Course search

Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management

15.0 hp
2027-01-18 - 2027-03-24
Umeå
English
Application Code: SLU-M3115
Course Code: NA0201
Schedule in TimeEdit

This course instance is exclusively for incoming exchange students

You need to be nominated by one of SLU:s partner universities to apply for it. The course is also available as a standard course instance.

See more information about nomination and application

Entry Requirements

Knowledge equivalent 30 credits in biology or 30 credits in forestry science.

Course facts

Course name
Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management
Swedish course name
Mänskliga dimensioner av naturresursförvaltning
Level
First cycle (G1F)
Main field of study
Economics
Credits
15.0 credits
Rate of study
100 %
Study location
Umeå
Form of instruction
Campus-based instruction
Application code
SLU-M3115
Course code
NA0201
Course language
English
Offered as a freestanding course
Ja
Tuition fee
0 SEK
Tuition fees only for non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens

NA0201, Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management, 15.0 Hp
Print syllabus

Syllabus

Finalized by: Ordföranden för programnämnden för utbildning inom skog (PN-S), 2023-12-22
Valid from : Spring semester 2026 (2026-01-19)

Level

First cycle (G1F)

Main field of study

Economics

Grading Scale

The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.

Course language

English

Entry Requirements

Knowledge equivalent 30 credits in biology or 30 credits in forestry science.

Objectives

The aim of the course is for students to develop multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary foundation of human dimensions field, as well as with the human aspects that characterize current issues in the sustainable governance and management of natural resources.

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

  • Describe and evaluate the human aspects involved in natural resource management.
  • Evaluate human aspects in the management of natural resources.
  • Describe and analyse, with the help of cases, patterns of conflict and be able to apply principles of conflict management.
  • By using a case, understand conflict resolution of natural resource management in a wider context.
  • Critically examine qualitative and quantitative data regarding how humans value natural resources.
  • Describe and discuss environmental communication related to human dimensions of natural resource management.

Content

This course focuses on the sustainable management of natural resources from a contemporary human dimensions’ perspective. Participants will gain a deeper knowledge of

  • the governance and management of natural resources,
  • why and how people value natural resources,
  • become familiar with society-related impacts on natural resources,
  • economic considerations of natural resource management,
  • conflict management and how to understand conflict resolution on national or international levels,
  • environmental communication and its role in natural resource management, and
  • be able to evaluate quantitative and qualitative methods used in human dimensions research.

To fulfil the learning objectives, the course includes lectures, seminars, exercises, group assignments, and literature studies. The student will carry out an individual project, write a report and orally present in a seminar.

Further the course includes active participation in seminars and guest lectures.

Examination Formats and Requirements for Passing the Course

Approved examination, passed assignments and compulsory sections.

Responsible Department/Equivalent

Department of forest bioeconomy and technology

Supplementary information

Module set

Title Credits Code
Single module 15.0 0101

The Course Replaces

BI1300

Other Information

SLU is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. A large part of our courses cover knowledge and skills that contribute positively to the environment. To further strengthen this, we have specific environmental goals for the education. Students are welcome to suggest actions regarding the course’s content and implementation that lead to improvements for the environment. For more information, see webpage www.slu.se.

**Required course materials **(additional readings to be posted later)

Books:

  1. Heal, G. (2016). Endangered economies: how the neglect of nature threatens our prosperity. Columbia University Press. [E-book available through library]
  2. Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management, 2nd edition (Decker, D. J., S. J. Riley, and W. F. Siemer, 2012)


Articles:

  1. Costanza, R., d'Arge, R., De Groot, R., Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., ... & Van Den Belt, M. (1997). The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. nature, 387(6630), 253-260.
  2. Adams, W. M. (2014). The value of valuing nature. Science, 346(6209), 549-551.
  3. Chan, K. M., Balvanera, P., Benessaiah, K., Chapman, M., Díaz, S., Gómez-Baggethun, E., ... & Turner, N. (2016). Why protect nature? Rethinking values and the environment. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, 113(6), 1462-1465.
  4. Costanza, R., De Groot, R., Sutton, P., Van der Ploeg, S., Anderson, S. J., Kubiszewski, I., ... & Turner, R. K. (2014). Changes in the global value of ecosystem services. Global environmental change, 26, 152-158.
  5. Toman, Michael, 1998. "SPECIAL SECTION: FORUM ON VALUATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: Why not to calculate the value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 57-60, April.
  6. Ayres, R. U. (1998). The price-value paradox. Ecological Economics, 25(1), 17-19.
  7. Daily, G. C., Söderqvist, T., Aniyar, S., Arrow, K., Dasgupta, P., Ehrlich, P. R., ... & Walker, B. (2000). The value of nature and the nature of value. Science, 289(5478), 395-396.
  8. Sutherland, W. J., Dicks, L. V., Everard, M., & Geneletti, D. (2018). Qualitative methods for ecologists and conservation scientists. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 7-9.
  9. Lim, W. M. (2025). What is qualitative research? An overview and guidelines. Australasian Marketing Journal, 33(2), 199-229.
  10. Chapter 2 in Robson & McCartan (2016): Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2016). Real World Research (4th ed.). Wiley
  11. Sutherland, W. J., Dicks, L. V., Everard, M., & Geneletti, D. (2018). Qualitative methods for ecologists and conservation scientists. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 7-9.
  12. Martín‐López, B. E. R. T. A., Montes, C., & Benayas, J. (2008). Economic valuation of biodiversity conservation: the meaning of numbers. Conservation biology, 22(3), 624-635.
  13. Ebrahimi Monfared, Z., Mirkarimi, S. H., Kangarani, H. M., & Soofi, M. (2025). Emotions and perceptions predict local communities' attitudes toward the conservation of large carnivores. Conservation Science and Practice, e70176.
  14. Brander, J. A., & Taylor, M. S. (1998). The simple economics of Easter Island: A Ricardo-Malthus model of renewable resource use. American economic review, 119-138.
  15. (Property rights and resource management) Swanson, T. (2003). Introduction to property rights and biodiversity conservation: convergence or conflict?. Land Economics, 79(4), 457-459.
  16. Ostrom, E., & Hess, C. (2010). Private and common property rights. Property law and economics, 5, 53.
  17. Kriström, B & P.-O Johansson (2019) Economic Valuation Methods for Non-market Goods or Services, Oxford Bibliographies, DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199363445-0044
  18. Kriström, B., Boman, M., Kengen, S. (2001). Valuing the Multiple Functions of Forests. In: Palo, M., Uusivuori, J., Mery, G. (eds) World Forests, Markets and Policies. World Forests, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0664-4_11
  19. Rose, M., Jens Newig & Nicolas W. Jager (21 Jul 2025): Does participatory governance help address long-term environmental problems? Conceptualization and evidence from 23 democracies, Policy Studies, DOI: 10.1080/01442872.2025.2528782
  20. Jansson I, Parsons AW, Singh NJ, Faust, L, Kissui BM, Mjingo EE, et al. (2024) Coexistence from a lion’s perspective: Movements and habitat selection by African lions (Panthera leo) across a multi-use landscape. PLoS ONE 19(10): e0311178. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311178
  21. Dawson, N. M., et al., 2021. The role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in effective and equitable conservation. Ecol. Soc., 26(3), 19. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12625-260319
  22. Garnett, S.T., N.D. Burgess, J.E. Fa, et al. 2018. A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation. *Nature Sustainability *1(7): 369-374. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0100-6
  23. Tauli-Corpuz, V., J. Alcorn, A. Molnar, et al. 2020. Cornered by PAs: Adopting rights-based approaches to enable cost-effective conservation and climate action. World Development 130: 104923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2020.104923
  24. Berkes, F., Colding, J., & Folke, C. (2000). Rediscovery of traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecological applications, 10(5), 1251-1262.
  25. Jessen, T. D., Ban, N. C., Claxton, N. X., & Darimont, C. T. (2022). Contributions of Indigenous Knowledge to ecological and evolutionary understanding. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 20(2), 93-101.
  26. Redpath, S. M., Gutiérrez, R. J., Wood, K. A., Sidaway, R., & Young, J. C. (2015). An introduction to conservation conflicts. Conflicts in conservation: Navigation towards solutions, 3-18.
  27. Redpath, S. M., Young, J., Evely, A., Adams, W. M., Sutherland, W. J., Whitehouse, A., ... & Gutierrez, R. J. (2013). Understanding and managing conservation conflicts. Trends in ecology & evolution, 28(2), 100-109.
  28. Borrini, G., Dudley, N., Jaeger, T., Lassen, B., Neema Pathak, N. P., Phillips, A., & Sandwith, T. (2013). Governance of protected areas: from understanding to action.
  29. Elias, M., Kandel, M., Mansourian, S., Meinzen‐Dick, R., Crossland, M., Joshi, D., ... & Winowiecki, L. (2022). Ten people‐centered rules for socially sustainable ecosystem restoration. Restoration Ecology, 30(4), e13574.

\

academic year 2024/2025

Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management (NA0201-30241)
2025-03-17 - 2025-04-07