How our villages are fighting to stay alive | UK news | The Observer

Rural communities across the UK are suffering as schools, banks, post offices, pubs and GP surgeries close. New research by The Observer reveals that more and more villages are at risk as rural life is eroded. Radical action is needed to reverse the terminal decline

95 per cent of village halls are struggling to stay open

27 village pubs are closing a week

800 village shops are shutting each year

400 garages and filling stations are closing each year

100+ churches of all denominations are closing each year

7 rural schools are shutting annually

90 cottage hospitals are under threat

How our villages are fighting to stay alive UK news The Observer

Defra, Noise Mapping England

The noise maps on this site have been produced by Defra to meet the requirements of the Environmental Noise (England) Regulations 2006, and are intended to inform the production of noise action plans for large urban areas, major transport sources, and significant industrial sites in England.

Defra, Noise Mapping England

Defra UK; LEADER+

LEADER+ is a European Community Initiative for assisting rural communities in improving the quality of life and economic prosperity in their local area. Twenty five areas in England benefit from the funding.

Defra UK; LEADER+

Locals driven out in the hunt for rural retreats

More than 300,000 Britons own second homes and in some areas they have forced prices so high that local people cannot afford to buy. As the search for affordable housing becomes more acute, Lisa Bachelor speaks to those affected by the housing crisis in the British countryside

Locals driven out in the hunt for rural retreats | UK news | The Observer

Poverty 'blights 1m rural homes'

Almost one million households in rural England live in poverty, a study says.The report, by the government's rural advocate, Stuart Burgess, says many people living and working in the countryside have prosperous lifestyles.

VIDEO CLIP Problems facing people in rural areas

PDF of report "Tackling Rural disadvantage"

LINK to The problem with rural Britain

BBC NEWS England Poverty 'blights 1m rural homes'

Hundreds of village schools face axe | UK News | The Observer

Hundreds of village schools across Britain are being closed, despite a long-term pledge by the government to maintain education in the countryside. The policy U-turn will affect 30,000 children in up to 300 schools in its first stage, The Observer has learnt. Campaigners warned last night that the 'nightmare scenario' would see more than 1,000 small schools in England and Wales at risk. The closures are taking place despite a promise by education minister Stephen Byers in 1998 that village schools would be protected.

Link to Hundreds of village schools face axe | UK News | The Observer

Geograph British Isles

The Geograph British Isles project aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for every square kilometre of theBritish isles.

Link to Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square!

Defra UK; Rural Affairs

Our aim is to reduce the gap in productivity between the least well performing quartile of rural areas and the English Median by 2008, demonstrating progress by 2006, and improve the accessibility of services for people in rural areas.

The evidence for poor economic and social conditions in some rural areas is both compelling and measurable. Our target is to lay solid foundations to achieve sustainable and long term regeneration in these areas.

Link to Defra UK; Rural Affairs

Countryside Quality Counts

The Countryside Quality Counts project (CQC) provides a systematic assessment of how the countryside is changing. It helps us to understand where change is occurring and whether change matters to people, in terms of the way it affects the things about landscape that people value. This information can be used to inform decision-making and policies for achieving sustainable development - enhancing and maintaining the character and quality of our countryside for this and future generations.

Link to Countryside Quality Counts

South West Observatory - State of the South West 2007

DATA for YEAR 12 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Welcome to the South West Observatory - the regional information gateway. Here you can access a network of analysts and information across a broad range of demographic, environmental and economic services.
The Observatory is made up of six thematic Modules, seven sub-regional intelligence networks and a co-ordinating core unit. The network is working to a common vision; that policy making in, and about, the south west region should be based on sound evidence. It is the Observatory's aim to be the automatic first port of call for intelligence about the South West region and its parts, with any one of our constituent bodies being a portal to all of our network of experts and resources.

Link to South West Observatory - State of the South West 2007

England's green belt

Think tank the Social Market Foundation has warned that two million homes will have to be built on green belt sites to meet government plans to tackle the housing shortage.

But what is the English green belt and why does it exist?

What is the green belt?

Link to BBC NEWS | UK | Q&A: England's green belt

Africat Foundation NAMIBIA

The AfriCat Foundation was founded in 1991 and officially registered as a non-profit organisation in August 1993. AfriCat has grown significantly since then and what started out primarily as an animal welfare organisation has over the years, identified the need to include a focus on education and research as being essential to our mission – the long-term conservation of large carnivores in Namibia.
The AfriCat Foundation concentrates on four objectives in working towards its mission:

• To create awareness and promote the tolerance of large carnivores among the farming community by assisting farmers in effective farm management techniques, including targeting problem predators as opposed to indiscriminate removal.

• To educate youth about large carnivores and environmental awareness.

• To research large carnivores, particularly cheetahs and leopards, on farmland and in captivity.

• To provide humane housing, treatment and care for orphaned and injured animals.

The website has links to

Animal Welfare , RESEARCH , EDUCATION , Newsletter, Adoption Programme ,

ACHIEVEMENTS

ECO-TOURISM PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BAOBAB EXPEDITIONS AND THE AFRICAT FOUNDATION

AfriCat is pleased to announce its latest eco-tourism/wildlife conservation partnership with Baobab Expeditions – specialists in luxury travel adventures.

Baobab Expeditions has pledged to donate £110 to AfriCat for each of its travellers that stay in one of the four lodges at Okonjima – the home of the AfriCat Foundation. The travellers will choose whether this gift is spent adopting one of the large carnivores in AfriCat's welfare programme or providing general support for the foundation's work to resolve the conflict between predators and farmers. During their stay at Okonjima they will have the opportunity to witness some of AfriCat's work and see some of the big cats in the welfare and rehabilitation programmes. The Baobab Expedition travellers will also become members of AfriCat UK for one year, free of charge.

Baobab Expeditions promotes tourism as an economic engine, enabling individuals to experience a wild and free Africa. Support through travel is a direct channel for lending a hand and raising the public's awareness of the conflict between predators and the farming community and the vulnerability of the future populations of these cats.

The Baobab Expeditions' philosophy encapsulates the three principles at the heart of AfriCat's work: care of the wildlife, care of the people and care of the land. For more information please see www.baobabexpeditions.com

Link to Africat - Cheetah, Leopard, Lion Rescue

Walk Score

What is Walk Score? We help homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods. Walk Score shows you a map of what's nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property. Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment.

Link to Walk Score - Helping homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods.

How Green is My Region?

Is England moving toward or away from environmental sustainability?How do England’s nine regions compare in the sustainability stakes?

Our research (PDF†) found that there are some good green policies in each of England’s nine regions. But overall each region is being held back by having to comply with central Government requirements to adopt environmentally damaging policies and trends.

Link to Friends of the Earth: England: News: How Green is My Region?

State of the Countryside 2007

This year's State of the Countryside report shows there are now nearly 400,000 fewer young people aged 15-29 in rural areas than just twenty years ago. This trend is set against a rising rural population overall and has contributed significantly to a rural demographic which is both older and ageing faster than urban areas. The report also shows:

• that rural areas experienced over 200% growth in the number of migrant workers in the last three years;
• the average rural household spent nearly £480 per week in 2005, £60 per week higher than was paid by the average urban household;
• that just 44% of households in sparse isolated rural areas are within easy reach of a GP;
• a near doubling of energy crops in the last year; and
• that due to the changing climate there are now nearly 400 vineyards in England and Wales.

Link to CRC Publications CRC 46 - State of the Countryside 2007

GEOCASES: Case Study: The Rural-urban Fringe

This article looks at the rural-urban fringe, an important concept in settlement geography. After consideration of general trends and related concepts such as suburbanisation and green belts, there is a detailed examination of part of the south-west sector of London’s rural-urban fringe with a particular focus on land use change in the Epsom Hospital Cluster.

Source: GEOCASES: Case Study: The Rural-urban Fringe

Rural Setttlements

The Guardian has a section today on Rural issues. The excellent GORGEOUSGEOGRAPHY by Melanie R has an excellent blog with links.

Year 12 Environmental Investigation

These sites will provide good information for your COURSEWORK.

1. NATURAL ENGLAND this site brings together English Nature,
the Countryside Agency and the Rural development service.

2. The Campaign for Rural England have produced TRANQUILITY MAPS. These should be useful for Quality of lIfe and Desireability Topics.

3. COMMISSION for RURAL COMMUNITIES independant advisory group that aims to advise the government on how to meet the needs of local people.

4. VISION of BRITAIN Maps, historical descriptionsand statistical trends.

5. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH - information from the 2001 census organised into neighbourhood areas.