Environmental Management and Sustainability students participated in a field trip to Italy

A group of 17 students currently reading for the degree of M.Sc. in Environmental Management and Sustainability (EMS) with the Institute of Earth Systems participated in a field trip to the Parco Regionale della Maremma in Tuscany, Italy between 13 and 18 May 2018. The students were accompanied by three members of the Institute’s academic staff. 

The field trip forms part of a study-unit titled Mediterranean Field Study. Through experiencing the natural, semi-natural & anthropogenic dimensions which make up the park and its watershed, the students were able to explore a number of urgent management issues, many of which are also relevant to other Mediterranean areas, including Malta. 

Their work on a range of different projects at sites in and around the park allowed the students to examine the practical applications of theories and approaches discussed during the earlier part of the course. Among the specific topics covered were environmental impact assessment, evaluation of changes in coastal dynamics, assessment of climate change-related impacts on the park, park visitor impact assessment, corridor ecology, and water resources management. The field trip’s intensive programme also included lecturer briefings, extensive hands-on fieldwork, and a variety of presentation and discussion sessions. 

The M.Sc. in Environmental Management and Sustainability is an accelerated 12-month programme offered jointly with James Madison University (Virginia, USA) under the aegis of the University of Malta’s International Collaborative Programmes. Anyone interested in applying for this degree in 2019 or in other programmes offered by the Institute of Earth Systems is invited to contact us for further information.

Photo credits: Mr Daniel Owoc