Management and Conservation of Natural Areas

Program Presentation

Environmental figures for natural areas may assume an important role in the coming years as experimental models for sustainable development. Natural areas tend to gravitate towards possibilities in diversification, by offering leisure and economic development activities, besides the more classic conservationist functions.

From a practical approach, the Management and Conservation of Natural Areas Program is focused on the study of the conservation of natural areas and the resources that they include, as well as their management with a vision of proper spatial planning and sustainable development.

With regard to conservation, the aspects of diversity are addressed at the levels of genetics, species and communities, emphasizing the methods most used today to ensure their perpetuation. On the topic of management,the intervention of different types of spaces, both terrestrial and marine, as well as the interaction between urban and natural environments are addressed in a comprehensive way.

Who is the programme for?

The Management and Conservation of Natural Areas program is intended specifically for two different types of group:

People without a college degree who may want a quality education in this field for personal gain or experience.
University graduates that, on top of their current education, want a practical specialization in the management of natural landscapes to broaden their career opportunities.

Diploma

Successful completion of the Program will enable you to be awarded the degree in Specialization in MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF NATURAL AREAS.

After successfully completing the Program, the student will receive the degree as awarded by the University where they have enrolled.

Program Structure

The credit structure of the Management and Conservation of Natural Areas program is gathered in the following table. This being a distance learning program, not subject to classes, an initiation date is not established which is why the student can finalize the enrollment process at any point, as long as there are available spaces:

	CREDITS^a
Subjects	30
TOTAL	30

a. The equivalence in credits may vary according to the university granting the degree.

Duration

The program in Management and Conservation of Natural has 30 credits.
The duration of the program in Management and Conservation of Natural varies between 6 and 9 months, depending on the student's dedication. In this period of time, the student must have successfully passed all the evaluated activities and approved the Final Project, if any.

Objectives

General Objective:

To acquire the necessary knowledge for the conservation of natural areas and their resources, as well as determining their management under a vision of what a correct territorial plan should be within the framework of sustainable development.

Specific objectives:

To establish natural, socioeconomic and legislative criteria to correctly manage natural landscapes.
To become familiar with the existing agreements and treaties between nations, that establish the management and conservation policies of biodiversity and natural areas, emphasizing concern for these topics in international politics.
To analyze the main causes for reduction and loss of biologic diversity and the possible solutions that should be considered to prevent it.
To identify the critical factors and the levels of studies of the monitoring of biodiversity and to determine what type of indicators are used.
To learn about the different land biomes, their distribution, main climate characteristics, flora and fauna, as well as the main human pressures that place their maintenance and conservation in danger.
To determine the evolution, throughout the history of humanity, of the different models of territorial exploitation and the main driving force for change in order to contrast an exploited ecosystem with a natural ecosystem.
To evaluate the different conservation strategies adopted on a national and international scale and then to relate them with the idea of achieving maximum efficiency in the conservation of resources and the identification of the priorities for a global strategy.

Career Opportunities

Some of the career opportunities of the Management and Conservation of Natural Areas program are:

Forest Ranger.
Working at a municipality as a technician/advisor in forest resources.
Teaching.

Study Plan

The Management and Conservation of Natural Areas program is composed of eight classes, including practical case studies on natural space management.

The classes allow for the learning and understanding, first, of the theoretical, conceptual and historical fundamental concepts as applied to natural areas and, second, the organizational, social and technological implementation.

The objective is to ensure that students acquire a global view of natural landscapes through related multidisciplinary topics.

The classes and credits of the Management and Conservation of Natural Areas program are shown in the following table:

Management and Conservation of Natural Areas
#	SUBJECTS	CREDITS
1	Natural Areas in the context of societies	3
2	Biodiversity	4
3	Natural Landscapes. Typology Processes	5
4	Uses of Natural landscapes	4
5	The Conservation of species and natural areas	5
6	The management of natural landscapes	5
7	Ecologic Restoration	4
8	Case studies of management and conservation of natural areas	--
TOTAL		30

These subjects, are independent of each other, yet are structured according to a coherent pedagogical sequence that facilitates comprehension from lesser to greater complexity. Subjects are divided in thematic units or chapters, the content of which includes printed material that must be studied in order to correctly answer the tests.

Management

Dr. Eduardo García Villena. Director of the Environmental Area in the International Ibero-american University (UNINI)

Teaching staff and Authors

Dr. Ángel M. Álvarez Larena. Dr. in Geology. Prof. at the Autonomous University of Barcelona
Dr. Roberto M. Álvarez. Prof. of the University of Buenos Aires.
Dr. Óscar Arizpe Covarrubias. Prof. at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, Mexico
Dr. Isaac Azuz Adeath. Prof. at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, Mexico
Dr. David Barrera Gómez. Doctor from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Dr. Brenda Bravo Díaz. Prof. of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico
Dr. Rubén Calderón Iglesias. Prof. of the European University Miguel de Cervantes
Dr. Leonor Calvo Galván. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
Dr. Olga Capó Iturrieta. Dr. Industrial Engineering. Prof. of the Research Institute in Agropecuarias, Chile
Dr. Alina Celi Frugoni. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. José Cortizo Álvarez. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
Dr. Antoni Creus Solé. Dr. in Industrial Engineering
Dr. Juan Carlos Cubría García. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
Dr. Raquel Domínguez Fernández. Prof. of the University of León
Dr. Luís A. Dzul López. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Xavier Elías Castells. Director of the By-product Exchange of Catalonia
Dr. Milena E. Gómez Yepes. Dr. in Project Engineering. Prof. of the University of the Quindio, Colombia
Dr. Ramón Guardino Ferré. Dr. in Project Engineering. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Emilio Hernández Chiva. Dr. in Industrial Engineering. Spanish National Research Council, CSIC
Dr. Cristina Hidalgo González. Prof. of the University of León
Dr. Francisco Hidalgo Trujillo. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Víctor Jiménez Arguelles. Prof. of the Autonomous Metropolitan University. Mexico
Dr. Miguel Ángel López Flores. Prof. of the National Polytechnic Institute (CIIEMAD-IPN)
Dr. Izel Márez López. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Carlos A. Martín. Prof. of the National University of the Littoral, Argentina
Dr. Isabel Joaquina Niembro García. Dr. in Project Engineering. Prof. of the Monterrey Institute of Technology
Dr. César Ordóñez Pascua. Prof. of the University of León
Dr. José María Redondo Vega. Prof. of the University of León. Spain
Dr. Gladys Rincón Polo. Prof. of the Simón Bolívar University, Venezuela
Dr. José U. Rodríguez Barboza. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Ramón San Martín Páramo. . Dr. in Industrial Engineering. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Raúl Sardinha. Prof. of the Piaget Institute, Portugal
Dr. Héctor Solano Lamphar. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Martha Velasco Becerra. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Dr. Alberto Vera. Prof. of the National University of Lanús, Argentina
Dr. Margarita González Benítez. Professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain.
Dr. Lázaro Cremades Oliver.Professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
Dr. Pablo Eisendecher Bertin. Attorney, Doctor in Economic and Business Law, Master in Public Law, Master in International Rights and Law, Master in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. Currently occupies the post of Director of the Iberoamerican University Foundation in Chile and Paraguay.
Dr. Kilian Tutusaus Pifarré. Professor of the Environment Department in FUNIBER
Dr. (c) Karina Vilela. Professor of the Environment Department in FUNIBER
Dr. (c) Erik Simoes. Prof. of the International Ibero-american University
Ms. Omar Gallardo Gallardo. Prof. of the University of Santiago in Chile
Ms. Susana Guzmán Rodríguez. Prof. of the Central University of Ecuador
Ms. Icela Márquez Rojas. Prof. of the Technological University of Panama

FUNIBER Training Scholarships

The Ibero-american University Foundation (FUNIBER) periodically delivers an economic baseline with extraordinary character for scholarships in FUNIBER Training.

To apply for it, you only need to send your application for a scholarship on the website’s main page with the required data, and the evaluation committee will examine the suitability of your candidature to be granted economic aid, in the form of a scholarship in FUNIBER Training.