Sustainable Agricultural & Urban Land Management

Protecting the state’s water from nutrient contamination depends on adopting best management practices (BMPs) for land and nutrient management in the urban and agricultural settings. BMPs must be based on science and be practical and economical to adopt, while meeting society’s needs.

This course will cover the agricultural and urban water quality issues in Florida, their bases, land and nutrient management strategies, and the science and policy behind the BMPs. We will focus on plant and crop systems but will touch on animal systems.

Course:SWS 4207
Sustainable Agricultural & Urban Land Management
Credits:3
Instructor:
Soil & Water Science
College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

The first part of the course will focus on agricultural systems and the latter part of the course will focus on urban systems. Students will learn to evaluate BMP research and analyze its role in determining practices and policies that protect water quality.

View sample course videos

Course goals:

During this course students will learn to:

  • Recognize the complexity of environmental problems and their solutions
  • Examine the types of environmental issues associated with agriculture and urban areas in the world, the US, and Florida
  • Explain the background of environmental regulation and the current regulations pertaining to water quality in the US
  • Compare and contrast the relationships among economic, societal, and environmental components to decision-making for agriculture and urban environmental policy
  • Evaluate agricultural and urban best management practices for water and nutrients that are protective of the environment

Following this course, students are expected to be conversant in the major environmental issues of the time. They should be able to discuss issues from three perspectives: environmental, economic, and society. Students are expected to be able to read and analyze research literature dealing with sustainability of agriculture and urban land management.

This course will help you prepare for the following professions:

  • Public and private positions in managing natural resources
  • Consulting with farmers and land managers about soil, nutrient, and water management
  • County extension positions in natural and agricultural resources
  • Governmental advisors for soil and nutrient management, storm water engineering and urban planning
  • Environmental protection agency scientist
  • International development
  • Producer of food, fiber, and nursery crops
  • Positions in public and private education and research, including the pursuit of an advanced degree

Current students

Talk to your Academic Advisor to see how this course could fit into your academic plan. We’d love for you to join us in this online learning adventure.

Image source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_crops-Chicago_urban_farm.jpg