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Development of a Regional Fence Model with Implications for Wildlife Management

Barbed and woven wire fence are ubiquitous features across much of western North America, yet their effects on wildlife have received less attention than those of other anthropogenic features. At this time, no geospatial fencing data is available at broad level scales; potentially making wildlife modeling of vagile species less accurate and conservation planning less reliable at various scales. Here, we model fence density across 13 counties in Montana’s Hi-Line region, based on publicly available GIS data and assumptions created from local, expert knowledge. The resulting fence location and density GIS layers are based on assumptions about where fence locations occur in association to different types of land tenure, land cover and roads. Locations of fences were collected via GPS along random 3.2 km long road transects (n = 738) to assess overall model accuracy. Using a confusion matrix to determine variation between field and modeled fence locations, the total accuracy of the model was 73% and Kappa was .40. Although we found inaccuracies associated with large parcels (>3 contiguous sections) of cultivated agriculture, our model is a promising step towards delineating fencing across the west. These general rules may be used and refined in the other areas based on the regional historical context. This new data may advance both wildlife research and management/mitigation activities. Using the relative density of fences across a region can prioritize conservation efforts at this broad scale. In addition, modeled fence locations provide useful and accurate information at a local scale

Responding to design industry skill gaps: a model of business practice education of undergraduate design students

The productivity and growth of UK firms depends on innovation and creativity to differentiate goods and services [1] so they can capitalise on local and global markets. For the UK design industry the challenge is to become the premier provider of creativity and innovation services to domestic and international businesses [2]. To achieve this, it must address the skill gaps hampering its business potential and service offerings [3]. Research indicates that, in addition to pure design skills and creativity, the design industry demands an awareness of business practice in design. Design students in Higher Education (HE) consider practical business skills less important than the creative aspects of their courses. Such a view is reinforced by the low proportion of marks awarded for business skills in assessed assignments in higher education [1], which places them at a disadvantage when attempting to progress into managerial roles, or when entrepreneurial attributes are required [4]. Design educators should equip design students with a strong base of practical business skills as well as creative problem-solving abilities. If designers are trained to apply creativity in a business context, communicate in a business-like manner and understand business principles, they become a valuable asset and enhance their employability. This paper presents a learning model for the development of business practice curricula in design courses and discusses how this has been aligned with the creative practices the students undertake in their discipline. It is currently used in several courses at the University of Salford

AMFI's Reality School: a circular economy agenda for fashion education

The circular economy (CE) agenda is gaining traction within the fashion industry and increasingly within fashion education (Ghisellini, Cialani and Ulgiati 2016:11). It provides a connective, interdisciplinary framework that offers a roadmap for transition towards a sustainable economy. As business eco-systems re-align to meet new standards of ethical and sustainable practice for the fashion industry, a new agenda for fashion education emerges: one of circularity (Junyent and de Ciurana 2008:764). This article evaluates Amsterdam Fashion Institute’s (AMFI) Reality School concept; examining how circular economy education is being embedded within it and the levels of integration achieved. It argues that a CE approach to curriculum design can motivate deep learning, through experimental practice, deep-dive research and systems thinking. It provides a structural framework of a CE agenda to fashion education curriculum, establishing a novel approach that could be applied to other specialist fashion education institutions