Habitat Conservation & Management Course 2024
Event description
For over 40 years, the Habitat Conservation and Management Course (HCMC) has been informing, inspiring and connecting Melbourne’s conservation and land management community. The course is suited for everyone, from new conservation volunteers to experienced land management practitioners, looking to refresh and extend their knowledge and networks.
Participants will learn face to face about key ecosystem features including plants, soil, fungi and fire then explore techniques for habitat improvement. 16 Wednesday evening classes from August 7 to November 20 and 9 Saturday field trips with some of Melbourne’s leading ecologists and land managers including Randall Robinson, Gidja Walker, Uncle Dave Wandin and George Paras.
Limited opportunities are available for up to 80% of course fees through the Whittlesea individual grants under the leadership or environment streams.
| Unit Number | Topic | Lecturer/s | Location | Date |
| Unit 1 | Introduction | |||
| Classroom | Introduction to Habitat Conservation and Management | Randall Robinson / Danny Reddan | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 7 August |
| Field Trip 1 | Melbourne Bushlands | Robert Pergl | Dandenongs | Saturday 10 August |
| Unit 2 | Bushland – The Ideal | |||
| Classroom | Classroom | Growing Wildlife Habitat | George Paras | Â Wednesday 14 August |
| Classroom | Invertebrates | James Buxton | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 21 August |
| Field Trip 2 | Coastal Woodlands | Gidja Walker | Cape Schanck | Saturday 24 August |
| Classroom | Plant Identification I – Grasses and Forbs | Michael Cincotta | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday, 28 August |
| Classroom | Plant Identification II – Trees and Shrubs | Michael Cincotta | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 4 September |
| Field Trip 3 | Â Caring for Country | Dave Wandin/Gidja Walker | Coranderrk | Saturday 7 September |
| Classroom | Soils and Climate | Jason Horlock | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 11 September |
| Classroom | Fungi | Sapphire McMullan - Fisher | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday, 18 September |
| Field Trip 4 | Nocturnal Wildlife | TBC | Mount Rothwell | Saturday 21 September |
| Classroom | Fire | Darren Wandin/Gidja Walker | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 25 September |
| Unit 3 | Impacts on Bushland | |||
| Classroom | Bush Ecology 1 | Randall Robinson | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 2 October |
| Field Trip 5Â | Â Lerderderg Gorge/Longforest | Randall Robinson | Lerderderg Gorge/Longforest | Saturday 5 October |
| Classroom | Bush Ecology 2 | Randall Robinson | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 9 October |
| Unit 4 | Techniques for Managing Bushland | |||
| Classroom | Introduction | Randall Robinson | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 16 October |
| Field Trip 6Â Â Â | Plant Identification |
Michael Cincotta | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Saturday 19 October |
| Classroom | Site Assessment & Planning | Gidja Walker | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 23 October |
| Field Trip 7   | Restoring degraded riparian zones | George Paras/Danny Reddan | Darebin Creek Bundoora | Saturday 26 October |
| Classroom | Techniques for Planned Intervention | Robert Pergl | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 30 October |
| Field Trip 8Â Â | Grasslands | Dave Wandin / Rob Pergl | Western plains | Saturday 2 November |
| Classroom | Modelling and monitoring Change | Sacha Jellinek | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 6 November |
| Classroom | Regeneration and Weed (Strategies & Options) | Graham Peterson | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 13 November |
| Field Trip 9Â Â | Coastal and marine | Gidja Walker | Seaford Foreshore | Saturday 16 November |
| Classroom | Summing Up | Randall / Gidja Walker | NT Wildlife Sanctuary | Wednesday 20 November |
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