the people involved such as leaders, participants and others

Eg

• Skill

• knowledge

• experience

• health and fitness

• age

• fears

• emotions that participants bring to an experience

Life threatening dangers in the outdoors

• drowning

• impacts with solid things (either fall on you or you fall on to)

• exposure (hyperthermia and hypothermia)

• burns from bushfires and fuel stoves

• lightning strikes

• poisonous bites

Preparation

• let someone know before you go

• prepare and take a well-stocked first aid kit

• carry emergency equipment

• learn to navigate

• practice skills

• watch the weather

• avoid going on your own

What to do if you get lost

1. Stop

2. Don’t panic

3. Start trying to work out where you are

   1. find features in the landscape around you that you can identify on maps

4. Stay together

   1. don’t split up

   2. It is easier to find one big group rather than many little ones

5. Find higher ground

   1. Once settled and organised find higher ground that you may be able to get reception on

   2. trying retracing your steps to return to a place you recognise

6. Contact emergency services

   1. give them details of the group, equipment, current environment and best recollection of place before getting lost

\n What to do if you get lost and can’t contact emergency services

1. Stop

2. Don’t panic

3. Start trying to work out where you are

   1. find features in the landscape around you that you can identify on maps

4. Stay together

   1. don’t split up

   2. It is easier to find one big group rather than many little ones

5. Find higher ground

   1. Once settled and organised find higher ground that you may be able to get reception on

   2. trying retracing your steps to return to a place you recognise

6. Preparation will pay off

   1. someone should raise the alarm when they realise you aren’t where you said you would be

7. Your task changes to survival

   1. Stay together

   2. find shelter

   3. Conserve energy

What to do if someone is injured

1. Stop

2. Don’t panic

3. ensure everyone in the group is safe

4. get to the injured person as safety and quickly as possible

5. only move the injured person if necessary

6. try and determine the condition of the person

7. treat any life threatening injuries

8. make the injured person comfortable

9. send for help

What are the snorkelling procedures for safety

• a ratio of 1:10 for instructors to participants

• mandatory wetsuits for all participants

• snorkel as a group

• buddy up policy

What are the hiking procedures for safety

• maps are given to all participants

• hike together as a group

• safety briefing on snakes at the beginning of the hike

• buddy up policy

• first aid kit

• appropriate clothing

• emergency plan

• let someone know of your plans

Risk management

a process that all teachers and outdoor leaders must include in their planning of outdoor experiences with students and other other groups