BHP-CP+-+cattle+near+fire+damaged+area's

 =The Cow Paddock website; **A few good reasons why cattle should not go back to anywhere near fire-affected areas Resource - The 'why' and the 'how to':** = The Resource: The Reference: []

Key Skill no.1: 'Analyse management strategies for maintaining natural environments' (Learner, 2005). Key Skill no.2: 'Analyse the actions undertaken by individuals and groups in the contemporary Australian environment' (Learner, 2005).

Classroom Resources Required: · Computer stations · Internet connection · White Board and marker

Website used: http://www.cowpaddock.com/return.html

Textbooks used: · 'Australian Alps: Kosciuszko, Alpine and Namadgi National Parks' (Slattery, 1998). · 'The Alps at the Crossroads' (Johnson, 1974).

//Introduction:// Past cattle grazing in the Alpine National and State parks of Victoria has impacted on the natural ecosystems of these areas. How has cattle grazing affected alpine areas and how does this impact on the different uses of these areas? Uses of these areas lye in the interests of tourism, national parks, public land, farming, conservation and differing types of outdoor recreation.

//Body:// Using the Cow Paddock website students should answer questions aimed at developing their knowledge of the management strategies for maintaining natural environments, and analyse the impacts of cattle grazing on Alpine areas. Example Questions: - How has the impact of cattle grazing effected the ecology of the natural environment in the Alps? - Are the impacts of cattle grazing replicated by any other activities undertaken by people in these areas? - How might the impacts of cattle grazing impact on other activities undertaken in the Alps?

When students have engaged in computer research of the effects of cattle grazing in the Alpine National Parks, the teacher should Discuss with the class and evaluate strategies for achieving and maintaining health and sustainability relevant to this specific natural environment. This will engage students in learning described in 'advise for teachers' (Learner, 2005), such as learning of current policies related to reducing the impact of the use of natural environments, and evaluating them in terms of how successful the policies have been in achieving their aims (eg. the banning of cattle grazing in National and State Parks).

Students should refer to the prescribed Textbooks to find out more about Apine fauna and flora, geology, soil types, recreational activities and the impacts they have, weather and climate, and the motives of settler communities.

//Conclusion:// The teacher may utilise this resource in class with a variety of different teaching styles. The activity is aimed at developing the students knowledge about conflicting interests between the different users of the Alpine National and State Parks. The activity is also aim at developing the students knowledge of the management and sustainability of these natural environments.

This activity might be spread out over the course of two or three classes due to the importance and range of aplicability of the content.

//Important note:// The content and outcomes (ie. studying the environmental impacts of different land uses) of this activity can be elaborated on in the Bogong High Plains.