Skip to main content
Close icon Menu icon
UTS UTS
Cart
Your cart
Your cart is empty

Browse courses to find something that interests you.

Log in
Search
Enter to search / ESC to close


Browse Study Areas >

Analytics & Data Science

  • Critical & Creative Thinking
  • Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Invention & Innovation
  • Leadership & Management
  • Problem Solving
  • Strategic Thinking

Architecture

Built Environment

Business & Transformation

  • Accounting & Finance
  • Business Technology
  • Critical & Creative Thinking
  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Leadership & Management
  • Marketing
  • Problem Solving
  • Strategic Thinking

Communication & Media

Design Innovation

Technology

  • Business Technology
  • AI & Machine Learning
  • Telecoms
  • Data Science
  • Key Technology Trends

Health

Law

  • Law and technology
  • Substantive law
  • Industry accreditation
  • Professional skills

Public Policy & Governance

  • Evidence Evaluation and Insights
  • Community engagement
  • Governance
  • Local government
  • Leadership
  • Policy and program delivery
  • Strategic planning

Systems & Operations

Engineering

Bridging Courses

Science & Mathematics

Education

Search
Log in
  • About
  • All courses

    All courses
    Browse all courses
    • Analytics & Data Science
    • Architecture
    • Built Environment
    • Business & Transformation
    • Communication & Media
    • Design Innovation
    • Technology
    • Health
    • Law
    • Public Policy & Governance
    • Systems & Operations
    • Engineering
    • Bridging Courses
    • Science & Mathematics
    • Education
  • For your organisation
  • Insights
  • Home
  • Study areas
  • Science & Mathematics
  • Vegetation Surveys and Plant Identification
MICROCREDENTIAL

Vegetation Surveys and Plant Identification

Enrol now

Biodiversity assessments provide us with important information about flora and fauna and are critical for environmental monitoring, revegetation programs and guiding conservation efforts. This microcredential equips you with tangible skills in plant identification and vegetation surveys, so that you can perform high-quality biodiversity assessments and effectively communicate your findings.

About this microcredential

Become a skilled practitioner of biodiversity assessments for a range of career paths in environmental sciences. In this microcredential, you will learn how to conduct biodiversity field assessments from ecologists with years of experience in vegetation surveys and plant identification. You’ll conduct your own vegetation survey in a hands-on, field-based training day that meets the requirements of the Biodiversity Assessment Method. Prior to the field trip, you complete an online, self-paced learning environment that equips you with all the knowledge and practical skills you need for performing biodiversity assessments. By the end of this course, you’ll be able to communicate the key findings of your biodiversity fieldwork to a wide range of stakeholders.

The course comprises four modules, including the all-day field trip, covering plant identification, vegetation survey methods, biodiversity assessment and communications. 

Key benefits of this microcredential

This microcredential has been designed to:

  • Provide you with strong plant identification skills
  • Train you in how to perform efficient and informative vegetation surveys
  • Immerse you in a field-based setting to give you hands-on, real-world experience with biodiversity assessments
  • Develop your understanding of WHS issues associated with fieldwork.

Guide you in communicating clearly the key findings of field assessments of biodiversity.

This microcredential aligns with the 4-credit point subject, 99027 Vegetation Surveys and Plant Identification in the UTS Master of Science Environmental Consultancy and Conservation program. This microcredential may qualify for recognition of prior learning at this and other institutions.

Who should do this microcredential?

This microcredential is suitable for a wide range of professionals looking to enhance their skill-set for careers in environmental sciences. Effective application of skills in field assessments of biodiversity are relied upon by a wide range of end-users including:

  • Government agencies
  • Local councils
  • Private consultancies
  • Conservation groups
  • Land managers

At the same time, non-professionals with an eye to expanding their knowledge of Australian plant biodiversity will find this course highly informative. Beginners will also find this course welcoming as very little prior knowledge in plant identification and vegetation surveys is required.

Price

Full price: $2,815 (GST-free)*

Special price: $1,895 (GST-free)*

*Price subject to change. Please check price at time of purchase. 

Enrolment conditions

  • Course purchase is subject to UTS Open Terms and Conditions. 

COVID-19 response 

  • UTS complies with latest Government health advice. Delivery of all courses complies with the UTS response to COVID-19.

Additional course information

Course outline

This course is structured into four modules. Each module includes self-study materials. Module 3 includes an all-day field trip to Royal National Park, NSW.

Module 1 - Plant Identification

Students learn fundamental knowledge of plant traits needed for successful plant identification. The idea of pattern recognition is introduced as an approach to identify different plant families in the field. Students explore how to use a dichotomous key in plant identification and learn important botanical terminology required for keying out plant species.

Module 2 - Vegetation Survey Methods

The concept of a plant assemblage is introduced and students learn about the range of survey techniques that are used to capture how assemblages vary across space and through time.

Module 3 - Field Assessments of Biodiversity

Students attend a one-day field trip to perform their own plot-based vegetation survey and collect ecological data on plant assemblages. Prior to the fieldwork, students learn about health and safety requirements for fieldwork.

Module 4 - Communication of Biodiversity Values.

Students learn how to clean and explore their field-collected data. They then write up their field research to communicate the key biodiversity values of the plant assemblages.

You will be working with an Australian expert in biodiversity who will support your learning and engagement online. Teaching resources have been designed by a lead academic and a team of experts from the Faculty of Science.

Course learning objectives

Upon successful completion of this subject, you will able to:

  • Understand and apply the fundamental botanical principles of plant identification with particular reference to the plant families and species of the Sydney region
  • Describe the range of methods available for vegetation surveys and apply plot-based survey skills to perform field assessments of biodiversity
  • Communicate the key summary findings of field assessments of biodiversity to inform end-users of biodiversity values.

Assessment

In order to pass this course, participants must achieve a 50% pass rate and complete all activities. The final mark for this course will be based on three assessment tasks, as below. The weighting for each assessment type is indicated in brackets.

  • Disciplinary Knowledge (20%)
  • Field-Based Skills (40%)
  • Biodiversity Assessment Report (40%)

This course has a competency-based assessment conducted in-person during the field trip. Students are awarded marks for demonstrating correct vegetation survey techniques and correct plant identification.

Requirements

Mandatory

  • To complete this online course, you will need a personal computer with adequate internet access and sufficient software and bandwidth to support web conferencing. You will also require an operating system with a web browser compatible with Canvas, Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
  • Participants will need to wear long pants, closed footwear, long-sleeved shirts and bring wet-weather gear for the field trip. Please also bring food and water for the day’s activity
  • Attendance and participation at the field trip is also required to demonstrate field competency and pass this course.

Contact us

  • For any questions on enrolment or payment, please email support@open.uts.edu.au  
  • For any questions about course content, delivery, or progression, please email Brad Murray at Brad.Murray@uts.edu.au 
$2,815.00

START DATE

Unscheduled

MODE

Online

DURATION

7 wks

COMMITMENT

Avg 14 hrs/wk

Join Waitlist









reCAPTCHA helps prevent automated form spam.
The submit button will be disabled until you complete the CAPTCHA.


Have a question ?
Make an enquiry

Related Courses

Wildlife Field Techniques: Animal Handling and Survey Methods Wildlife Field Techniques: Animal Handling and Survey Methods
Microcredential

Wildlife Field Techniques: Animal Handling and Survey Methods

This course will equip participants with the knowledge and ability to handle wildlife safely and humanely. [5 wks, avg 16 hrs/wk]

  • calendar_month Unscheduled
  • hourglass_empty 5 wks
  • import_contacts Avg 16 hrs/wk
  • place Hybrid
  • supervisor_account Hybrid
Water Quality: Issues, Indicators and Safety Guidelines Water Quality: Issues, Indicators and Safety Guidelines
Microcredential

Water Quality: Issues, Indicators and Safety Guidelines

Learn expert-level field sampling skills, how to correctly interpret and apply water data and safety guidelines. [7 wks, avg 16 hrs/wk]

  • calendar_month Unscheduled
  • hourglass_empty 7 wks
  • import_contacts Avg 16 hrs/wk
  • place Online
  • supervisor_account Online
Analyse: Evaluation and Assessment in Learning Design Analyse: Evaluation and Assessment in Learning Design
Microcredential

Analyse: Evaluation and Assessment in Learning Design

Discover innovative approaches to assessment and evaluation to transform your learning design practice.

  • calendar_month 04 Sep 23 - 13 Oct 23
  • hourglass_empty 6 wks
  • import_contacts Avg 12 hrs/wk
  • monetization_on 1,298
  • place Online
  • supervisor_account Online
Vegetation Surveys and Plant Identification Vegetation Surveys and Plant Identification
Microcredential

Vegetation Surveys and Plant Identification

Learn how to identify plants and perform vegetation surveys to deliver highly informative biodiversity assessments. [7 wks, avg 14 hrs/wk]

  • calendar_month Unscheduled
  • hourglass_empty 7 wks
  • import_contacts Avg 14 hrs/wk
  • place Online
  • supervisor_account Online
We use cookies

We use cookies to help personalise content, tailor and measure ads, plus provide a safer experience. By navigating the site, you agree to the use of cookies to collect information. Read our Cookie Policy to learn more.

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.

  • About
    • About UTS Open
    • The University
    • FAQ
  • UTS Degrees
    • Postgraduate study
    • Find a course
  • News
    • Insights
    • Events
    • Find an expert
  • Information
    • Terms and Conditions
    • UTS governance
    • Privacy
    • Accessibility
    • Disclaimer
Connect
  • Contact us
  • Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube LinkedIn

© Copyright UTS - CRICOS Provider No: 00099F - 09 June 2022 03:33 PM. The page is authorised by the Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President (COO).

loading