Changing Urban Environments Flashcards
1
Q
Define a ‘rural area’.
A
An area in the country which is less densely populated.
2
Q
What are the pressures faced in rural areas?
A
- Decline in primary employment - Due to mechanisation and importing of food.
- Rural urban migration - Better work in urban areas, and discouragement due to natural disasters such as drought and flooding. This results in a lower availability of land for subsistence farming.
- Commuting areas - In MEDC’s, rural areas benefit from cheaper housing and more green space. Improvements in transport have allowed this to happen. Pressure for good links.
- Retirement homes - In MEDC’s, people often downsize to smaller homes in quiter environments, as they no longer need to live close to work.
- Second homes - In national parks and other areas in the UK, wealthy urban residents may buy a second home to use in their leisure time. This pushes up the price of homes in the area and means less are available for the local residents.
- Land use - Deforestation, mining and cash crops cause pressure. Effects can include soil erosion. Also pressure to use rural alnd to build on, new retail centres and homes are being built on greenfield sites.
- Infrastructure - Roads to help movement of people. This has put pressure on the Amazon rainforest in Brazil for the ecosystem, and has allowed greater access by farmers into fragile areas.
3
Q
What are the social and economic changes in rural areas in MEDC’s?
A
- Job losses - Mechanisation, importing.
- House price increases - Restrictions on new developments in National Parks, second homes.
- New homes - Greenfield sites. Traffic congestions and more car journeys.
- Competition from abroad - Importing. Tourist accommodation. Seasonal.
- Rural depopulation - Push factors such as shortage of jobs/lack of social life. However, there is counter urbanisation.
- Decline in services - Depopulation means local service decline.
4
Q
What is the declination cycle for rural areas?
A
- People, especially the young, leave for more opportunities in urban areas.
- Employers find it difficult to recruit labour.
- Less investment happens in the area and businesses shut.
- Less money, less employment and fewer people leads to shops and services declining.
- People notice the decline and the lower quality of life.
5
Q
Name ways we can make rural areas sustainable in MEDC’s?
A
- Form co-operatives to provide services. e.g: Berrynarbor, Ilfracombe, is a community shop in which nearly half of the villagers invested in.
- Government Environmental Stewardship Scheme (ESS) pays farmers to improve landscape, promote public access and conserve wildlife.
- EU can fund more deprived rural regions through funds such as the European Regional Development Fund.
- National parks are managed with sustainability in mind. Conflicts can be avoided by using clear signage, restrictions on development and traffic/park and ride schemes.
6
Q
What are the changes in rural areas for LEDC’s?
A
- Changes are important, as LEDC’s import less food from other countries than MEDC’s.
- Rural to urban migration - Migrants are able to send money home however, often young males who move so remaining family may be less physically able, and due to absence of young males, children may have to work on the farm rather than going to school.
- Subsistence farming converted for cash crops - Higher income and more jobs however, less land available to feed population, water supplies used, fertiliser may enter local water supply, rates of soil erosion increase and local ecosystems may be damaged.
- Population increase - Pressure on food supply.
- Hazards and diseases - Epidemics raising death rate. Fewer older people to work on fields to produce food.
- Environmental degradation - Desertification and deforestation resulting in soil erosion and loss of ecosystem.
- Globalisation of tourism - Some rural areas attract tourists. e.g: Maasai Mara in Kenya.
7
Q
What is the cycle of decline for LEDC’s?
A
- Fewer people to farm the land.
- Farming decreases and less food is produced.
- Food insecurity occurs.
- Rural-urban migration.
8
Q
Name ways we can make rural areas sustainable in LEDC’s?
A
- Improve rural economy - Encourage income generation. Less rural-urban migration.
- Increasing rural food production - In an environmentally sensitive way.
- Improving rural standard of living - Clean water and safe sewage disposal. Access to education and healthcare for everyone.
- Improvements in communication.
- Charity work - Teaching natural farming methods to boost crops and increase yields, ‘pass on’ knowledge/seeds for others, training to reduce soil erosion, helping people to help themselves to boost confidence/community spirit, self-sufficiency.
9
Q
What is a subsistence farm?
A
When crops and animals are used sustain the needs of the farmer themselves, and their family.
10
Q
What is sedentary farming?
A
When a farm is based in the same location all the time.
11
Q
What is nomadic farming?
A
When a farmer moves from one place to another. Common in some LEDC’s.
12
Q
What is commercial farming?
A
When crops and animals are produced to sell at market for a profit.
13
Q
What are arable farms?
A
Farms that grow crops.
14
Q
What are pastoral farms?
A
Farms to rear animals.
15
Q
What are mixed farms?
A
Farms that grow crops and rear animals.
16
Q
What is extensive farming?
A
Where a relatively small amount of produce is generated from a large area of farmland.
17
Q
What is intensive farming?
A
When a large amount of produce is generated from a relatively small area of land.
Inputs (Fertilisers, machines or labour) will be high to achieve a high yield.
18
Q
Why is farming in the UK today no longer as profitable for everyone as it has been?
A
- Supermarkets buy in bulk and are driving down the price of food.
- Imported food is often cheaper.
- Mechanisation and changes to grants have meant smaller farms and hill farms go out of business.
19
Q
How can farms try to make more money?
A
They can diversify, which means the farm will start to find other areas of income, such as a tourist attraction, B&B’s, or a farm shop.
20
Q
What are the positives and negatives of Organic farming (Not using chemical fertiliers or feed additives).
A
Positives
- Industry is worth over £1 billion per year.
- Natural habitats are less threatened.
- Soil is in a better condition because of the manure used.
- Healthier food for people.
- Biodiversity increases with fewer chemicals.
Negatives
- More produce is damaged by pests.
- Weed control is time consuming as weeds are often removed mechanically.
- Some organic pesticides, such as copper, can remain in the soil and be harmful.
- Organic dairy farms produce more methane per animal than non-organic due to the cattle’s diet.
- Some organic farming methods use more water than non-organic.
- Crop yield is about 20% lower than non-organic famring.
- Most of the organic food is actually imported.
21
Q
How does shifting cultivation work?
A
Shifting cultivation is a traditional, sustainable method of agriculture that has been practised for centuries.
It works by:
- Clearing a small area of land and burning vegetation, providing a source of nutrients from the ash.
- For a few years, the soil remains sufficiently fertile for the tribe to grow crops.
- When the soil’s fertility is exhausted, the tribe moves on and clears another small area of forest.
- The original area is regenerated, as it receives nutrients and seeds from surrounding vegetation.
- As no lasting damage occurs, this method of agriculture is sustainable.
- It is sometimes called ‘slash and burn’ agriculture.
22
Q
Name some strategies of sustainable forest management.
A
- Agro-forestry - Growing trees and crops at the same time, allowing farmers to take advantage of shelter from the canopy of trees, preventing soil erosion, and the crops benefit from the nutrients of dead organic matter.
- Selective logging - Trees only felled when they reach a particular height.
- Education - Ensuring those involved understand the consequences of their actions.
- Afforestation - Planting trees after they are felled.
- Forest reserves - Areas protected from exploitation.
- Monitoring - Use of satellite technology and photography to check that any activites taking place are legal and follow sustainability guidelines.
23
Q
What is the function of a piece of land?
A
It’s orginal use.
24
Q
What is the landuse of a piece of land?
A
How the land is currently being used.
25
What are the objectives of the government's **Natural England**?
1. Conserve natural resources.
2. Protect the environment.
3. Encourage sustainable rural living.
26
What are the objectives of the **Environmental Stewardship Scheme**?
1. Conserve wildlife.
2. Increase biodiversity.
3. Improve landscape quality.
4. Provide flood management.
5. Promote public access to countryside.
27
What are the objectives of **Rural Development Programmes**?
To **support sustainable farming methods** by investing **£1.**_6_**bn** in various schemes between **2000-200**_6_****.
28
What did the government's **Green Belt policy** do?
* Restrict growth within city boundaries.
* Forced developers to look outside of city boundaries for other villages to develop. These become commuter towns or suburbanised villages. e.g: Cramlington and Washington for Newcastle upon Tyne.
* Cramlington is **8 miles north** of Newcastle but is outside of its greenbelt. Can be viewed as square in structure in between major transport links (**A19** to **south** and **A** to **east**) with a railway link running through it. Was divided into **4 quarters**, industrial sector in the **NW** away from residential areas in the **East**, with a commercial area in between. Now cycle and walka ways, leisure facilities, good schools, road access and great transport links.
29
What did the government's **New Towns Act of 1946** do?
* Gave the government **power to designate areas of land for new town development**.
* e.g: **Stevenage** in **Hertfordshire** to acommodate overspill of population from London.
30
What is the **rate of urbanisation in LEDC's**?
**Very fast** *(50 years)*.
31
What is the **rate of urbanisation in MEDC's**?
**Slow** *(100's of years)*.
32
What is a **millionaire city**?
A **city with a population greater than _1 million_ people**.
33
What is a **mega city**?
A **city with a population greater than _10 million_ people**.
34
What are the **push factors of rural areas in LEDC's**?
* **Poverty** caused by work only available in farming, causing land and food shortages.
* **Drought** leading to famine.
* **Lack of clean water.**
* **Little hope of change/improvement**, traditional life.
35
What are the **push factors of rural areas in MEDC's**?
* **Poverty**.
* **Only farming work**.
* **Lack of services**.
* **Remoteness**.
* **No infrastructure**.
* **No transport**.
36
What are the **pull factors of urban areas in LEDC's**?
* Opportunity for **better paid jobs**.
* **Work in factories and offices**.
* **Reliable supply** of food/electricity.
* **Schools** *(Skills)*, **hospitals** and **safe water supply**.
* **Big cities encourage modernisation** from overseas companies.
* **Self-help work** in the informal sector often brings in **more money than farming**.
37
What are the **pull factors of urban areas for MEDC's**?
* Better **transport**.
* Better **infrastructure**.
* **Wide job opportunities**.
* More **services**.
* Better **facilities**.
* Better **lifestyle**.
* Better **range of housing**.
38
Put the following in order of size from **smallest to largest**:
* Hamlet.
* Building.
* Capital/Primate.
* Town.
* City.
* Conurbation.
* Village.
* **Building**.
* **Hamlet**.
* **Village**.
* **Town**.
* **City**.
* **Conurbation**.
* **Capital/Primate**.
39
Draw **The Burgess Model** *(MEDC Model)*.
**Rural-Urban fringe** on **outside**.
**Price of housing increases away from CBD**.
40
Draw **The LEDC Model**.
**Price of housing increases towards CBD**.
41
What factors cause **segregation of cultural groups**?
* **Internal** factors (i.e: Those due to the behaviour of the ethnic group, use of native language, specialsit shops/places of worship).
* **External** factors (i.e: Those due to behaviour of the rest of the residents in the urban area (Hostility), job discrimination).
42
Give reasons why **traffic congestion has increased**.
* The percentage of hosuehols with one car has plummeted. From 1979, the number of households with two cars rapidly rised.
* Traffic has increased as there are more people, more cars (Cheaper), expanding CBD's and freedom from transport time limitations.
* The problems in urban areas were that street plans were laid out before cars were invented, so streets can be narrow. Also, little pavement space causes conflict between pedestrians and drivers. Furthermore, there is congestion during rush hours, leading to grid locks.
43
Name some ways that **Newcastle has tried to solve problems in the CBD**. Not including any help schemes.
* **Public transport** *(Buses, Metro, Trains)*.
* **Improved infrastructure** *(More roads/alternate routes, bypasses and more traffic lanes)*.
* **Park and ride**.
* **Pedestrianising**.
* **Bus lanes**.
* **One-way streets**.
* **Multistory parking**.
44
Name some **problems in squatter settlements**.
* **No police patrols in some areas**.
* **Drug and alcohol abuse**.
* **Bugs and trash**.
* **Small**.
* **Poorly constructed buildings**.
* **No running water**.
* **No proper streets/roads**.
* Like an **open sewer**. Waste disposed in river which can flood.
* **Toilets are just ditches** outside.
* Disease: **Cholera** and **typhoid**.
* **Fire and disease** spread quickly.
* **Electricity supply** access is often obtained **illegally**.
* **Water** comes at a **cost**.
* **Crime** problems.
* High paid jobs include **prostitution** and **waste transporting**.
* **Few other jobs, most informal**.
45
What is **gentrification**?
The **renovation of low-cost houses and stores to improve property values**.
