The Ultimate Wilderness - for how long?

Krippendorf’s (1995: 308) idea that ‘tourism destroys tourism’, whereby landscapes lose their tourist value through use (or overuse) by tourists, applies nowhere more so than in wilderness where, strictly speaking, any evidence of humanity should be absent. Wilderness areas are arguably the most sensitive physical resources for tourism. A solitary tourist accessing wilderness settings may have an unacceptable physical impact thereby degrading the wilderness status of the environment. If encountered by another, the same tourist may violate wilderness experiences if solitude is an important aspect of the total experience. Physical and visual impacts, crowding and acceptable levels of social contact pose obvious wilderness management difficulties.

Antarctica as a wilderness covers 50 million km 2, including the Southern Ocean. The land mass alone is 14 million km 2, and 98% is covered with ice that on average is 2km thick (contains 90% of world's fresh water). The climate is extremely harsh with the record minimum being -89.6C.

Politically Antarctica is a neutral territory with no miltary presence other than scientific research. The Antarctic Treaty was drawn up in 1959 and ratified in 1961 and was signed by the 12 leading countries of the United Nations, the Antarctic Treaty System. In 1964 the ATS adopted the first measure to Conserve the Arctic Flora and Fauna. This was reviewed and enhanced by the Protocol on Environmental Protection in 1991 and came into force in 1998 designating Antarctica as a natural reserve.

Although commonly portrayed as the last great wilderness, Antarctica is no longer a pristine environment. At some locations, particularly around long-standing research stations, evidence of past human activity is clear. Many Antarctic stations have disused refuse tip sites, that are now the focus of clean-up efforts. Thankfully, times have changed and current waste management practices in Antarctica are now more refined With the ratification of the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty in 1998, all countries operating in the Antarctic are now committed to comprehensive protection of the environment. The Madrid Protocol specifies that all newly generated waste should be removed from Antarctica, and member countries are even obliged to remove "old" waste unless the action of removing the waste creates a greater adverse environmental impact than leaving the waste where it is.

Tourism is now the latest threat to this environment as more visitors arrive each year and in the 1990/91 season 4,842 people visited Antarctica and this grew to 46,069 in the 2007/2008. Over 36% of the visitors are from the USA, 16% UK, 11% Germany and the remaining 37 % all from the economically developed world.Typically these toursist aer tertiary educated, well travelled and have high disposable incomes and are looking for a unique nature based experience.

Geographically the visit sites are concentrated on a very small area of Antarctica, only 0.5% of the continent but in scale about the size of Sri Lanka, 56,000km2, The Antarctic Peninsula takes 90% of the tourist activity and the most visited site is Port Lockroy (7,500 visits per year)

TASKS:

1. Construct a Case Study on Antarctica: use the RESORCES links below to help -

(i) consider the historical development

(ii) the main attractions of Antarctica as a tourist destination

(iii) the threats increasing toursim raises for the environment and biodiversity.

2. Is wilderness tourism a viable extension of ecotoursim or is it, as some scientists describe it, 'egotourism' and a threat to wilderness regions? Discuss (10 marks)

RESOURCES

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/24629.stm

http://www.responsibletravel.com/Copy/Copy103555.htm

The Impact of Tourism on Antarctica

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/apr/30/travelsenvironmentalimpact.frontpagenews

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Ecotourism

The rapid expansion of global tourism and the rise of the eco-conscious traveller has had both positive and negative impacts around the world. Costa Rica is often cited as a country with a positive track record in conservation and ecotoursim; the articles linked below give a good overview of the successes and some of the failures:


MAKE NOTES FROM THE FOLLOWING:

• The Costs and Benefits of Ecotourism in Costa Rica
• The Impact of Ecotoursim in Costa Rica
• Forest Conservation in Costa Rica
• Bowen & Pallister pp296-299 (A2 Textbook)

TASK: Complete the following for the 23 February 2009

GGA5 Synoptic Essay

Tourism in any environment is likely to generate as many costs as benefits. Discuss this view with reference to areas you have studied. (30)

Social Groupings and Urban Patterns in Leeds

Cities grow because people migrate to them. Then, once they arrive, people often migrate within the city. As geographers we are always trying to look at the spatial variations and patterns these movements create and then analyse these with their associated data to offer explanations as to their origins and evolution.

The decision to move is influenced and affected by a range of variables both within the context of the family (or individual) and the societal infrastructure within which the family (individual) live.


Typical family (individual) circumstances which influence the decision to move include:

• income level (affordability)



• disposable income or savings available to influnce decison to rent/buy



• jobs



• schools



• desire for facilities such as open space, access to transport and shopping



• class, education, culture and need to be near people of similar backgrounds and interests



• balance of short-term and long-term objectives

Societal factors

• planning regulations



• economic opportunities for landowners and builders



• wealth of area



• physical factors e.g. flood risk, aspect.



• historical factors regarding development of land



• competition for facilities and desrieable locations



• transport links within the city.

People all make individual decisions, but people with similar sets of circumstances often end up making similar decisions. This means that groups of people and famillies with particular characteristics end up living in the same area. This has resulted in similar sorts of areas evolving across the UK and these can often be found in different cities.

Leeds has several distinct areas and groupings across the city from the inner city, the suburbs, to the rural urban fringe.


For a background resource read:
http://www.brixworth.demon.co.uk/leeds/#Leeds
The Urban Geography of Leeds

As geographers we are most interested in the spatial distribution of social welfare.

Social welfare refers to the well being of communities in ways that discrete groups of people, or individuals, have access to job opportnities, housing, health care, education, and a safe unpolluted enviornment in which they have the freedom to practise their culture, religion etc.

Concentrations of groups of people can also be damaging when areas of poor housing also have a shortage of good schools and medical facilities, or when spearation of ethnic groups leads to a lack of communication and growth in hostility between communities. For example the Urban Riots in 1981 in Brixton (London), Handsworth (Birmingham) and Toxteth (Liverpool), and more recently in 2001 in Harehills and Manningham (Bradford). The 1980s disturbances resulted in a Government Enquiry into Social Exclusion chaired by Lord Scarman. (check link)

The background to these problems and the more recent issues of social polarisation due to economic reform are manifest in the societal and political changes which have occurred since 1945.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ON SOCIAL WELFARE

At the end of the Second World War, a consensus emerged amongst politicians and leaders of various organisations, including the respective Churches, that social rights had to be extended in order to create a more inclusive society. The post war election saw both women and men, who had been involved in the war effort, change politics by voting outside their "class" for the Labour Party and saw the dawn of the welfare state with changes in both education and welfare provision. This was seen as a new society of equality and citizenship.

By the end of the 1950s rationing had ended and employment was almost at 100%. By the late 1960s policies were being developed to tackle both poverty and social inclusion at both a national and local level. Education underwent a major reform in many local authorities with the abandonment of the three-tiered system in favour a two-tiered comprehensive education system. Emerging racial tensions in some UK inner city areas prompted the Labour Government to introduce an Urban Programme to deal with housing and education, these included the construction of Community Schools with Dual Use facilities such as Leisure Centres, Libraries and Community Centres. The financial crisis of 1976 resulted in many of the reform schemes being abandoned and further unrest saw the election of the Conservatives in 1979.

By the 1980s sections of society were becoming socially polarised (social and spatially) and policies based on income were introduced to address this:

• changes to inheritance tax and capital gains tax


• increse use of indirect taxes


• end of minimum wages and abolition of Wages Councils


• abolition of earnings related unemployment benefit


• deregulation and proviatisation of a wide range of public sector activities (transport and public utillities)


• introduction of 'Right to Buy' in coulcil owned housing

These changes resulted in the the notional spatial divison we come to know as the 'North South Divide' which highlighted the polarisation and social disparities which had grown during the Thatcher era. This resulted in the creation of an even more socially polarised society with several divisions being identified such as 'work-rich' and work-poor households'. The changing patterns of economic reform and restructuring of the first Blair Government, despite their attempts to restructure the economy, still resulted in the creation and fostering of the unemployment trap (individual or groups disconnected from the labour market and dependent on the benefit system).

By the 1990s the concept of social exclusion gained greater acceptance with reform in the use and measure of poverty and deprivation. Today Indices of Deprivation are available for all LSOAs in England based on 2004 data.

The indices are based on seven domains of deprivation: income; employment; health and disability; education, skills and training; barriers to housing and services; living environment; and crime. Each domain contains a number of indicators, totalling 37 overall.

In Leeds:

• 20% of SOAs are in the 10% most deprived nationally. This compares with 17% for the Yorkshire and Humber region as a whole.


• 28% of Leeds SOAs are in the worst 20%, the same as for the region.


• Half the wards in Leeds do not have any SOAs in the worst 10% nationally, while 13 wards do not have any SOAs in the worst 20% nationally.


• 5 wards in Leeds have more than half their SOAs in the 10% most deprived SOAs nationally:
  Burmantofts and Richmond Hill, City and Hunslet, Gipton and Harehills, Killingbeck and Seacroft
  and Middleton Park.


• 7 wards in Leeds have more than half their SOAs in the 20% most deprived SOAs nationally. The above wards, plus Armley and Chapel Allerton wards.

ACTIVITY:

Within the context of Leeds consider the following social welfare issues and write a synopsis on ONE SCENARIO.

Use the websites below for further information.


In each case you should consider how the geography and social welfare are linked. How do spatial differences between areas and the social groups have an impact on the welfare of the groups?

The links will give you detailed information for your scenarios

Choose ONE of the following Scenarios:

1. In some areas there is a tendency for wealthier families to move to particular areas because those areas have better schools.

• Does this lead to social segregation?
  
• Who benefits and who loses?



• Can anything be done to address any problems which may arise?



• Does this situation benefit society as a whole in the long-term?



• Is this accentuated when social segregation of schools also involves ethnic or religious segregation?

2. In our society some groups have more access to cars than others. Car rich groups include the rich, men, the middle aged and white. Car-poor groups includeyoung adults, single mothers, the disabled, the elderly and infirm.

• How does this affect the access of different groups to shops as large supermarket chains dominate the retail landscape?



• Does the lack of access to cars lead to a more dangerous environment for some groups?
  

3. Some estates in cities are seen as concentrations of crime and antisocial behaviour.

• Does the evidence support this?



• What are the possible causes of the problems?



• What solutions have been suggested?



• Are these solutions working?

RESOURCES:

School Intranet: Geog GIS folder L6 CENSUS population and housing data in Leeds Wards

Census Data : http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/

Leeds Economy Handbook: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/page.aspx?pageidentifier=57D2D01DD38142A580256E00004160E8

DEPRIVATION INDICATORS BY LEEDS WARD: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Business/Business_support_and_advice/Local_economy__reports_and_forecasts/Indices_of_Deprivation_2007_(Wards).aspx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/citylife/harehills_guide.shtml the website contains anecdotal evedience of deprivation in Leeds. Follow the links to look at other areas of the city.

Leeds Education Links: http://www.educationleeds.co.uk/aboutEL/links.aspx?section=17

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harehills: historical and social background on all wards in Leeds.

This website enables you to access information on crime across Leeds: http://www.beatcrime.info/

Strategies for policing in Leeds are outlines here: http://www.leedsinitiative.org/safer/

A good video from Leeds on the Safer Leeds Strategy: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OzdNdvKQ1VI&feature=channel_page

Police video on managing quality of life issues in the inner city: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lObmbJI5vHA&feature=related

Chapletown and Harehills Community website - lots of interesting material here: http://www.chapeltown.org/impact/default.aspx

Housing Structure within Leeds - the ALMOS system of housing management http://www.leedstenants.org.uk/ALMOlinks.htm

Community based housing intiatives in North East Leeds http://www.eastnortheasthomesleeds.org.uk/

Housing Strategies in Leeds http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leedscityregion/docs/Appendix3_Improving_Residential_Offer.pdf

Leeds Council Plans for Housing - http://www.leeds.gov.uk/housing.aspx

Tourism and the Environment PART 1

There is a fundamental relationship between the environment and tourism. The environment attracts the toursit in the first place because of the scenery or historical heritage. In theory, the relationship should be mutually beneficial. Tourists enjoy the beautiful environments, and the revenue generated by tourists is used to maintain their quality


Much depends upon the nature of the tourist and the sttle/type of tourism.

Increased tourist flow can cause pressure on the environment which results in further problems and can lead to conflict.


TASK 1 Make notes on the IMPACTS OF TOURISM from this link
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/one.html



National Parks in England and Wales - an example of conflict managed -

ASPECTS OF GREEN TOURISM

National Parks are often cited as examples of how tourism and the environment can be managed together. An estimated 110 million people visit the national parks of England and Wales each year. Recreation and tourism bring visitors and funds into the parks, to sustain their conservation efforts and support the local population through jobs and businesses. These visitors also bring problems, such as erosion and traffic congestion, and conflicts over the use of the parks' resources. The national funding offered to National Park Authorities is partly in recognition of the extra difficulties created in dealing with these conflicts.
Each park is operated by its own National Park Authority, with two 'statutory purposes'.


1. to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area, and

2. to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the park's special qualities by the public.

These purposes can conflict: in such cases, under the 'Sandford Principle', conservation normally comes first. This principle was given statutory force by section 62 of the Environment Act 1995. In pursuing these purposes, National Park Authorities also have a duty to foster the social and economic well-being of their local communities.



Click on the image for detailed information about the new Management Strategy for the Yorkshire Dales.

TASK 2:

i)Give reasons why MAIN MANAGEMENT POLICIES and STEWARDSHIP SCHEMES employed in the Yorkshire Dales National Park are essential in managing the impact of tourism.

ii) Evaluate the success of the main policies

You also need to download the PDF documents on Tourism in the Yorkshire Dales from the Document Library (click here)

TASK 3: Comment on the likely differences and causes of conflict between valley floor and fell top tourism in two named areas of the Yorkshire Dales.

The following document gives a detailed insight into the guiding principles of Mountain Tourism.

Responsible Tourism

Throughout the world new developments and themes in tourism have seen the rise of Ecotourism, Green Toursim and Sustainable Tourism. Embedded within their respective approaches and philosophies is a basic requirement for man to act responsibly. This was the main theme of the Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism held in Kerela earlier this year (2008) where a variety of speakers presented papers and gave presentations on a wide variety of initaitives from around the world. Check these out at: http://www.responsibletourism2008.org/index.php

Stats Skills in Geography

Check this out for the Chi Squared Test
http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/skills/fieldwork/stats/chi.html

China - Population Policy what next?

China's One-Child Policy has had many critics over the years, but the Chinese Government would argue that it has contributed to a slowing of the annual growth rate to 0.6%.

Consider the imbalance in society: Watch this You Tube

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=n-_06DyfRoo

TASK 1

What are the Costs and Benefits of this policy? - make notes on this

TASK 2 - Will the One Child Policy continue to help China? Read the article linked below and the other China linked topics on the blog - make notes on the following:
(i) In what ways has the Chinese Government moved away from coersion with the One Child Policy?
(ii) What are the major issues facing China by 2050 with its current population policy

Click on the image

Here are some more links on ChinaUseful ones include
http://chinasite.com/ the ‘complete’ guide to China weblinks
http://english.pudong.gov.cn/
http://www.pudong.shanghaichina.org/
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/