Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the process of observing, recording and reporting on the presence of plants and/or animals against criteria provided by a supervisor or as required under legislation or regulations, and defines the standard required to: observe and accurately identify species of animals in a natural area; observe and accurately identify species of plants in a natural area; record and report observations in required format; carry out a survey of plants and animals in a natural area causing minimal disruption to the environment.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to working under routine supervision with intermittent checking. Competency involves the application of knowledge and skills to a range of observation and reporting situations usually within established workplace routines.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Plan and organise observations

1.1. Defined process for observation is prepared and agreed by supervisor.

1.2. Equipment for observation is obtained according to enterprise procedures.

1.3. Requirements under legislation, protection agreements and enterprise procedures for species are noted.

2. Collect information and record

2.1. Plants and animals and their presence are identified orally or from field guides to enterprise guidelines.

2.2. Plants and animals and/or samples are collected as required under enterprise guidelines.

2.3. Protection and quarantine requirements under legislation, protection agreements and enterprise procedures for species are observed.

2.4. Observation activities minimise degradation and disturbance and comply with legislation and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.

3. Report data

3.1. Information on observed plants and animals are recorded and organised according to enterprise guidelines.

3.2. Information is communicated to supervisors according to enterprise guidelines.

3.3. Records are compatible with enterprise recording and database arrangements.

3.4. Occurrence of an organism is plotted and described using maps and grid references.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• plan and organise observations
• recognise fauna and flora
• collect information and record
• interpret data
• use literacy skills to follow sequenced written instructions and record information accurately and legibly
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor
• use numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine workplace measures
• use interpersonal skills to relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• criteria used to group species
• common and scientific names of plants and animals
• biological species occurring in the study area
• the importance, value or potential impact of the species in a designated area
• rare and endangered species
• undesirable plants (weeds) and animals
• maps and grid references.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• observe and accurately identify species of animals in a natural area
• observe and accurately identify species of plants in a natural area
• record and report observations in required format
• carry out a survey of plants and animals in a natural area causing minimal disruption to the environment.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Plant species may include:

• species covering listed threatened species
• listed notifiable or noxious weeds
• plants not previously seen at regularly visited site
• plants to be reported under enterprise or industry guidelines.

Animal species may include:

• listed threatened species
• listed notifiable species
• animals not previously seen at regularly visited site
• invertebrates
• aquatic organisms
• animals to be reported under enterprise or industry guidelines.

Unit sector 

Indigenous land management

Co-requisite units 

Competency field