More than the Needles – Fieldwork opportunities in the Isle of Wight
Chloë Searl, The Island Geographer discusses some of the reasons why teachers and students continue to see the Isle of Wight as an unbeatable fieldwork hub for their subject.
Many places in the UK can boast impressive coastlines, species-rich downland and sand dunes in different stages of succession. There are equally case studies galore in the UK surrounding the local adoption of zero carbon energy production strategies, poor service provision for ageing populations and ongoing debates about the need for regeneration in towns whose heyday may have been yesteryear. What is rare however is to find such a rich diversity of measurable geography all in the same 150 square miles.
With 90km of coastline, a population of 142,000 people, status as a UNESCO biosphere reserve and a somewhat quirky culture and social history, the Isle of Wight has a lot of physical and human geography to study in a small area. This has made it a mecca for geographers for many years, with a huge number of fieldwork opportunities all presenting themselves within no more than 40 minutes of travel in any direction.
However, the reason for choosing the Isle of Wight for fieldwork is more than just one of convenience. The island is a place of huge contradiction which makes many geographers find it truly fascinating.
Traditional seaside towns like Sandown and Shanklin remain popular holiday sites for young families as well as retirees looking to relive memories, they had of times visiting in their own youth. Such tourism is undoubtedly the mainstay of the island economy yet, in contrast, cutting edge industries lie within a short distance of the deckchairs on the eastern beaches. Vestas, in Newport, is one of the biggest wind turbine manufacturers in the UK, exporting its blades to offshore farms internationally, while GKN Aerospace in Cowes continues the island’s long history in aeronautical engineering.
More ancient history is found in the cliffs and on the beaches of the south of the island. As the south westerly waves erode the unprotected Wealden clay cliffs at Brook beach, new dinosaur fossils become exposed, reminding visitors that they are walking along the same geological strata as that on the Isle of Purbeck. The grassland of Brighstone Down, that forms part of the east-west chalk backbone of the island, hosts wildflower biodiversity to rival the Amazon, yet just 3km away, thick pine woodland provides habitats for native red squirrels in Parkhurst Forest. Be it forest, chalk grassland, sand dune or rock pool, geography students visiting the Isle of Wight will be blessed with a wealth of biodiversity to survey.
The incredible beauty of the Isle of Wight hides a difficult lived experience for many island residents, something visitors are often surprised to witness. In 2022 the Isle of Wight had unemployment figures of 4.7% compared to 3.8% nationally, and while the average resident of England and Wales would need 8.9 times their salary to own a property, on the Isle of Wight this rises to 9.5 times – a figure to rival some areas of London. Young people who grow up on the island are often caught in a cycle of low paid seasonal work that can make it difficult to take their lives forward. Those that do gain additional qualifications on the mainland after the age of eighteen do not always return to the island, leaving behind a population that is both ageing and facing their own economic challenges. Local authorities are caught in a dilemma of whether to provide services that would aim to stop those with the greatest earning potential from leaving or support the many more left behind.
Coastal processes remain a popular topic on which visiting geographers conduct research and the south-east corner of the island provides numerous opportunities for them to do so. The Undercliff is the most active landslip zone in Western Europe, with both coastal and inland cliffs subject to huge shifts and mass movement. This leaves towns such as Ventnor, with its history of welcoming visitors throughout the Victorian era, in a highly vulnerable position. While residents have abandoned their properties to nature in some areas, nearby local businesses have had to abandon buildings and retreat further inland at great cost. No fieldtrip to the island is complete without looking down on Blackgang Chine amusement park from the cliff top and trying to spot the remnants of long abandoned fairground rides that will soon be in the waves. This is a very dynamic coastline.
Geography students visiting the island will frequently find themselves witnessing the ever present and highly contentious debate as to whether a fixed link (a linked tunnel and a bridge) should be built connecting the Isle of Wight to the mainland. Such a project would undoubtedly support young islanders in expanding both their education and their employment prospects. It would also create stronger trade and communication links for island businesses. However, many islanders fear that a fixed link would also change the culture and identity of the island, as well as encourage even greater levels of second home ownership, exacerbating the short supply of affordable housing stock for islanders. This is especially true in many villages in the east of the Wight. One example is Nettlestone, where it is estimated that 33% of homes are second homes.
The island is also looking to the future in other ways. The local Climate and Environment Strategy (2021-2030) makes for impressive reading. Public and private financing in net-zero carbon schemes means the Isle of Wight sits in a favourable position to achieve its targets. Solar farms are a common sight on the island and there are now two anaerobic digestor plants producing biogas from locally produced maize and grass.
Human and physical geographers alike can find plenty of inspiration for independent and guided fieldwork studies on the Isle of Wight. The Solent plays a part in many of the geographical narratives to be heard on the island. Though narrow, this stretch of water is more than just a physical barrier – it has created a special identity for island residents, as well as many acute economic challenges which simply do not affect mainland communities in the same way. At the same time the Solent is responsible for carving a beautiful and fragile natural landscape that lures visitors back to the island time and time again. Will you be one of them? Bring your walking boots and find out!
About the author: Chloë Searl, an independent field studies tutor, author, educational consultant, examiner and freelance geographer on the Isle of Wight.
All images are from Chloë Searl, copyright, The Island Geographer.