Generic Enquiry Task: Rural Area under pressure (2017 submission)
Theme Generic Enquiry Task
1
Investigate the management of a
rural area under pressure from
visitors
Key Question
5.4 How can rural environments under
pressure from visitors be managed to
ensure a sustainable environmental
and social future?
Page in
Specification
15
How the task may be contextualised:
Selecting this Enquiry Task and deciding on a contextualised title involves careful study of the wording of
the Key Idea 5 and Key Question 5.4 in Theme 1. The key element here is the choice of a context where
a rural area is (a) experiencing pressure and (b) this has been mainly brought about by external visitors!
Two possible approaches may be offered as examples of suitable titles:
The Castleton Village honeypot site is being well managed.
Does the Box Hill area need special management within the Surrey Hills AONB?
The first is probably the more commonly expected approach – that of a hypothesis involving an existing
high visitor volume location already experiencing a level of management to cope with its popularity.
Students will need to explore ideas about patterns and trends of visitor numbers, facility usage,
environmental disturbance and social/community feeling. There should be an appreciation of the different
viewpoints held by a variety of stakeholders including local residents, local businesses and land owners
as well as various visitor interest groups. Students will then need to consider whether existing
management planning is sufficient or sustainable enough. These are highlighted in the “depth of
coverage” suggestions in the specifications table for Key Idea 5, and which underpin the ethos behind
this generic Enquiry Task.
The second title is typical of the evaluation approach and can be successful if a number of similar sites
are found in close proximity, such as visitor attractions. It is entirely to be expected that conflict of opinion
between users, especially different visitor pressure groups, will lead to complex management planning
being needed e.g. at Box Hill there is constant debate between motorists, cyclists, walkers, naturalists,
the National Trust and local people especially given the heightened public focus on the area during and
following the 2012 Olympics. Students could be encouraged to suggest inventive forms of future
management to address such balances.
The over-riding principle for this Enquiry Task is that students are not just describing why a rural location
has lots of visitors but investigating it – this involves gathering evidence and discussing Why is it under
pressure? and Is this pressure being managed effectively? Will it ensure a sustainable environmental and
social future? Titles which would tend to be inappropriate are those which are too generalised, lack focus
or are purely descriptive e.g. A survey of tourist facilities in the New Forest or A Study of the Norfolk
Broads National Park. On the positive side, a good Enquiry here can be the basis of Case Study 6 in
Theme 1.
Primary/Secondary data collection:
It is probable that two main types of first-hand data collections will be undertaken by students - land use/
facility surveys and resident/visitor questionnaires. These are very effective, but should be carefully
constructed to maximise the effectiveness of their interpretation especially when analysing and
comparing more than one facility type or interest group. Sufficient data needs to be collected which goes
beyond the normal standard What facilities are there? How often do you visit this area and why? type
questions. The following is a list of possible variations to encourage fuller analysis and evaluation of
findings:

Classifying visitor facilities into various types e.g. hospitality/catering/merchandising/information
giving/entertainment/parking services/accommodation/transport links as appropriate to the
location.

Note standard of signage to and within the location, information boards, provision of rest areas,
paths, toilets, litter bins, disabled access, safety lighting etc.

Are there organised tours for visitors and/or controlled entry, or can they wander at will?

Look for significant groupings of visitor amenities in close proximity.

Bi-polar surveys comparing existing pressure points.

Visitor/resident questionnaires should be succinct and easy to complete. Graded response
answers are much better than long open-ended questions. Tick box answer selections are also
easier to quantify and collate, as well as being more manageable to present graphically.

Post codes are a good way of detecting a catchment area rather than asking for addresses.

Frequency of visit/purpose of visit/time taken to get here/expected length of stay are all significant
questions.

Pedestrian/traffic flow counts along key routeways and streets or in parking areas of the
location/flow maps/consider different times of day/weather conditions/weekdays compared to
weekends and seasonal variations.

Annotated digital photos are an excellent way to present findings

Conflict matrix comparing viewpoints of visitor groups i.e. charting which visitor/user activities are
complimentary and which are in conflict which each other and/or with local residents/landowners.

Of particular interest is the promotion of environmental and social sustainability. Can the area
offer both whilst experiencing increased numbers of visitors? If so how is this best achieved?
Secondary data sources which will be most helpful to this task would include:

Blank ground maps of local centres using outlines from an industrial supplier e.g. GOAD maps.

Satellite imagery to show extent of location and surrounding areas/main routes/nearby
settlements

Local newspapers/Local Government publications can indicate planning proposals for rural
development. County District Plans are particularly useful, as tourist/visitor locations have to be
covered according to Local Planning Acts

Annual Reports of some national organisations e.g. National Trust, Woodland Trust, AONB and
SSSI, English Heritage, National Parks Authority, GovUK/DEFRA and local county strategies etc
can disclose decision-thinking on rural location planning; this can make interesting web surfing but
may be time-consuming.
Application AO2 (see page 36 of the specification)
Your students will only be able to access higher marks for AO2 if they link their observations of the place
visited to their wider knowledge of rural areas or their wider understanding of rural change and pressures,
concepts or theories. Some discussion as to whether the visitor patterns observed are typical or atypical
is a productive line of analysis for AO2. More able candidates might be expected to consider theories on
honeypot location/distribution. This could cover such things as economic patterns of catchment
areas/influence of demographic change i.e. more retired people or families within a region/influence of
popularisation through film or TV locations/consumer trends e.g. more “holidays at home”/trends in local
job opportunities/pricing structures for venue if applicable etc. There may also be specific rural
management strategies proffered by major tourism & leisure companies or landowners.
How to encourage independent thought:
Students should be encouraged to be a part of the development of the survey/questionnaire structures
and time must be allowed for students to become involved in the planning process before the fieldwork is
conducted (see page 34 of the specification). An open discussion of the format of the
surveys/questionnaires to be used can take place at the pre-fieldwork stage, which will lead to additional
factors/questions of their choice being added to a common, group structured response sheet e.g.
additional bi-polar categories. Similarly, the range of primary data collected can be presented in a variety
of ways, without the need for everyone to draw the same graphs or maps, or use the same photos. The
wording of Level 4 of the Assessment Objectives is a reliable guide to encouraging independent thought:
-
reaches substantiated conclusions (e.g. rejecting existing management plan in favour of a better
one/suggesting different management approaches)
-
links investigation to wider theories (e.g. honeypot management/consumer demand modelling)
-
uses range of techniques/technologies to present information, (encouraging creativity)
-
critically evaluates the methodology (e.g. how good was the evidence?/How could it be
improved?)
Useful web links:
www.experian.co.uk/goad/goad-plans.html
A Goad plan gives a bird’s eye view of a built-up, showing the exact layout of commercial premises
including tourist amenities. Key location factors such as pedestrian zones, road crossings, bus stops and
car parks are also featured.
www.stanfords.co.uk/Business-Mapping/Info/Pages/Frequently-Asked-Questions_BM-FAQ.htm
Stanfords Business Mapping is one of the leading suppliers of large-scale mapping and data products for
planning and management use.
www.nationalparks.gov.uk/learningabout/ourchallenges/tourism/impactsoftourism.htm An example of a
national organisation planning an approach to rural visitor trends.
www.gov.uk/government/topics/rural-and-countryside
www.gov.uk/government/policies/stimulating-economic-growth-in-rural-areas Two sites looking at UK
Government rural planning policies connected with countryside use.
www.dorsetaonb.org.uk/assets/downloads/Dorset_AONB_Partnership/Management_Plan/chapter5accessrecreation.pdf An excellent example of how rural management has been considered by a county
AONB structural plan.
www.footprint-ecology.co.uk/what_we_do/access_issues_and_visitor_surveys.html Some ideas on visitor
impact surveys.
www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/one.html
including rural areas.
An interesting digest of environmental impacts of tourism
www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Tourism+and+recre
ation.html The RGS has a useful guide to fieldwork examining the impacts of tourism and recreation.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en
Google maps using the satellite option