72594 - Economic Management of Protected Natural Areas

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide knowledge of the evolution of agro-livestock activities in support of the protection of natural resources and the rural landscape. In particular, the course focuses on the technical and economic opportunities available to agricultural entrepreneurs to create renaturalized areas and environmental protection areas within the farm, in light of the new guidelines of the Common Agricultural Policy and the opportunities offered by regional Rural Development Programmes.

Course contents

The course addresses the economic, managerial, and regulatory aspects of protecting natural resources and the rural landscape in protected areas and in agricultural areas of high nature value. Particular attention is devoted to the role of managing bodies, planning and funding instruments, ecosystem services, and the technical and economic opportunities available to agricultural enterprises operating within or near protected areas.

The topics covered are divided into four teaching units.

1. Protected areas, agriculture, and rural territories – 6 hours

• The role of protected areas in the conservation of natural resources, biodiversity, and the rural landscape.
• Types of protected areas: national and regional parks, nature reserves, Natura 2000 sites, and high nature value farmland.
• Essential regulatory framework: the framework law on protected areas, the Natura 2000 network, environmental constraints, and territorial and environmental planning tools.
• Relationships between agro-livestock activities, biodiversity conservation, and landscape management.
• Opportunities and constraints for agricultural enterprises operating in protected areas or in areas subject to environmental restrictions.

Learning outcomes:

Students will understand the role of protected areas in rural contexts and the main relationships between agricultural activities, environmental protection, regulatory constraints, and landscape enhancement.

2. Economic and administrative management of protected areas – 8 hours

• Objectives, functions, and instruments of protected area managing bodies.
• Governance of protected areas and the relationships among park authorities, public administrations, agricultural enterprises, local communities, and stakeholders.
• Planning and management instruments: park plans, regulations, management plans, and intervention programs.
• Elements of economic management: financial resources, management costs, own revenues, public funding, funded projects, and partnerships.
• Compatible economic enhancement of protected areas: public enjoyment, environmental education, sustainable tourism, local products, and territorial services.
• Examples of management models and case studies relating to park authorities and protected areas.

Learning outcomes:

Students will acquire basic knowledge of the economic, administrative, and management tools required for the functioning of a protected area, and will understand the role of the managing body in protecting, enhancing, and promoting sustainable local development.

3. Economics of natural resources and ecosystem services – 8 hours

• Public goods, externalities, and market failures in the management of natural resources.
• Ecosystem services generated by agricultural, forest, and renaturalized areas.
• Economic, social, and environmental values of protected and renaturalized areas.
• Economic instruments for environmental protection: incentives, compensations, indemnities, and payments for ecosystem services.
• Costs and benefits of conservation for agricultural enterprises, managing bodies, and society.
• Elements of economic evaluation of environmental protection and renaturalization interventions.

Learning outcomes:

Students will acquire the basic conceptual tools needed to understand the economic value of environmental goods and services, and to interpret the role of economic instruments in the management of protected areas.

4. Policies, financial instruments, and opportunities for agricultural enterprises – 8 hours

• The Common Agricultural Policy and support for environmental, climate, and biodiversity protection.
• Eco-schemes, agri-climate-environmental interventions and measures for the conservation of natural resources.
• Regional Rural Development Programs: interventions supporting protected areas, Natura 2000, sustainable agriculture, and the rural landscape.
• Design and technical-economic evaluation of on-farm interventions: buffer strips, hedgerows, small woodlands, permanent grassland, wetlands, renaturalized areas, and interventions for wildlife and biodiversity.
• Economic feasibility analysis of interventions: establishment costs, management costs, income foregone, public support, and expected benefits.
• Case studies of agricultural enterprises integrating production, environmental protection, and territorial enhancement.

Learning outcomes:

Students will be able to identify the main technical and economic opportunities for implementing and managing environmental interventions within agricultural enterprises, and assess their consistency with agricultural policy and rural development instruments.

Readings/Bibliography

Class notes

Official European Commission documentation on the Common Agricultural Policy and rural development, particularly useful for the sections on the CAP, eco-schemes and agro-climatic-environmental measures.

Teaching methods

The course is divided into four teaching units and includes classroom lectures, supplemented by practical exercises, seminars, and the presentation and discussion of case studies.

Lectures are aimed at providing students with basic knowledge of the economic and administrative management of protected areas, the economics of natural resources and ecosystem services, agricultural policy and rural development instruments, and the technical and economic opportunities available to agricultural enterprises operating within or near protected areas.

The acquisition of knowledge and understanding will be monitored during the lectures through continuous interaction between the teacher and the students. This interaction will involve the discussion of the topics covered in the course, also with reference to their application to current issues concerning the protection of natural resources, the management of the rural landscape, biodiversity conservation, and the sustainable economic enhancement of protected areas.

Practical exercises and the analysis of case studies will aim to foster the application of the knowledge acquired to concrete situations, such as the technical and economic evaluation of environmental interventions, the management of renaturalized areas, the identification of opportunities offered by the Common Agricultural Policy and regional rural development programmes, and the analysis of the relationships between managing bodies, agricultural enterprises and the territory.

Seminars and guided discussion of applied examples will contribute to the development of students’ independent judgement and communication skills, with particular reference to the ability to argue for management and economic choices consistent with environmental protection and sustainable development objectives.

In consideration of the type of activities and teaching methods adopted, attendance of this course requires all students to have previously completed Modules 1 and 2 of the training course on health and safety in study places, available in e-learning mode at https://elearning-sicurezza.unibo.it/

Assessment methods

Assessment is carried out through a single final examination, consisting of an oral interview lasting approximately 25 minutes. The examination results in a mark expressed out of thirty.

During the oral interview, students will be asked questions on the main topics covered in the course, with particular reference to the economic and administrative management of protected areas, the economics of natural resources and ecosystem services, agricultural policy and rural development instruments, and the technical and economic opportunities available to agricultural enterprises operating within or near protected areas.

Students will be expected to demonstrate adequate knowledge of the regulatory, economic and management framework relating to protected areas, as well as the ability to connect the different topics covered in the course. They will also be expected to interpret the main opportunities and critical issues related to the management of protected areas, the protection of natural resources and the rural landscape, and the implementation of environmental interventions at farm and territorial level.

No technical manuals, notes, textbooks, IT tools, generative Artificial Intelligence applications or calculation aids are required or permitted during the examination.

Assessment will be graded according to the following criteria:

• limited or mainly mnemonic preparation, with analytical and connection-making skills emerging only with the support of the teacher, and with an overall correct use of disciplinary language, will result in a mark between 18 and 21/30;
• adequate preparation on the main topics of the course, together with the ability to correctly describe regulatory, economic and management tools relating to protected areas and environmental interventions, will result in a mark between 22 and 25/30;
• broad and well-structured preparation, with good ability to connect the regulatory framework, economic instruments, public policies and opportunities for agricultural enterprises, as well as appropriate use of technical terminology, will result in a mark between 26 and 29/30;
• complete and in-depth preparation, together with full conceptual and terminological command, critical analysis skills, autonomous ability to connect the management of protected areas, ecosystem services, funding instruments and rural development, and rigorous argumentation, will result in a mark of 30/30 or 30/30 with honours.

With regard to assessment, the use of generative Artificial Intelligence is prohibited. Any use of generative AI constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

The dates, times and locations of examinations are published on the degree programme website. Students must register for examination sessions through the AlmaEsami web application: https://almaesami.unibo.it/

Students with temporary or permanent disabilities or specific learning disorders are advised to contact the University office responsible in good time: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en . The office will propose any necessary adaptations to the students concerned; such adaptations must in any case be submitted to the lecturer for approval at least 15 days in advance. The lecturer will assess their appropriateness also in relation to the learning outcomes of the course.

Teaching tools

Slide projector

Case studies

Office hours

See the website of Rino Ghelfi