Focus Area 1: Conservation and sustainability

Learning experiences in nature shape students’ understanding of environmental systems and issues, and enhance their decision-making about conservation and sustainability. Through the study of the history of a natural environment, students understand the ecosystem and the impacts of human actions and decisions on the natural environment. They evaluate and challenge the concept of a natural environment and compare the relative naturalness of different locations.

Students develop their understanding of a range of different perspectives on the natural environment, e.g. Indigenous, Western, scientific, economic, recreational, and aesthetic, and use this understanding to critically analyse human interactions with the environment. They investigate strategies that positively contribute to conservation and sustainability.

Students transfer their understanding and appreciation of natural environments in local areas through practical opportunities to interact with the environment, and implement actions and strategies that support conservation and sustainability, and minimise human impacts.

Suggested learning activities

The following learning activities are suggestions only. Teachers may select suitable activities from this list, adapt these activities, or design their own:

• investigate the principles of ecology and ecosystem functioning
• use a natural history approach (observation, investigation, recording, interpretation, and evaluation) to investigate the impacts on ecosystems
• explore environmental systems through interaction with a natural ecosystem and apply this understanding to critically reflect on ecological impacts
• observe, record, and analyse data to evaluate the ecological health of an area, including the biodiversity and natural systems within ecosystems
• analyse and interpret sustainability strategies and land management from different perspectives (e.g. Indigenous, Western, scientific, economic, recreational, and aesthetic)
• observe and record evidence of the impact of outdoor activities on ecosystems
• collect evidence and feedback to critically analyse and evaluate the success of management plans and implemented sustainable-practice strategies
• make recommendations and develop innovative solutions to promote the conservation and sustainability of natural environments in local and global locations
• make and evaluate ethical decisions about the interaction of people and natural environments.