Unit 3 Revision – Farming & The Countryside
Changes to the UK Countryside
The nature of countryside change varies from place to place. The most important factor is distance
from a major city. Due to this, it is possible to recognise 4 different types of countryside:
1. The Urban Fringe – this type of countryside is being quickly lost to urban growth
2. The Commuter Belt – this is countryside but the settlements within it are used as dormitories by
urban based workers and their families
3. The Accessible Countryside – this is beyond the commuter belt, but within day trip reach. Still
very much a rural area
4. The Remote Countryside – this takes the best part of a day to reach from a city, almost totally
rural
Change within each type of countryside falls under four main headings
1. Population – growth and decline, migration, changing age structures
2. Economic – decline in primary sector, farm diversification, growth of tourism, urbanisation and
counterurbanisation
3. Social – more leisure time for recreation and tourism, longer commuting, growth of second
homes, retirement, counterurbanisation
4. Environmental – loss of countryside to the urban built-up areas, conservation and protection,
pollution
The Decline in Primary Employment
Farming is the most important activity in this sector. Mechanisation has cut the number of jobs.
Although the amount of land being farmed has decreased, what it produces has increased.
Agriculture has also declined due to:
• The UK is now importing more than 40% of its food from other countries
• The goods produced by the secondary and tertiary sectors are more costly than food products
and therefore they contribute more to the economy
Fishing and farming in the primary sector have also declined.
Rural-Urban Movement
With the number of jobs falling many people have left the countryside to find work in towns. RuralUrban migration has also been encouraged by:
• Higher wages and more opportunities in urban areas
• The availability of more and better services
• The perception that towns and cities offer a better quality of life
Therefore the remote and accessible areas of countryside have lost population
The Spread of Commuting
For a long time people were moving from the countryside into urban areas but now there are
movements in the opposite direction. People have bought homes in the countryside but still work in
the towns or city – they are commuters. The reasons for this movement are:
• The attraction of cheaper and more spacious housing
• The availability of fast transport to the place of work. Most jobs are either in the city centre or in
new industrial estates and business parks in the urban fringe
• Fears about personal security in large urban areas
• The perception that the urban fringe and the commuter belt offer a better quality of life
In short, people, feel that the money and time spent on commuting are worth it!
Retirement Moves
It is common for people to move home when they retire. This is due to a number of reasons:
• It is no longer necessary for them to live close to their place of work
• To downsize into a smaller home
• To sell their home for something cheaper and use the difference as some sort of pension
• To move into a quieter, calmer and more attractive environment
The dream for many retired people is to move into a small cottage or some picturesque village
Leisure, Recreation and Tourism
Nowadays many people have more time and more disposable income. We are spending these,
more and more on leisure and tourism. In the urban fringe you will find golf courses, playing fields,
sports centres and country parks. In the accessible countryside the facilities may include a farm
visit, a day at a theme park or active day at a watersports park. It usually involves more of a drive
hence a full day trip out.
Potential Exam Questions
1. Explain one reason for a decline in the number employed in the primary sector.
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2. Diversification is one way rural areas have changed.
Choose one other change and outline the reasons for this change.
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The Consequences of Changes in the Countryside
Suburbanisation
The most obvious outcome of rural-urban movement is the building of new homes. They will be
built in the urban fringe or the commuter belt. In the urban fringe houses are added to the edge of
the city’s built up area. In the commuter belt existing towns and villages become encircled by new
housing developments. But these people will need more than just a roof over their heads. They
require shops, schools, medical centres etc. This is the process of suburbanisation.
Benefits of the urban fringe include:
• Cheap land
• Room for expansion
• Attractive environment, little pollution
• Good accessibility
• Workers available close by
• Plenty of car parking spaces
Changing Population Structures
Retired people account for more than 18% of the population of Britain. The age structures of these
popular retirement hotspots become unbalanced. Elderly people have particular needs, they
require small bungalows, sheltered accommodation and care homes. They also need day centres,
clinics etc. It is the local authority’s job to make sure that this happens
The Spiral of Decline
What are the consequences of population movement at the starting end? It is usually people of
working age that leave first. This results in a lower demand for local services and they close. The
loss of services make the area even more unattractive which means more people chooose to
leave. This creates the spiral of decline:
Village Shop Closures
In 2000 it was found that 3,000 British villages (4.5 million people) had no shop nor post office. One
third of villages were totally dependent upon neighbouring settlements for even the most basic of
supplies. The Post Office announces in 2008 the closure of a further 2,500 branches, many of them
in rural areas.
It is extremely difficult for specialist shops such as butchers and bakers to survive – shops must
sell a wide range of goods if they are to survive competition from larger supermarkets. People with
cars often prefer to drive to edge of town super markets with cheaper goods although the costs of
driving are often ignored.
The closure of shops is important in persuading village residents to move. Especially those who
rely on public transport.
Honeypot Villages
The growth of tourism is not evenly spread, it is focused in honeypot sites that attract a large
number of tourists year after year. They become so popular because of:
• The immediate surroundings – e.g. Castleton in Derbyshire with its limestone caves
• The picturesqueness of the place – e.g. Finchingfield in Essex, often described as a chocolate
box village
• Its historic associations – e.g. Tintagel in Cornwall with its legendary King Arthur’s castle
• Its use as the setting for some TV series – e.g. Holmfirth where Last of the Sumer Wine was
filmed or the North York Moors – the setting of Heartbeat.
Becoming a honeypot village is great if you earn a living from tourism but there are downsides.
There are constant crowds and congestion especially in summer at weekends. It is not so much
fun if you place value on peace and quiet nor is it appreciated if all of the food shops have become
tea-rooms or souvenir shops.
Diversification of Farming
Many farmers find nowadays that they can scarcely make a profit. Supermarkets are paying
farmers low prices and very cheap food is being imported from abroad. They have to diversify:
1. Finding other ways of making money out of the farm – while continuing to farm
2. Turning their farms into completely different businesses
New Products
Organic crops, herbs, bees, goats, ducks, ostriches, red deer,
llamas, cheese, bottled water
New Outlets
Pick your own (PYO), farm shop, farmers’ markets
Tourism
B&B, caravan or camping site, café or restaurant
Leisure and
Recreation
Shooting, off-road driving, mountain biking
Development
Converting barns into housing, industrial units, telecentres
Energy
Wind turbines
A Case Study of a Diversified Farm – Hazel Brow Farm
Hazel Brow Farm is located in picturesque Swaledale in Yorkshire and covers an area of 80
hectares. It has been owned by the Calvert family for a number of generations. Lead mining was
once quite important in this area, providing work for men and boys. Miners’ families would farm a
smallholding – keeping a few cows, sheep and perhaps a pig, and growing some vegetables. The
smallholding usually consisted of a few productive fields on the lower land, some higher rough
pasture and grazing rights on the moor.
As the lead mines closed in the early years of the twentieth century, many families left Swaledale to
find work. Some emigrated to the USA. The land they left behind was added to other farms, and
during the last forty years the farms in the area have become still larger. This has been necessary
in order to provide a basic living for a family. But for the Calvert family, increasing the size of the
farm has not been enough. As the prices of farm products have fallen because of cheap food
imports, so they have had to look to other ways of making money out of their farmland.
The farm is located in accessible countryside, and the Calverts’ solution has been to keep it as a
farm, but to exploit it as a tourist attraction. So the farm now has a visitor centre where people can
learn about farming. There is a chance to handle farm animals. There are nature trails through the
farm, a heritage project and a discovery room. There is also a café and a shop, where farm
produce is on sale. In order to increase the appeal of this produce, the Calverts have converted to
organic farming.
The Calverts now feel more secure about their future – and they continue to run a working farm.
This is the case with the majority of farms that have diversified. Only a minority have completely
diversified into activities unrelated to farming.
Potential Exam Questions
1. Outline one reason why a farm may diversify.
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2. Outline the consequences (impacts) of a large number of retired people moving to the
countryside
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3. Suggest two ways in which a farm may diversify.
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21st Century Changes to Farming
Farming like industry s constantly changing. In the past this has often damaged the environment
but nowadays there is more of an emphasis on making farming greener.
Drip Irrigation
This gets water, fertiliser and pesticide directly to the crop root. It is
computerised so just the right amount is delivered. Waste is minimised
but the system is expensive to install
Arable Rotation
Rotating vegetables with legumes like peas and beans which fix
nitrogen help to reduce the amount of fertiliser needed. It also helps to
break disease and insect pest cycles
Hedgerows
They help to prevent soil erosion and water runoff. They provide
shelter, control livestock and protect crops from winds. They also
provide habitats for wildlife. During the 60s and 70s huge numbers
were ripped up but they are now being restored.
Organic Farming
This relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil
productivity and control pests. It does not use chemicals in herbicides, pesticides or fertilisers.
There are no additives in livestock feed or genetically modified (GM) organisms. It is
environmentally friendly but they have much lower yields. There has been a large demand for
organic farming in recent years as people have become more aware of the links between good
food and health.
Locally Sourced Produce and Food Miles
The production and distribution of much of our food is now in the hands of the major supermarkets.
They have turned to LICs for even cheaper sources of food and they have been persuaded to grow
cash crops for the supermarkets. However, rising fuel prices and concern about global warming,
food miles have become an issue. The supermarkets have noticed the public’s growing concern
over food that is imported that could have been grown here. There are also currently over 2,000
farmers’ markets where people can buy direct from the farm. By doing so they keep food miles
down
Growing Biofuels
Biofuel refers to the ethanol and diesel made from processing crops of corn, sugarcane and
rapeseed. Interest in growing biofuels has grown because:
• oil and gas prices continue to rise
• stocks of both oil and gas go down
• people become more concerned about global warming
It is the target of the European Union that by the year 2020 there should be a 10% mix of biofuels
in all vehicle fuels. Emissions are lower compared with fossil fuels. Burning biofuels does release
carbon dioxide but growing biofuel plants absorbs the same amount of the gas from the
atmosphere. However, we need to understand that energy is used in farming and processing the
crops. This can make biofuels as polluting as fossil fuels.
There are two other downsides. One is that a switch to growing biofuels will reduce the growing of
food crops. This will push up food prices and make the country even more dependent on imported
food. The other is that a countryside full of fields all growing the same crop is likely to reduce
Biodiversity. Wildlife would be badly affected. Finally, we need to understand that crops are not the
only source of biofuel there are at least five others. The important point is that four
of these exist in the countryside
Potential Exam Questions
1. Explain the advantages of growing biofuel crops
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2. Explain the disadvantages of growing biofuel crops
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3. What is meant by the term ‘food miles’?
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4. State the advantages of organic farming
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Management of the UK Countryside
The management of the UK countryside is necessary because:
• There are conflicts between different land uses, as for example between agriculture and new
housing, between recreation and nature conservation.
• Development threatens the natural and cultural heritage of the countryside.
• It is also likely to spoil stretches of attractive landscape and fine scenery.
Threats to the Countryside
More Pollution
As a result of increased motor traffic, modern farming methods,
public utilities etc
Loss of Visual
Attractiveness
Due to the scale of new developments and their poor location
More Disturbance of
Wildlife
Through destruction of their habitats by people and economic
activities
Loss of Green Space
As a result of the growth of settlements, and secondary and tertiary
activities
People who manage the countryside include:
• Planners in local and central governments
• DEFRA
There are some parts of the countryside that qualify for special protection and management
because they are thought to be especially valuable in terms of their heritage. Their management
techniques need to be tailored to suit:
• The exact nature of what is thought to be special about the area
• The main aim for the area – whether it is to protect, preserve, conserve or enhance
• The size of the area
The table on the next page shows a range of protected and managed areas in England. (Some of
these designations – AONBs, ESAs and NNRs, for example – are not made in other parts of the
UK.) The areas that are designated are thought to be precious because of one or more of the
following factors – their landscape and scenery, their wildlife, their scientific interest or their cultural
heritage. Each designation involves a slightly different way of managing the area. The table omits a
huge number of small nature or wildlife reserves. Some of these are owned and run by county
councils and local authorities. Others belong to county and local wildlife trusts. They are mainly to
protect wildlife and natural habitats
How are these places Managed?
• World Heritage Site: UN Convention protecting these sites
• National Park: Protected by an Act of Parliament
• National Nature Reserve: NNRs are managed on behalf of the nation, many by Natural England
themselves, but also by non-governmental organisations, including the members of The Wildlife
Trusts partnership, the National Trust, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
• Country Park: Most are managed by local authorities, although other organisations and private
individuals can also run them. There is nothing to stop anyone opening a site and calling it a
Country Park, although they might not receive recognition from the Countryside Agency
• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB): further regulation and protection of AONBs was
added by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and the Government has
recently[when?] stated that AONBs and national parks have equal status when it comes to
planning consent and other sensitive issue
• Environmentally Sensitive Area/Environmental Stewardship Scheme: Access footpaths,
hedgerow replacement, replenishment or rivers and lakes, dry stone wall maintenance
• Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): The various laws protect the interest features of SSSIs
from development, from other damage, and (since 2000 in England) also from neglect.
Protection is not necessarily absolute—generally it requires the SSSI interest to be considered
properly against other factors.
• Local Nature Reserve: LNRs are almost always owned by local authorities, who often pass the
management of the LNR onto county Wildlife Trusts or other local environmental bodies. LNRs
also often have good public access and facilities
Potential Exam Questions
1. Describe how National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are managed.
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2. Describe how AONBs are managed.
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A Case Study of a National Park: The Lake District
National Parks are incredibly popular places, and because of this conflict often arises.
Landowners, farmers, local residents, the Ministry of Defence and Tourists all want slightly different
things from the parks and for this reason CONFLICT can result. The most popular areas of the
Parks are called HONEYPOT SITES, because they attract tourists like honey attracts bears! It is
these areas where conflict can often be at its fiercest, and decisions taken by the National Park
Authority need to reflect the views of all stakeholders.
The Lake District National Park is England’s largest park and includes Scafell Pike - its highest
mountain, Wastwater - its deepest lake and thriving communities like Keswick and Bowness-onWindermere. There are 42,400 permanent residents and a huge amount of activities for visitors on
offer, including walking, climbing, cycling, boat cruises and various museums. Current surveys
show that at least 15.8 million visitors come to the Lake District each year spending a total of £925
million! Most come to enjoy the scenery, peace and quiet and walking but many others visit specific
attractions or take part in an outdoor activity. They stay in a mixture of self-catering and serviced
accommodation. The National Park Authority's current challenge is finding ways of encouraging
sustainable tourism without further damaging the very landscape which visitors come to enjoy.
Indeed public access to the uplands or fells is unrestricted, and this can pose problems.
Problems in the Lake District and attempts at management
Limited supply of property
The limits placed upon development in the Lake District means that new houses are seldom built.
There has also been a rise in the number of people from outside of the Lake District buying up
property for a second home they can use to holiday in. These 2 factors have pushed up house
prices in the Lake District and made it very difficult for local people (especially those on low wages)
to own their own property in the Lake District. The ownership of second homes (15% of homes in
the Lake district are second homes of holiday lets) has knock on or secondary problems because
holiday homes are unoccupied for most of the year – this can increase crime and means people
are not in the towns and villages using local services. This has a bad effect on the community and
means that local services such as schools and shops can be under pressure for closure. Housing
is private, so there is very little local councils can do apart from build more properties to rent to
locals.
Traffic problems
89% of visitors come to the Lake District by car, often just for the day. In a region where roads are
often narrow and winding, and towns were constructed before the invention of the motor car this
can pose massive problems. Congestion, traffic jams and parking are major issues, and people
can park on grass verges in desperation, narrowing the road and making congestion even worse.
These problems can be overcome in 2 ways – improving the road network and improving public
transport.
Environmental problems
There is a wide array of environmental problems associated with tourism in the Lake District. Aside
from common problems with litter, there exists footpath erosion, lakeside erosion and air pollution.
The increased number of cars damages the air from car exhausts, and also people park on grass
verges, damaging the ground parked upon. Footpath erosion occurs because of the sheer
numbers of people using popular routes. According to the Park Authority, 4 million people walk an
average of 6km each year. The pressure of these people’s feet damages plants and soil, making
soil erosion possible. These issues are worst in Honey pot or popular areas, which also suffer
from the stresses of overcrowding, parking problems and second homes.
Conflict
Lake Windemere is a good example of conflict. The 17km length of Windermere makes it
England’s longest lake and it has its own rangers and patrol boats in the busy summer months.
There is a 10mph speed limit which came into force in 2005 to enable smaller vessels such as
sailing boats and kayaks to enjoy the lake safely, unhampered by the jet skis, water skiers and fast
motor boats. However this decision was a controversial one; and many local businesses had to
diversify in order to continue trading. Tourists in general bring jobs and money into the area but
increase traffic congestion and have a significant environmental impact.
Mastering the 6 Mark Questions
From looking at Edexcel’s ResultsPlus service, this is where most students are losing out
on marks – many struggling to get even half marks. Answering these questions well is KEY
to securing a good grade!
1. Explain the consequences (impacts) of suburbanisation
Use an example or examples in your answer
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2. Choose a UK farm you have studied. Explain how this farm has diversified.
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Chosen Farm ___________________________________
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3. Choose a UK National Park. Explain how the pressures and conflicts in this National Park are
being managed.
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Examiner’s Reports/Model Answers
1. Explain the consequences (impacts) of suburbanisation
Use an example or examples in your answer
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Many responses, whilst having good explanations did not include enough specifi cs to reach
level 3. There was also some confusion around the term ‘suburbanisation’ with some responses
focusing on ‘counterurbanisation’ and, therefore, getting very low marks.
Suburbanisation is the growth outwards of urban
areas into the surrounding areas that once were
countryside. The impacts of this can be positive
and negative.
Stokesley in North Yorkshire used to be a small
village in the accessible countryside but has gone
through this process. A Co-op superstore has now
been built in the town which is a positive impact for
people living there as they don’t have to travel as
far for their shopping, but a negative impact of this
has been the competition to small local shops,
many of which have closed down. There has also
been an increase in the number of services in the
area e.g. a primary and secondary school has
opened and there are car garages and medical
centres. All of these things are good for the people
who live there as they no longer need to travel as
far. However, all of these extra people have meant
that the original village has lost a lot of it’s character
that attracted people in the first place.
Bicester in Oxfordshire has also undergone
suburbanisation. It’s population increased from
10,000 in 1981 to almost 40,000 in 2011. The
positive side of this is that a high speed rail link with
London was established in 1999. But this meant
commuters also moving to Bicester. In 2011 an
extra 3,500 homes were needed. The building of
these homes has impinged on the natural habitat of
a lot of the wildlife around the small town having a
negative effect on nature.
2. Choose a UK farm you have studied. Explain how this farm has diversified.
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A large proportion of candidates were able to provide very good descriptions coming
from an interesting variety ofcase studies (with 'Home Farm' as the most common
choice).
Plenty of details about the types of diversification activities and locational information
were usually included. Many candidates struggled to offer explanations, but some
were able to link the diversification strategy to the location e.g. “near Birmingham
Airport so could offer cheap parking and transfer to the airport”.
Some perceptive answers also talked about the changes in farming e.g. quotas and
loss of income through falling prices/loss of subsidies or competition.
Hazel Brow Farm is located in Swaledale in the Yorkshire
Dales National Park and it is owned by the Calvert family.
In the 18th and 19th century the area was traditionally used
for lead mining and the workers would have had a small
holding with some cows and sheep. However, in the 20th
century mining disappeared.
Since then many farmers including the Calverts struggled
to make a profit from traditional farming do they had to
diversify in order to survive.
Hazel Brow Farm converted to organic farming in an effort
to make more money from supermarkets who had been
paying farmers less and less for their produce. Organic
food has become more and more popular recently and
farmers can make more profit from it.
The farm is still a working farm but they have also opened
it up to the paying public who can learn about how farming
still works today with guided tours. There is now an
education centre that caters for school trips that has
brought in an income for the Calverts, young children can
handle lambs and piglets at certain times of the year.
The farm has opened up a restaurant that serves the
organic food that is grown there to provide food for the
visitors and finally there is a farm shop where people can
purchase the local produce grown on the farm. This has
the added bonus of also cutting food miles and reducing
the farm’s carbon footprint.
3. Choose a UK National Park. Explain how the pressures and conflicts in this National
Park are being managed.
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The most popular case study used by candidates was Dartmoor. However, many
candidates wrote about the causes of conflict rather than the management of
conflict. Candidates failed to tie a particular management strategy to a specific
location.
The Lake District National Park has well over 12
million visitors each year. All of these people
obviously cause pressures and conflicts which can
be managed and controlled in a number of ways.
A good example is Lake Windermere it is the longest
lake in England and was used for a variety of water
sports including speed boating. The waves caused
by this were beginning to erode the lake shore and
smaller vessels like kayaks and sailing boats could
not use the lake safely. In 2005 a 10mph speed limit
was put into place to manage this issue and the lake
is patrolled by park rangers to make sure that it is
adhered to.
Another issue in the park is that of traffic congestion.
To manage this a six layer road hierarchy was
created. This meant that some roads were
downgraded to a 40mph speed limit and on road
parking spaces were reduced in some of the
honeypot areas in order to encourage people to use
public transport e.g. the buses and the ferries on the
lakes. In Grasmere they improved coach parking
and created a link so that only smaller vehicles were
driving through the town.
Tourists also do lots of damage to the environment
such as litter, footpath erosion and destroying drystone walling. Local initiatives such as planting trees
to hide car parks and quarries have helped to
manage these issues. Teams of local people also
repair dry stone walling especially in areas of
farmland where they are important.