For this assignment, you will create and upload a concept map relating to previous research work on BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARKSCAPE. FOR REFERENCE,
PLEASE USE the following attached documents: BISCAYNE National parkscape choice report document,BISCAYNE National parkscape timeline document ,
BISCAYNE National parkscape issues and opportunities document and SPECIFIC conservation issue confronting BISCAYNE National parkscape (e.g.,
poaching, creation of a dam, invasive species etc.) is most pressing with regard to the idea of sustainability in your parkscape, and what solutions (e.g.,
management plans or policy development) and/or parkscape opportunities (e.g., education or more sustainable energy use) are emerging/desired to
mitigate this parkscape issue or threat.
The purpose of this assignment is to understand as well as explore the interconnectedness of ecological and social dimensions that relate to a specific
BISCAYNE National parkscape threat and how park management is or is in the process of reducing the impacts associated with that particular threat.
In your concept map, you will want to create bubbles/boxes and arrows with linking terms. The following components should be included in your concept
map:
a core issue or threat in the center of the concept map,
BOTH ecological (vulnerabilities, changes, etc.) and social (relating to policies, communities, etc.) dimensions related to that threat,
examples of potential park management strategies and/or sustainable solutions, and
have social/ecological dimensions presented at multiple scales (local, national, global).
This assignment will require you to create a concept map using any software you would like. Here are a few examples of software that could be used to
create your concept map: Bubbl.us – This website allows you to create diagrams as well. It is free to sign-up. All you have to do is create an account, and you
will have access to the tool.
Assignment Components
The goal is to consider what themes, topics, and scales are most pertinent to BISCAYNE National parkscape threat and how they are linked. It is also an
opportunity to determine whether you have all the necessary information to understand BISCAYNE National parkscape threat in a holistic manner, meaning
that multiple angles are used to gain a better perspective. It might be helpful to remember that this concept map is helping you tell a story. This story is about
BISCAYNE National parkscape threat and how your park chooses to maintain and manage for or against this threat using sustainable solutions as a form of
mitigation. The story of sustainability is one that connects both social and ecological factors. Questions that would guide this story include, for example:
SOCIAL-BASED factors: Is sustainability enhanced by partnerships, or altered by a new policy? Do BISCAYNE National parkscape solutions/opportunities for
management of the threat include working with multiple different public and/or private entities? Can policy be developed to reduce the BISCAYNE National
parkscape threat?
ECOLOGICAL-BASED factors: What ecological stressors are affecting BISCAYNE National park system? For example, how might the creation of a dam
influence the ecology upstream or downstream from the dam? How does your park’s local ecology impact the parkscape threat under investigation and vice
versa?
Sustainability aspects: How are these social and ecological factors (ecological condition, stakeholder conflict, negotiation, partnerships, etc.) affecting the
park’s response to these stressors? In other words, how do BOTH social and ecological factors tie together? What new approaches (both solutions and park
opportunities are being taken, and are they working? Why or why not? What should be done in the future?
By telling this story – usually one of change over time – we begin to see the parkscape as part of an unfolding narrative that is unique to that place (has a
geography) but is also part of a global narrative about conservation. With that said, your concept map should include social and ecological dimensions (or
aspects) that are specific to your parkscape.
Here are the key components you need to include in your concept map:
(1) 6+ ecological aspects, 6+ social aspects, and 3+ parkscape opportunities/solutions are needed in the concept map
a. Use only a word or short phrase (less than 8 words) within each bubble/box
b. Aspects must be presented at multiple different scales (i.e., local, regional, global)
c. Ecological and social aspects are distinguished using two distinct colors
(2) Parkscape issue is specific and clear, and presented in the center of the concept map
(3) Name of parkscape is somewhere in concept map (does not have to be in a bubble/box)
(4) There are 4 or more connections made between ecological and social aspects
a. Connections between bubbles are clear and easy to understand
(5) Terms alongside arrows that show direction of influence are provided for each connection
Your concept map should focus on one main parkscape issue. Ultimately, this parkscape concept map will serve as the foundation of your video storyboard.
In addition to the concept map itself, you will need to include a written explanation of what the concept map is showing. This should be a concise summary
(100-150 words) of what the concept map shows–it should not bring in any new information. Make sure to provide examples of social and ecological
aspects that relate to your parkscape threat as well as one or two solutions/opportunities that relate to park mitigation strategies in your response. Also, be
sure to cite your sources! You should have full citations as well as in-text citations within your submission.
(6) Write a 100-150 word summary paragraph that includes examples of ecological and social dimensions as well as solutions/opportunities for sustainable
park initiatives from your concept map.
a. Make sure to include in-text citations in this paragraph
(7) Provide a reference list that includes at least 4 properly formatted citations
Please use the following rubric to help you craft a concept map:
Parkscape Narrative (4-points)
The overall ‘story’ of the parkscape and its sustainability issue should be clear. Connecting ‘habitat’ to ‘climate change’ is logical but does not in itself tell us
about the sustainability ‘story’ — what is pushing the system to be more sustainable, what is not. Since this is your video story, the story itself needs to be
fleshed out.
6+ ecological aspects, 6+ social aspects provided (3-pts)
3+ parkscape opportunities/solutions are provided in the concept map (1-pt)
Issue-based Mapping (4-points)
Put the key issue at the center of your map. The name of the park can be on the page somewhere but does not have to be a bubble itself. As a reminder, try to
identify a threat associated with your parkscape – multiple ecological/social aspects should be tied in some way to this park threat.
Issue is clear and presented in the center of the concept map (2-pts)
Name of parkscape is somewhere in concept map (does not have to be in a bubble/box) (2-pts)
Ecological/Social Aspects are Connected(4-points)
The issue should clearly connect with social and ecological variables. Social and ecological variables should interact with each other. Words along the
lines/arrows should be used to strengthen connections between different aspects.
There are 4 or more connections made between ecological and social aspects (2-pts)
Terms alongside arrows that show direction of influence are provided (2-pts)
Parsimonious (4-points)
There will be more going on in your parkscape than you will be able to express in your concept map or tell in your video. So, focus on the factors that connect
to your issue and which you plan to talk about in your video. For this first round, it’s better to have too many rather than too few. In addition, you should
connect the parkscape issue to aspects at lower or higher scales (i.e., local, regional, national and/or global scale). These would be represented at more
distal bubbles (further on the outside of their map) whereas more local aspects would be closer to the center.
Only a word or short phrase (less than 8 words) is used within each bubble/box (2-pts)
Aspects are presented at multiple different scales (i.e., local, regional, global) (2-pts)
Overall Clarity (5-pts)
The connections should be clearly interpretable. Distinguish social and ecological bubbles as different colors such as having ecological bubbles in green and
social bubbles in orange.
Connections between bubbles are clear and easy to understand (3-pts)
Ecological and social aspects are distinguished using color (e.g., ecological bubbles in green and social aspects in orange) (2-pts)