Tourism vs Landscape

A landscape everyone wants

Glaciated uplands like the Lake District are stunning, and that makes them busy. Farmers, foresters, water companies, tourists and conservationists all want to use the same land. This module weighs the benefits of using and developing the land against its costs, and reaches a balanced judgement about tourism.

The language of land use

Four ideas run through this module:

Tourism, weighed up

Tourism is the biggest use of many glaciated uplands. It brings much good, but also real costs.

Match each land use

A benefit of tourism

What is one ADVANTAGE of tourism in a glaciated upland like the Lake District?

• It brings jobs and income to local people
• It erodes the footpaths
• It causes traffic jams
• It drops litter across the fells

Case study: the Lake District

The Lake District is a national park in a glaciated upland, its valleys and long lakes carved by ice. Millions of visitors come each year. That popularity brings income but also pressure, and the land is wanted for farming, forestry, water supply and conservation all at once. Managing these competing uses is the constant challenge.

Match each development to its main benefit

The costs of tourism

Select the TWO problems that heavy tourism can bring to a glaciated upland.

• Footpath erosion
• Traffic congestion
• More jobs for local people
• New renewable energy

Land use in words

How people use an area is its land _____. In a glaciated upland, farmers keep hill _____ on the fells, and water companies build _____ to store water. Millions of visitors come for _____, which brings money but also erosion and congestion. A national _____ protects the scenery.

A land-use clash

A water company wants to flood a valley to build a new reservoir. Which land use does this most directly conflict with?

• The farms and homes in the valley, which would be lost
• The open sky above the valley
• The shops in a distant city
• The open sea far away

Tourism against the landscape

Tap the TWO statements that are TRUE.

• Tourism brings jobs and income to a glaciated upland.
• A national park protects the landscape while allowing some careful use.
• Tourism has no disadvantages at all.
• Building a reservoir never affects any other land use.
• Conservation means using up the land as fast as possible.

Weighing a development

Put the steps of weighing up a development decision into a sensible order.

• Identify the different land uses in the area
• List the advantages of the development
• List the disadvantages and who is affected
• Weigh the advantages against the disadvantages
• Reach a balanced decision

Resolve the conflict

Weigh the competing land uses in three situations.

• A conifer plantation would bring timber and jobs, but replace open fell used by hill farmers and walkers. What is the key trade-off?
• Tourists' cars clog a narrow valley and wear away paths, but visitors spend money in local shops. What could balance these?
• A national park authority must protect the scenery yet let people enjoy and farm the land. What is its role?

Evaluate tourism

Using a glaciated upland such as the Lake District, evaluate the impact of tourism. Weigh the benefits it brings against the problems it causes for other land uses, and reach a judgement.

• Describe two benefits tourism brings, such as jobs and income
• Describe two problems tourism causes, such as footpath erosion and traffic
• Explain how tourism competes with another land use, such as farming or conservation
• Reach a balanced judgement on whether tourism is, on balance, good for the area