RURAL LAND RESOURCES Case study area 1- the …...RURAL LAND RESOURCES 1 Case study area 1- the erosional features of the Dorset Coast. Scene setting;-This area lies on the far south

RURAL LAND RESOURCES

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Case study area 1- the erosionalfeatures of the Dorset Coast.

Scene setting;-This area lies on the far south coast of England,

between the settlements of Lyme Regis and Bournemouth, in the county of Dorset.

The sea off the coast is part of the Atlantic Ocean called the English Channel.

The area is about 180kms to the SW of London, and the nearest motorway direct to the capital is some 80kms to the northeast, at Southampton.


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The climate is mild and relatively dry in comparison to ours, and the area has become an important national holiday destination and a desireable retirement place.

Ferries leave from the busy harbour at Poole to France and Spain, and a fishing fleet works out of there too.

The physical geography can be divided into two clear zones;-


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erosional

coastline

Depositional

coastline

Depositional

coastline


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1. From Lyme Regis to Portland Bill, and from Bournemouth to the Solent, there can be found depositional coastline, with mostly low clay cliffs and sandy beaches with pronounced Longshore Drift.

As a result, it has created sand spits, bars, tombolos

The conflicts here revolve around the management of the beach material and controversy abounds as to how the management of one area affects its neighbours.

The main conflict centres around Barton-on-sea.


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Map section A-

Chesil Beachand

Portland Bill


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2. From Portland Bill eastwards towards Poole, ending at the town of Swanage. Here there is an erosional coastline, with tall, more resistant chalk cliffs being eventually eroded and weathered to create the features.

The conflicts we will investigate will be the management of tourism so that it maximises the economic and social opportunities yet minimises the environmental degradation of the scenery.

The main conflict centres around Lulworth Cove.


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Map section B-

Bournemouthand

Barton-on-sea

Barton-on-sea


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You will be working with an OS map of this area later in class.

LULWORTH COVE


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Do I have to learn all these facts?

Here is the presentation about the Lulworth Cove case study.It starts with an outline of the landscape and some tourism facts

No, but any facts that you can quote will gain you ticks in assessments. It’s up to you !


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Conflicts of Land Usein and around

the Lulworth ‘Honeypot’


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Lulworth cove : tourism figures

• About 750,000 people visit Lulworth in a year

• 35% of them come in six weeks during July and August

• Only 10 % come during the four winter months November to February

• 95% of Lulworth’s visitors are day vistors

• The vast majority (over 90%) come by car and coach

• The Heritage Centre is Dorset’s second most visited tourist attraction and its most visited free attraction

• The footpath between Lulworth and Durdle Door is the busiest 1 mile stretch of the whole 600 mile SW Coastal Path


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•It is surrounded by outstanding scenery and wildlife habitats e.g. the Cove, Stair Hole, cliff path views, Durdle Door

•It is located on the South West Coastal Path

•The tourist infrastructure includes cafes, hotels, B and B’s, ice cream kiosks, heritage centre, various shops, holiday park and youth hostel

•West Lulworth is a picturesque village with thatched cottages and rural ambiance

•The nearby fossil forest is an important geological SSSI

•The ‘classic’ coastal features are of interest to students of geography and geology

What attracts visitors to Lulworth?


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What are Land Use Conflicts?

Land use conflicts arise when users of the land do not agree on how it should be used: it takes at least two ‘sides’ to have a conflict.

Questions on land use conflicts that they will ask about-

a) What land users may be in conflict with one another? b) What actual conflicts arise between these groups? c) How can the conflicts be resolved?d) How successful are the solutions? You are asked to ‘assess’ or

‘evaluate’

These questions will be considered in the context of the Lulworth ‘Honeypot’


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Case study of tourism-related conflicts in and around Lulworth


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Tourists M.O.D.Fishermen

Farmers

Locals

Local Estate

Who uses the land around Lulworth ?


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Tourists may be in conflict with some groups, eg-

• The Ministry of Defence (case study 1)

• Local people (including Lulworth estate, the major local landowner) (case study 2)

• Environmentalists (case study 3)


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Examples of Conflicts:case study 1

The M.O.D. v Tourists

Tourists are denied access to large areas around Lulworth for much of the year because of necessary military activity

What might the MODcomplain about regarding the tourists?


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Tourists complain about :

a) general access difficulties when roads are closed

b) restrictions which the ranges impose on walkers


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M.O.D. resolve the conflict by:

• Permitting access to the ranges at weekends and busy holiday periods.

• Keeping roads open during the busiest holiday periods.

• Noise levels associated with firing are much reduced at these times.

•The MOD argue that limiting public access has helped to preserve the area and restrict developments which might have made the area less attractive to some tourists.

•Their access limitations mean that some stretches of the coastline are only accessible to people who are prepared to walk. This helps to preserve quiet stretches on the coastline.

•Problems of access mean there are fewer visitors.

SOLUTION

Pros and cons of the

solution


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Tourists v the Local Community

Congestion, noise and pollution



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Local people complain about ……

Congestion : the road to Lulworth Cove is narrow and it is a ‘dead end’ so this part of the village has to absorb all traffic.

Inconsiderate parking : creates access problems for local people

Noise and litter : the traditional character of the village is spoiled during the summer tourist months by vehicle noise and indiscriminate litter dropping.


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Litter : this creates visual pollution and is a threat to wildlife

Visual intrusion : the holiday park which is managed by the Lulworth Estate is unsightly and out of keeping with the landscape


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Unsightly tourist shops : these are not in keeping with the character of the village.

Local people also complain that other shops raise prices during the tourist season.

Second homes : many houses are bought as second homes and lie empty for much of the year. House prices become inflated meaning that it is difficult for local people to buy property.


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Tourist- providers point of view

The tourist industry provides employment for local people,brings money and improved services into the local economy.


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•The Lulworth Estate manages a car park which accommodates over 500 vehicles on hard standing and in overflow areas.

•A mini roundabout has been constructed to provide easy access to the car park.

• The estate also subsidises a bus service from the local railway station to encourage visitors notto come by car.

Car parking charges are high. Visitors may choose to avoid this by more indiscriminate parking.

How can some of these problems be solved?

A problem with the solution

A benefit of the solution


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The principal local landowner, the Lulworth Estate, uses car park revenue to :

a) fund a range of facilities for tourists

b) fund conservation schemes e.g. footpath maintenance and grassland management

They also employ a number of local people

3 Benefits of solution


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Farmers v Conservationists

High stocking rates threaten chalkland vegetation


What is the problem?

Explain the points of view of both farmers and environmentalists.

task


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Farmers are encouraged to join schemes such as Countryside Stewardship.

Here, farmers receive payments in return for lower stocking rates and for work to restore chalk grassland.

They also have to grant educational access to their land.

Managed grassland in ‘Scratchy Bottom’ dry valley

Most of the tenant farmers on the Lulworth Estate receive Countryside Stewardship grants.

SOLUTION


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Environmentalists and conservation groups complain that tourists cause …..

Footpath erosion : This is particularly obvious on the path from Lulworth to Durdle Door -one of the most heavily walked paths in Britain

Chalk grassland vegetation is very fragile.

Trampling reveals thin soils which are easily eroded.

The steep slopes above Lulworth and down to Durdle Door increase erosion rates.

Tourists v Conservationists


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Resolving the conflicts between tourists and environmentalists

Tourist car parking revenue is used by Lulworth Estate to fund :

1. Free admission to the Heritage Centre which offers a range of displays, including interpretative boards to encourage environmental conservation through public education. Also a programme of talks and guided walks

2. The Countryside Ranger Service- two full time rangers employed to undertake a wide range of coastal management duties.

SOLUTION


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3. Footpath maintenance – much work has been carried out to halt and prevent further erosion.Lulworth to Durdle Door path been rerouted, reseeded and new waymarking inserted.

The existing path has been reinforced with local limestone cobbles and steps

New timber steps have been built on the steep paths at Durdle Door


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Other environmentally friendly policies employed by the estate in its management of tourism…….

Durdle Door beach is intentionally un-commercial

The one ice cream kiosk has to be towed away every night

Litter bins are not provided – visitors are encouraged to take litter away

Climbing on the cliffs is banned to prevent damage to the fragile chalk and limit disturbance to wildlife

Fossil collecting is not permitted on the cliffs

There are plans to visually screen the holiday park


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How effective is the path maintenance?

Resurfacing encourages more walkers!

The whiteness of the path is an unnatural scar on the landscape.

Steps are unnatural and walkers often choose to avoid them by walking on the grass verge

Problems with solution


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Local landowner v Environmentalists and Local Residents

This large and very visible holiday park, run by the Lulworth Estate, is seen by many to be a blot on the

landscape

What could be a solution?

Suggest a problem with this solution.


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This marks the end of the Lulworth Case study.

END

Documents

RURAL LAND RESOURCES Case study area 1- the …...RURAL LAND RESOURCES 1 Case study area 1- the erosional features of the Dorset Coast. Scene setting;-This area lies on the far south