Developing skills for the management of riverine environments

Charles Sturt’s BIO402 River Restoration and Protection subject offered through the School of Agriculture, Environment and Veterinary Studies focuses on the theoretical and practical frameworks that underpin the restoration of riverine environments following disturbance. Topics covered include principles of restoration ecology, decision analysis in deciding recovery goals, restoration constraints, methodologies and techniques, monitoring, and criteria for determining the degree of recovery and relevance assessment.

The subject, delivered as an intensive, provides students with a highly practical learning experience visiting a range of field sites where restoration works have been undertaken, including the River Murray works between Hume Weir and Yarrawonga, the Kiewa River catchment covered by the Wodonga Regional Waterway Action Plan and the David Mitchell Wetlands located on the Charles Sturt Albury-Wodonga campus. Students completing this subject develop knowledge and skills needed to make sound judgments regarding the recovery goals for a river and planned restoration efforts.