Rivers and coasts, Year 10: land use, conflict and tourism in glaciated uplands (Glacial landscapes option)

The land is too steep, cold and wet, with soils too thin, to grow crops

HintThink about what a tractor and a field of wheat would need.

The whyGlaciers scraped the soil off the high ground, and the climate there is harsh. Hardy sheep can graze rough grass on slopes no machine can work. The flatter valley floors have deeper soil, so they are used for cattle and for growing grass for winter feed.

Conifers (such as spruce and pine)

HintThey keep their needles all year and carry cones.

The whyThese trees grow quickly in a cold, wet climate and are harvested for timber and paper. Forestry brings jobs to places with few others. Plantations of one species in straight-edged blocks support less wildlife than native woodland and change the look of the hills.

Quarries scar the scenery and bring noise, dust and heavy lorries

HintAsk what visitors came for, and what blasting and haulage do to it.

The whyGlaciated uplands are made of hard rocks such as slate and granite, which are valuable for building. Tourism depends on beautiful, peaceful landscapes. One land use damages the thing the other sells, so the two groups disagree.

farmers

HintTheir flock is on the hillside, and lambing time is the worst moment.

The whyDogs can chase and injure sheep, and animals stray through open gates. Walls are damaged and litter can harm livestock. Yet many of these land users also earn money from visitors, through campsites and farm shops, so the relationship cuts both ways.

Conservation

HintIt means looking after the landscape and wildlife so that they last.

The whyMany of the UK's best-known glaciated uplands, such as the mountains of north-west England and north Wales, are national parks. Their two legal purposes can pull against each other: conserving the landscape, and helping people to enjoy it. Where the two cannot both be met, the law gives greater weight to looking after the place.

environmental

HintThis heading covers paths, wildlife, air and water.

The whySocial impacts are about people and communities, such as house prices and traffic. Economic impacts are about jobs and money. The third heading covers damage to the landscape and living things. Whichever area your school studies, sort your facts under these headings, with both good and bad effects.

Many are seasonal and low paid

HintThink about hotels and cafés in January, and what such work earns.

The whyTourism is an economic benefit: visitors spend money in hotels, shops and cafés, and that supports local businesses. But most visitors come in summer, so much of the work disappears in winter, and service jobs tend to pay little.

It pushes them up, beyond what many local people can afford

HintMore buyers are chasing the same few cottages.

The whyThis is a social impact. Young people on local wages are priced out and move away. Homes that stand empty for much of the year mean fewer customers, so village shops, schools and bus services may close.

Footpath erosion

HintJoin the word for a walker's trail to the word for wearing away.

The whyBoots trample and kill the vegetation, and rain then washes the bare soil downhill. Walkers step to the side to avoid the mud, so the scar widens. It is managed by laying hard-wearing local stone, adding drains and signposting one clear route.

A honeypot site

HintNamed after the jar that Winnie-the-Pooh and the bees cannot resist.

The whyVisitors crowd into a few famous villages, lakes and viewpoints, so the traffic, litter and wear are concentrated there. Managers may provide car parks, toilets and surfaced paths at these places on purpose, which keeps the pressure off quieter, more fragile areas.

Park and ride

HintTwo verbs: what you do with the car, then what you do on the bus.

The whyVisitors leave their cars in a large car park on the edge of the area and travel in by bus. This cuts queues, roadside parking and air pollution in the valley. It only works if the service is frequent and cheap enough for people to choose it.