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Rural Environments

Oct 24th, 2010 by

oak_ri4Our last small topic for Unit 2 Geography is to look at the characteristics and impact of change on a rural community. Today’s lesson will provide background information on rural environments, as well as some of the negative impacts of rural decline. Strategies that are being used by various regional communities to maintain populations will also be looked at.

At the beginning of the lesson, I will present a keynote presentation I have put together on the characteristics of urban areas. This is uploaded to studywiz.

Following this, you will need to complete the following tasks.

Task 1 – The Yarra Valley

Using the handout provided on studywiz – The Yarra Valley – answer the following questions:

1. Describe the geographic characteristics of the Yarra Valley (include detail on location, climate, soils and topography)

2. Answer questions a-c and e-g on page 133 of the text using the topographic map.

3. Suggest why the Yarra Valley is so popular with day trippers.

4. Which towns do you think will grow in response to the region’s growing popularity?

5. How has the Yarra Valley changed over time in terms of human activities? Why have these changes occurred?

6. Look at figure 2.4.12. What is the general trend in the population characteristics from 1991 to 2006? Can you explain why this might be occurring?

7. What are the current land uses in the Yarra Valley? How has this contributed to the increased popularity of the region?

8. How have the following groups managed the change occuring in the Yarra Valley:

* Individuals

* Local Government

* Regional Organisations

* State Government

9. What planning has been undertaken to prepare for growth in the Yarra Valley? Explain this in detail.

Task 2 – Rural Decline

Australia’s rural communities are often less well off economically and socially than communities in urban areas, especially metropolitan centres. People living in rural areas generally have less access to health, educational and other facilities and fewer employment opportunities than people in urban areas.

One of the key issues now facing many of Australia’s rural communities is their demographic sustainability. Currently, around 120 regional areas of Australia are experiencing marked population decline, while 74 areas have suffered annual population loss since 1974.

The loss of population in rural communities has a subsequent impact on other aspects of their sustainability. This is particularly the case in terms of demographic, economic and social sustainability of small towns.

Your task is to complete a detailed analysis of the impacts of population decline on rural areas. A template, along with guiding questions has been uploaded to studywiz – Impacts of Rural Decline. Use the resources below to provide detailed examples. There is also an article uploaded to studywiz called Responding to Change in Rural Communities. This will help you with this task.

Resources

Cafe Owner Fears Rural Decline Newspaper Article

The Future of Australian Country Towns

Small Town Decline and Survival

The Australian – ‘Oasis Towns’ Vital to Rural Growth

Rural Australia and the Need for Reform

Task 3 – The Role of Planning in Sustainable Rural Communities

While sustainability of areas in decline is a problem for rural communities, it is often also considered a challenge. Rural towns must develop strategies that will ultimately maintain populations and/or provide injections into the local economy. A number of strategies have been used around Australia, including:

  • Tourism
  • Focus on transport infrastructure
  • New vision agriculture, including intensive horticulture
  • The retirement/’grey dollar’ market
  • Initiatives to provide incentives to set up businesses

The Courier Mail – Block of Land Selling for $1

Tourism Victoria: Benefits of Tourism

Your task is to complete a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for one of these strategies (tourism or cheap land). Use the template uploaded to studywiz – SWOT Analysis Template – to help with you note taking.

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Planning a Sports Stadium

Oct 3rd, 2010 by

For the next three weeks you will be working on your next assessment task, which is the planning and evaluation of a sports stadium redevelopment. On Tuesday 5th October we will be doing a tour of Etihad Stadium so that you have an idea of what is involved in planning the stadium itself. Following this, you will need to work on the research, planning and presentation of your stadium. The beginning of this lesson will involve an overview of your task. Following this, complete the tasks below so you have an understanding of what is involved in the planning and development of a stadium.

Tasks

1. Location of Sports Stadiums

Using your knowledge and research, jot down the main characteristics for the location of sports stadiums in Melbourne. What type of land use zones are they located in? Where are they located? Are they located near public transport facilities? Are they located in the inner or outer city?

2. Main Facilities and Services.

What are the main facilities and services provided by sports stadiums? List these. Is it just sport?

3. Things to Consider

Start making a checklist of things to consider when designing your stadium. This will help you in the completion of your field report.

4. Draft Plan

Using the A3 paper provided, construct a plan of your stadium. Include entries and exits, paths, toilets, food, seating etc.

5. List of Questions

Compile a list of questions that you need to answer as you walk around Etihad Stadium tomorrow. The more you gather/take photos etc on this tour, the better your plan and assignment will be.

Resources

Etihad Stadium

MCG

AAMI Stadium

Rod Laver Arena

Homebush – Sydney Olympic Park

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Australia’s National Responses to Climate Change

Sep 14th, 2010 by

Something funny to start with…

Today we will look specifically at the national responses to climate change. You will need to ensure that you have collected detailed notes, and can effectively evaluate Australia’s responses.

Key Knowledge and Skills

  • People’s responses to climate change in the short and long term.
  • Government and non-government organisations’ responses to climate change in the short and long term.
  • Global Perspectives and the management of the effects of climate change at a range of scales
  • The effectiveness of the strategies outlined in responding to climate change
  • Apply, as appropriate, criteria to evaluate responses to climate change from a global perspective.

Before you start collecting information on Australia’s responses, there are a number of terms associated with climate responses that you need to understand. These are outlined in the keynote presented in class.

Your Task

Task One

    1. What does this article tell us about the effectiveness of various global and national policies?
    2. Do you agree with the author of the article?
    • Reducing Australia’s Emissions
      Adapting to Climate Change
      Programs and Rebates

    • Australia has a number of responses to climate change. These include:

    Use the following link to the Australian Government Climate Change Website to gather information on each of these responses. You will need to include the policies and strategies in each. You can also use the Climate Change Action Network website to provide detail on Australia’s policies.

    Task Two

    Using appropriate criteria (SAFEEIT), evaluate at least two of the proposals outlined above. Remember that you need to be able to do this effectively and in detail for your exam. Use the videos below to take notes and evaluate Australia’s climate change policy.

    Task Three

    Read the following article from ABC The Drum – Adaption the Best Climate Change Policy. Consider the following questions:

    60 Minutes – Climate Change Part 1

    60 Minutes – Climate Change Part II

    Penny Wong – Minister for Climate Change – ABC Radio National

Penny Wong – Introducing the ETS – ABC RadioNational

The Future of Coal – ABC RadioNational

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Transport Planning

Sep 13th, 2010 by

urbanismo-curitibaToday’s lesson will focus on the issues associated with Transport Planning. We have already discovered that an urban settlement experiences massive change over time. This is particularly the case in large cities like Melbourne. Urban planning and transport are integral in the development and changes experienced in a city.

Transport Planning

We all have an opinion on what transport is like in Melbourne. We will comment on what needs to be done to improve traffic congestion, and how this will work. However, planning for an integrated transport system in a city can be very complex. Today we will be looking at what transport planning is, what needs to be considered and how this is done.

To begin with, we will go through a keynote presentation on transport planning. Following this, we will look at some of the strategies undertaken in Melbourne including the:

  • Victorian Transport Plan
  • Keeping Melbourne Moving
  • Victorian Cycling Strategy

As the class looks at each of the strategies, you will need to take brief notes on what is involved. Overall, you will need to consider the following:

Can we improve transport planning in Melbourne? If so, how?

Victorian Transport Plan

Victorian Transport Plan March Update

Victorian Transport Plan

Keeping Melbourne Moving

Transport Planning – A Success Story – Curitiba

Before we begin looking at Melbourne, we will look at a city that has experienced success in transport planning. As you watch the following videos, take notes on the following:

  • What transport strategies have been introduced?
  • Why have these strategies been successful?

Curitiba – City of Dreams – Brazil

Use the following articles to add to your notes. The more detail you can provide, the better.

Urban Habitat – Curitiba’s Bus System is a Model for Rapid Transport

Horizon Solutions – Efficient Transportation for Successful Urban Planning in Curitiba

Group Task

In groups, come up with four to five strategies that you believe will improve access to public transport in Melbourne. Write up your strategy and provide at least two to three sentences describing how it will work. The class will then establish which strategies would be successful and why.

Homework Task - Finish your notes on Curitiba and find one other city that has experienced successful transport planning.

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Responses to Climate Change

Sep 7th, 2010 by

Key Knowledge and Skills

  • People’s responses to climate change in the short and long term.
  • Government and non-government organisations’ responses to climate change in the short and long term.
  • Global Perspectives and the management of the effects of climate change at a range of scales
  • The effectiveness of the strategies outlined in responding to climate change
  • Apply, as appropriate, criteria to evaluate responses to climate change from a global perspective.

There are two main types of responses to climate change. The first is mitigation and the second is adaption.

Mitigation involves reducing the amount of future climate change. The IPCC defines mitigation as activities that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, or enhance the capacity of carbon sinks to absorb GHGs from the atmosphere. Many countries, both developing and developed, are aiming to use cleaner, less polluting, technologies. Use of these technologies aids mitigation and could result in substantial reductions in CO2 emissions. Policies include targets for emissions reductions, increased use of renewable energy, and increased energy efficiency.

Adaption to climate change is adaption. Adaption to climate change may be planned by local or national government, or spontaneous, done privately without government intervention. The ability to adapt is closely linked to social and economic development. Even developed countries are vulnerable to climate change.

You will need to expand your notes on both mitigation and adaption. For mitigation, develop a set of notes on sustainable energy sources. What are these? How do they work? Can they be used in Australia?

This week you need to put together your notes on the global, national and local responses to climate change. Use the questions as a guide below to put together your notes.

Global Responses

Kyoto Protocol

1. Provide an outline of the response. What is it? Which countries were involved? When was it signed?

2. When did the Australian government ratify the Kyoto Protocol? Why?

3. What is Australia’s commitment and what has the country done to achieve this to date?

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol. Use the SAFFEIT Criteria to evaluate the Protocol. A table to help you do this is on Studywiz.

Kyoto Protocol – Think Change

UNFCCC – Kyoto Protocol

Harvard Magazine – Problems with the Protocol

Copenhagen Accord

1. Provide an outline of the response. What is it? Which countries were involved? When was it signed?

2. When did the Australian government agree to the Copenhagen Accord? Why?

3. What is Australia’s commitment and what has the country done to achieve this to date?

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the Copenhagen Accord. Use the SAFFEIT Criteria to evaluate the Accord. A table to help you do this is on Studywiz.

COP15

Copenhagen Accord Climage Pledge too Weak?

NGO Global Responses to Climate Change

You need to have an understanding of at least two NGO responses to climate change. These could include Greenpeace, Oxfam, World Vision, WWF or Earthhour.

Take notes on two of the following groups using these questions:

1. Provide an overview of what the NGO is doing in response to climate change.

2. Include a brief history of the development of this response.

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of this response in the short and long term.

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Revision for Urban Planning Test

Sep 6th, 2010 by

Your next SAC will be the second knowledge test on Monday 13th September in Session 2. Below is an outline of the key knowledge and skills that you will need to revise before the test.

KNOWLEDGE

Define the following terms:

  • Urban sprawl
  • Urban Growth Boundary
  • Exurbanisation
  • Counterurbanisation
  • Urban Renewal
  • Livability
  • Define and provide an example for the following terms:
  • Hamlet, Town, City, Conurbation
  • Identify different land types on the profile of the city – CBD, Inner City Suburbs, Docklands, Rural-Urban Fringe, Middle Suburbs.
  • Identify and define the three different types of density housing – low, medium, high
  • Identify the land-rent mechanism and use a diagram to explain how it works.
  • Use a diagram to explain the concept of the ‘doughnut effect’.
  • Identify and explain the concepts associated with the following urban planning models
  1. Concentric Zone Theory
  2. Hoyte’s Sector Model
  3. Multiple Nuclei Model
  • Explain and identify the advantages and disadvantages of gentrification.
  • Define the term urban consolidation, and then identify and advantages and disadvantages.
  • Explain what a ‘slum’ or ‘shanty town’ is and why they form in cities.
  • Provide an overview of Dubai as a city and the negative impacts of growth.
  • Identify and explain three major concepts in Melbourne 2030.
  • Identify and explain one of Melbourne’s Transport Strategies.

Label the following on a map:

  • China, India, Brazil, Dubai, Melbourne, London, USA, Tokyo, New York, United Arab Emirates, Canada, South America

SKILLS

  • Answer spatial concept questions including distribution, spatial change over time, spatial association and spatial interaction.

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Impacts of Climate Change

Aug 24th, 2010 by

Key Knowledge and Skills

  • Factors that affect changes in climate
  • Positive and negative impact of changes in climate on people and environments
  • Relative importance of factors which affect changes in climate
  • Evaluate the relative importance of factors contributing to changes in climate

This week we will focus on the factors that cause climate change and the impacts. You will need to ensure that you have completed the tasks below. I have also created a Climate Change Wiki as a place that we can store any information that we find. Everyone has editing rights and it will be good to have some discussions, particularly when we look at the global and national responses. The wiki is called Unit 4 Geo – Go to the following link – Unit4Geo and join! Yay….

Task One – Factors that Affect Climate Change

You need to create a detailed overview of the SHEEPT factors that affect climate change. We will start this in class following the movie, but you will need to work and complete this in your own time. The more detailed the better. Also, this will guide you in how to complete this section of your assignment.

Task Two – Impacts of Climate Change

In groups of three, search the internet thoroughly for articles, videos and information on your assigned impact of climate change. You will then need to upload the best articles/videos/powerpoints etc on your area of impact. It would also be helpful if you could put together a clear and brief overview as a powerpoint to upload as well. Everyone will need to look and take notes on this.

Task Three – Get Cracking on your Assignment!

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Dubai – Looking at Livability

Aug 22nd, 2010 by

Last lesson we looked at the concept of ‘livability’ and attempted to determine if the city is livable. Today, you will complete more research on Dubai and add this to our criteria

Use the following resources to create your background notes and add to your evaluation of Dubai as a livable city. You need to consider the SHEEP factors when putting together your notes. This is the Social, Historical, Economic, Environmental and Political impacts or aspects of a city. Questions are outlined below to structure your answers. These notes are important for our next lesson, so make sure they are detailed.

Geographic Characteristics

  • Location and Region (provide a written explanation and include a map)
  • Climate – What is the climate of Dubai (find a climate graph and statistics) and how does this impact on the movement of people in the city?
  • Topography
  • Demographic Data – what is the population, population density, population growth rate?

History

  • How has the city of Dubai changed over time?
  • What was the city like originally?

Economic Characteristics

  • Consider GDP, major trade (exports and imports)
  • What role will tourism play in Dubai?
  • What is Dubai’s debt?
  • Has the city been impacted by the economic crisis?

Environmental Impacts

  • What environmental considerations have been taken into account when building the city of Dubai?
  • How will the urban landscape of Dubai promote negative environmental impacts? Consider the urban design, impact of climate etc.

Political Characteristics

  • What type of government does Dubai have and how does this impact on the development and everyday life in the city?

OVERALL TASK – Due Friday 3rd September (This is a SAC that goes towards your outcome)

You are required to submit a report that makes recommendations on Dubai’s livability. This must address the four following criteria. Use the research above to put together your report. I will also provide some ideas in class. You can present this task in any format that you choose, as long as it meets the criteria.

Criteria to assess livability

  • Human orientated
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Socially sound
  • Economically viable

Resources

Wikipedia – Dubai

CIA Factbook – United Arab Emirates

Nation Master

Dubai History

Economics of Dubai

Dubai and the Economic Crisis

Exploited Workers – Dubai

Social Impacts – Dubai

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Climate Change – The Beginning

Aug 18th, 2010 by

Our last topic for Unit 4 will be the global phenomena of climate change. This topic requires you to do quite a bit of extra reading and accessing extra resources. Your final SAC will also be a research report on a specific topic association with climate change.

Outcome 1 – Key Knowledge and Skills

  • Definition and classification of global phenomena
  • Distribution of climate change
  • Interaction of natural processes and human activities which affect climate change (causes)
  • Positive and negative impact of climate change on people and environments
  • Future patterns of climate change
  • Analyse and explain the geographic characteristics of climate change
  • Identify, locate and extract spatial data from a range of information sources about climate change
  • Evaluate the relative importance of factors contributing to changes in climate change
  • Sort, process and represent spatial data using a range of geographic techniques and media
  • Describe and analyse data
  • Apply spatial concepts as appopriate

Outcome 2 – Key Knoweldge and Skills

  • People’s responses to climate change in the short and long term
  • Global perspectives and the management of the effects of climate change at a range of scales
  • The effectiveness of strategies outlined in the global perspectives in responding to climate change
  • Factors which affect the future development of climate change
  • Apply, as appropriate, criteria to evaluate the responses to climate change from a global perspective

To begin with, we are watching ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ to gather our notes and understandings of the topic. Below are extra notes that you need to collect as part of summary notes on the topic. We don’t have time to do too much of this in class, so it is important the you get working! There are notes uploaded to studywiz and student share (a pdf) on climate change.

Introductory Notes

1. What is climate change?

2. What are the geographic characteristics of climate change?

REMINDER – Geographic characteristics are those features and influences identified in the environment. They help you identify a place or phenomena from a different place or phenomena. So, in terms of climate change, what are the characteristics of climate change.

3. Natural Processes Affecting Climate – What is ‘natural climate change’ and what causes it?

4. Human Activities Affecting Climate – What is the enhanced greenhouse effect and how have humans contributed to this? Be very specific and detailed in your notes.

5. Global Distribution of Climate Change

You will need to be able to map this. So, find the following maps to add to your notes:

  • Sea Surface Temperature Change
  • Change in Global Temperature
  • CO2 Emissions

Resources

IPCC – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Department of Climate Change

CSIRO – Climate Change

Climate Change Australia

Climate Action Network Australia

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Urban Planning

Aug 15th, 2010 by

Urban, city, and town planning is the integration of the disciplines of land use planning and transport planning, to explore a very wide range of aspects of the built and social environments of urbanized municipalities and communities.

This lesson will look at current issues associated with urban planning and urban sprawl in Melbourne. The following articles were published in the The Age on the weekend. They provide an overview of what current issues are experienced in Melbourne, and also some solutions.

Your Task

Task One

Find definitions for the following terms:

  • Urban consolidation
  • Gentrification
  • Urban Renewal
  • Exurbanisation
  • Counter-Urbanisation

Task Two

Read the articles below and answer the questions.

The Age – No Need to Expand Melbourne’s Boundary: Experts

1. Is the Victorian State Government considering a policy of expansion or urban consolidation? Use evidence from the article to support your answer.

2. What are the suggested alternatives to urban sprawl in Melbourne, as outlined in the article?

3. Why does Michael Drapac say that industrial zones within 10km of the CBD outdated? What evidence does he use to support his argument?

4. Why does the Planning Minister Justin Madden believe that the urban growth boundary needs to be extended?

10 Big Ideas for Housing Melbourne

5. Read through the ten differing opinions from planning experts in Melbourne. Categorise each of their opinions as either in support of an Urban Growth Boundary, support of Urban Consolidation or support or Urban Renewal. Use a table to show this.

6. Choose your three favourite opinions and explain why you believe these three options would be most successful.

7. Choose your least favourite option and explain why you believe that it will not work.

Melbourne’s Empty Nests

8. Read the article as it provides an overview of empty sites and how urban consolidation can provide more housing options for Melbourne.

Select one of these sites (Burnley, West Melbourne or North Melbourne). Create a powerpoint, keynote, poster or podcast that describes how you would redevelop this area. Use the following steps to guide this task:

  • Use google maps and zoom into the area. Print off a copy of the site and then using a key, indicate the differing types of land use (commercial, business, residential) and where it would be located.
  • Put together either a written piece explaining why this would occur, or do a piece to camera or voiceover. This task will make up your notes on urban planning.
  • Make sure you are very specific about the types of land use, where these will be zoned, and the density of the buildings (high, medium or low). Include images to show the types of housing that will be constructed. Will you keep any of the existing buildings?

For some ideas on how to redevelop the spare piece of land, look at the resources below:

Kelvin Grove Urban Village

Docklands

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