Management of Glacial Landscapes (AQA GCSE Geography)

Economic Activities

Economic uses of glaciated areas

• Upland glaciated areas are challenging environments for economic activity

• Any activity needs to deal with low temperatures, heavy rainfall, steep slopes, and thin, infertile soils 

• The most common economic uses are:

  • Forestry

  • Farming

  • Tourism 

  • Quarrying

  • Water supply and energy

• Forestry

  • Evergreen (coniferous) forests are planted in upland areas as they can deal with this environment

  • New forests can help lessen soil erosion and counter the impact of deforestation elsewhere

  • Trees are felled for timber and provide job opportunities which boost the local economy

• Farming

  • Due to the steep slopes and poor soils, sheep farming is the most common activity in upland areas

  • Certain breeds of cattle can be grazed on the lower valley floor 

  • Crop growing is limited but grass can be grown for hay or silage to feed the animals

• Tourism

  • The dramatic landscapes make glaciated areas attractive to visitors

  • There are a variety of activities for people to do: Skiing, hiking, climbing, mountain biking etc.

  • Boosts the local economy and provides a variety of jobs (directly and indirectly)

• Quarrying

  • Glacial erosion has exposed valuable sources of stone and minerals in upland areas

  •  Minerals such as lead, copper, graphite, and coal

  • Slate provides building and roofing material for homes and granite can be used as pavement blocs and kitchen countertops

• Water supply and energy

  • The steep slopes and narrow valleys provide a natural environment for generating hydroelectric power (HEP)

  • Glacial water can be collected and stored in a dam

  • Dams can store drinking water which can be piped elsewhere for use

  • Naturally occurring ribbon lakes can be used instead of building a reservoir 

Conflict Between Development & Conservation

• Conflicts of interest develop when activities interfere with each other

• Conservationists want to keep the environmental value of the landscape, but development provides employment, roads, and facilities (locally and for visitors)

• Conflict arises between the need for conservation and development

• Forestry

  • Felling trees remove habitats for animals and plants and make access difficult for visitors

  • Coniferous forests do not support biodiversity and limits species numbers, making them less attractive to visitors

  • Coniferous forests are relatively quick to grow and can be harvested more often

• Farming

  • Vegetation protects the landscape from erosion and provides habitats for wildlife

  • Farming harms the environment when clearing trees and vegetation to provide grazing

  • Too many animals lead to overgrazing, which causes soil erosion which may squeeze out wildlife and pollute water sources

  • Many hill farmers are finding it less economically viable to continue this way of life and are selling land for housing and holiday homes

• Tourism 

  • Some visitors think they can walk anywhere in a National Park 

  • Some walkers do not have control over their dogs and farmers have found their sheep chased, lambs killed, and gates left open for animals to wander onto the road

  • Visitors tend to focus on a few villages, filling up carparks, parking on grass verges and blocking entrances to driveways and causing congestion which annoys local residents who cannot get around easily

  • Roads through some areas are narrow, steep and winding, making them unsuitable for coaches and large volumes of traffic 

  • Footpaths become eroded and scarred by wear and tear, making them difficult to walk on

  • Footpath erosion can lead to habitat loss and damage to the historical, archaeological and natural history of the area

• Quarrying

  • Blasting for sandstone, granite and slate releases large amounts of dust which is a problem for asthma sufferers and pollutes water supplies

  • Noise pollution from blasting disturbs wildlife, tourists and local people

  • Heavy transport lorries cause congestion on narrow roads and increase the likelihood of accidents

  • Heavy lorries cause costly repairs to roads to be made

  • Destroys habitats and disturbs local wildlife

  • Leaves an ugly scar on the land when abandoned 

  • Tourists may find a quarry an eyesore, which could discourage them from visiting 

  • This will have an economic and social impact on the local economy

• Water supply and energy

  • Flooding valleys destroy land and habitats

  • Falling water will generate electricity through hydroelectric power which is sustainable plus it does not produce greenhouse gases

  • However, others consider that the natural environment should be preserved, not used for generating electricity

  • Villages have been flooded to build reservoirs, and the water then piped out to large cities

  • This causes conflict during droughts when local people cannot access water 

Case Study: Lake District, Cumbria, UK

Background

• The Lake District is a National Park in Cumbria in northwest England

• It gets approximately 16.5 million visitors each year

• Tourism generates over £900 million

• Attractions include:

  • Outdoor activities such as water sports, fishing and sailing on the lakes; rock climbing, hiking and biking on the mountains; bird watching and walking across moorlands

  • Stunning scenery such as Lake Windermere and Scafell Pike (England's tallest peak)

  • Historical and cultural attractions such as William Wordsworth Museum, Beatrix Potter's house and the artist John Ruskin

Impacts

• The impacts of tourism on the Lake District can be divided into social, economic and environmental

Management strategies

• Traffic solutions
  

  • Improving public transport to reduce the volume of vehicles on the narrow roads

  • Cross Lakes Shuttle bus links the lakes of Windermere and Coniston Water and services the 'honey pot' sites of Hawkshead, Grisdale and Tarn Hows

  • £6.9 million initiative called the Go Lakes Travel Programme aims to create a network of pay as you go car hire and bicycles

  • Walking and cycle routes have been improved through investment

  • Travel tickets that cover different types of transport

  • Other strategies include a restricted parking

    • At the base of Cat Bells, yellow lines have been painted to stop people from parking

    • A one-way system has been introduced in Ambleside to improve traffic flow

    • Park & Ride scheme in Grasmere has been introduced

• Footpath erosion

  • At Tarn Hows, the eroded paths have been covered with soil and reseeded, with the main route graveled to protect it

  • Visitors are encouraged to use alternative routes with clear signposting and fencing

  • Led by the National Trust, 'Fix the Fells' project is a partnership of six organisations to restore and maintain footpaths in the Lake District

• Noise, erosion and pollution from water sports

  • Zoning schemes mean that only certain areas of some of the lakes can be used for water sports

    • Lake Windermere has a 10-knot speed limit for all boats and 6 knots in some of the zones

• Quarrying

  • Banishead Quarry is an abandoned quarry left to flood with a stunning waterfall into the quarry floor

  • Other quarries are redeveloped for adventure sports such as zip wire or wetland habitats

• Housing

  • Building affordable local housing through housing associations and restricting occupancy to people who 
    have lived and worked in Bowness for 3 years

  • This prevents houses from being bought as second homes

• Tourism

  • Nurture Lakeland is a charity that encourages local businesses and tourists to donate money towards conservation projects in the area

  • It also encourages tourists to respect the countryside whilst they are visiting through not littering, staying on marked footpaths and encouraging the use of public transport