Geography Southwest Newsbites December 2023
Welcome to our December 2023 Newsbites. The start of December brought a yellow warning for ice and snow to the West Country followed soon after by 24 hours of rainfall leading to floods on Devon and Somerset rivers. However, as we approach the end of term, this December Newsbites looks ahead to exciting events in January and February and features new resources and current news items.
Looking for an inspirational geographical visit over the Christmas break? Look at some of the latest places to visit and places to walk posted by Paul Berry. Sandymouth Cove near Bude provides spectacular examples of folding of Carboniferous rocks. https://www.geographysouthwest.co.uk/visit-sw/places-to-visit/sandymouth-cove-cornwall/
Pentewan, in the places to walk series, provides a short stroll around this fascinating coastal site rich in social and industrial history, close to St Austell and Mevagissy. https://www.geographysouthwest.co.uk/visit-sw/places-to-walk/pentewan-cornwall/
Geography events
Geography Southwest conference 2024. Don’t’ forget to put the date of the free 2024 Geography Southwest conference into your diaries. Monday 17 June at University of West of England. (UWE). Full details and booking arrangements will be published at the end of March.
The GA 2024 study tour to the Azores is open for booking. 27 July to 3 August with Flooglebinder, Wildlife Conservation in the Azores I Flooglebinder Register your interest on this form: The GA Study Tour Interest Form (google.com)
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) programme of talks and events for teachers can be found on their website: Royal Geographical Society - Browse our events (rgs.org). Note that some events are in-person only and there are charges for certain events. Several RGS events directed at teacher CPD occur in January and early February.
Thursday 11 January 1600 to 1800. Maths for teachers of A level geography: using technology. Online. Maths for teachers of A Level geography: Using technology - RGS
Thursday 18 January 1600 to 1730. Masterclass for teachers: core concepts in migration studies. Free, online. Masterclass for teachers: core concepts in migration studies - RGS
Tuesday 23 January 1700 to 1830. Subject knowledge update: globalisation. Online workshop. Subject knowledge update: globalisation - RGS
Wednesday 24 January 1200 to 1300. Use geography. Careers in International development. Free, Online. Use geography: careers in international development - RGS
Thursday 25 January 1600 to 1800. Maths for teachers of A level geography. Spearman’s rank and correlation. Online. Maths for teachers of A Level geography: Spearman's rank and correlation - RGS
Wednesday 31 January 1000 to 1600. Teach with GIS: getting started with ArcGIS online. In- person course at RGS in London. Teach with GIS - getting started with ArcGIS - RGS
Wednesday 31 January 1700 to 1830. The KS3 curriculum: planning to make the magic happen. Online workshop. The KS3 curriculum: Planning to make the magic happen - RGS
Forthcoming RGS lectures relevant to the South West include:
Thursday 11 January 1900 to 2030. Rivers over rock: potholes and their significance. Professor Stephen Tooth and Hywell Griffiths will show how the study of river potholes can combine science, art and culture with underwater photography. Free, online. Rivers over rock: potholes and their significance - RGS
Tuesday 16 January 1900 to 2030. Rewilding Revisited. Andy Lester will show progress on rewidling schemes around the UK. Free, online. Rewilding revisited - RGS
Thursday 25 January 1900 to 2030. Reverend Bray’s Bardic Boulders: sermons in stone. Simon Dell’s talk features the boulders of granite at Beardown Farm on Dartmoor, inscribed with sermons at the behest of the Reverend Bray. Free, online. Reverend Bray's bardic boulders: sermons in stone - RGS
The Geographical Association have published advance details of the GA Conference 2024, and early bird tickets are now available. The Conference will take place on the 4–6 April 2024 at the University of Manchester providing three days of high-quality professional development and networking for all phases of geographical education. Conference overview - Geographical Association (geography.org.uk)
The Geography Teacher Educators' (GTE) Conference will be held in York from 26 to28 January 2024. This in-person conference brings together school and university based geography teachers to exchange ideas and good practice and debate current issues. Places should be booked before 20 December 2023. For further details, visit Geography Teacher Educators Conference
The GA is running a series of four webinars in the early Spring on EDI in geography. Navigating EDI through geography. The webinars will run from 16.00–17.00 on 17, 24, 31 January and 7 February.
University College London’s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education has launched Teaching for Sustainable Futures, a free professional development programme for teachers, which includes specific support for geography teachers (primary and secondary) which help you to embed relevant issues about nature, climate change and sustainable living. UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education | IOE - Faculty of Education and Society - UCL – University College London
Key features include an introduction to how geographical thinking is vital in developing future sustainable ways of living, practical ways to bring powerful geographical knowledge and teaching approaches into existing schemes of work and free, online, 90-minute modules which can be completed at any time, alone or with colleagues. The film Looking to the future: an introduction to climate change and sustainability in schools with Dr Helen Czerski provides a detailed overview of the issues and background. You can then complete a login to access further resources in the series. Teaching for sustainable futures | IOE - Faculty of Education and Society - UCL – University College London
Somerset Wildlife Trust has several events on their website of interest to teachers and students interested in conservation and practical action. Events | Somerset Wildlife Trust Their newsletter, which you can subscribe to, includes details of various grants available in Somerset to schools and other organisations.
Geography resources
New videos from TimeforGeography. The latest new video from TimeforGeography is Modern vs Modest infrastructure: meeting the needs of growing populations, produced in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. This short, topical 5-minute video looks at how sustainable modest infrastructure schemes can benefit rapidly growing cities in the less developed world. There is a focus on toilet infrastructure and examples from Nairobi in Kenya. Modern vs Modest infrastructure: meeting the needs of growing urban populations (timeforgeography.co.uk)
The Dorset Coast Forum have published the Strategy for the Dorset Coast which provides useful summaries and ideas for topics for GCSE and A level. Dorset-Coast-Strategy-2023-2026.pdf (dorsetcoast.com)
The GA provide a range of teaching resources online. Online Teaching Resources - Geographical Association (geography.org.uk) Some are free, and some are members only. There is a wide variety of resources on floods, droughts, coasts and rain forests, and wide coverage of topics in India. A recent addition is a set of 9 resources on the city and economy of Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur – Role model or victim of its own success? - Geographical Association (geography.org.uk)
New revision books from Oxford University Press (OUP). OUP have just published a brand new revision series for GCSE geography with three separate books covering AQA, OCR B and Edexcel B. They include summary case studies, focussed revision activities and example exam questions. https://www.oxfordrevise.com/gcse/geography/
UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology resources (UKCEH): News and media | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (ceh.ac.uk) Several recent studies are summarised on this website, including Flood Forecasting, Air Pollution in Delhi and UK Drought. UKCEH have also set up the first network of greenhouse gas monitoring stations on saltmarshes around the UK coast to support national efforts to mitigate climate change. Like peatlands, saltmarshes can capture several tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare, but degrading salt marshes can also release stored carbon. The new network will provide valuable data on how this works and guide future policy on conserving salt marsh ecosystems. New monitoring to assess ability of UK saltmarshes to suck up CO2 | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (ceh.ac.uk)
The Environment Agency has published recently summaries of major new projects. The substantial new Tees Tidelands plans will reduce the risk of flooding, help nature recover and reconnect people with the Tees estuary. The project will include realigning flood defences and restoring mudflats and saltmarshes. Tees programme launched to reduce flood risk and boost nature - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
In the South West, a major new policy document has been published on plans to reduce the risk of flooding on the Somerset levels. The document summarises key schemes around the area at risk, with links to more details. Somerset Levels and Moors: reducing the risk of flooding - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Studying coasts in the South West? A major source of new resources for studying coasts in the South West has been published online by South West Coastal Monitoring. Their educational resources include studies of Torcross, Pennington Point, Sidmouth, Berrow Dunes near Burnham on Sea, Dawlish Warren and Seaton. There are high quality air photo images, recent topical data, and questions for students. The resources are suitable for both GCSE and A level. Education - Southwest Coastal Monitoring
Future issues in Coastal Management: A detailed new research paper ‘Transitions in Shoreline Management to deliver changes in approaches over the coming century’ was published in September 2023. It provides a thorough review of many of the contentious aspects of shoreline management, providing useful insights and detail for those teaching the topic at A level. Adapting and Building Local Resilience to Sea Level Rise Impacts on Coastlines | Frontiers Research Topic (frontiersin.org)
Studying tectonics in Iceland. There are many resources and news stories about recent tectonics in Iceland and the risks of renewed volcanic activity in the Reykjanes peninsular around Grindavik. This BBC article provides a useful summary. Iceland volcano: What could the impact be? - BBC News
National Oceanography Centre’s recent Into the Blue Podcast by Ben Moat provides a topical commentary on the future of oceans as climate change affects the seas, including how ocean circulations play a vital role in regulating our climate. How Ocean Circulation Regulates the Earth's Climate | Into the Blue Podcast - YouTube
Geography News:
Budleigh residents celebrate opening of the ‘Elizabeth Bridge’. The Environment Agency celebrated the new bridge across the River Otter at Budleigh Salterton, Devon in a recent press release. The new bridge is part of the Lower Otter Restoration Scheme, (LORP). The LORP is primarily a climate adaptation and habitat creation project which also provided the team with an opportunity to improve the area for people and recreation and increase local resiliance. Budleigh residents celebrate opening of the ‘Elizabeth Bridge’ - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Forty-year-old car parks to be demolished in central Exeter. Two city centre concrete car parks are due to be demolished and replaced by blocks of flats. The concrete-built Mary Arches built in the 1970s, and the Harlequins car park and shopping centre from the 1980s are adjacent to Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping centre but are in a poor state of repair and have been partly out of use for several months. The flats, some of which will be designed as co-living apartments, will provide housing for a range of demographics in the heart of the city. Over 500 car parking spaces will be lost in the process. Mary Arches car park demolition for housing plans backed - and won't be student flats - Devon Live
Designer Outlet to be built alongside M5 Junction 9 in Gloucestershire: A new six-acre designer outlet complex is to be built close to junction 9 of the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire. Revised plans were announced in October 2023. The new complex will create up to 300 jobs during construction and around 500 jobs when it opens. Around 90 shops will be included and parking for over 2000 cars. There will be fashion, homewares, sports and outdoors shops, and a range of food outlets. The site is close to Tewkesbury and benefits from excellent road and rail connections. Work is expected to begin soon and the complex is due to open in 2025. Cotswold Designer Outlet near M5 gets huge update as building work to start 'within days' - Gloucestershire Live
Devon Metro New station proposed for edge of Torquay: Plans for a new metro station on the edge of Torquay have moved a step closer to construction. Initially proposed in 2016, the new station at Edginswell will be part of the Torquay Gateway development, and will serve Torbay Hospital, Edginswell Business Park and The Willows shopping centre. If funding can be finalised, the new station could be built soon, increasing the range of sustainable transport options in the region. Plans for Edginswell station in Torquay set for council approval | New Civil Engineer
Giant fossil Pliosaur found on Jurassic Coast: The 2-metre-long skull of a giant Pliosaur has been found on the Jurassic Coast near Kimmeridge in Dorset. Pliosaurs were giant marine predators, and this one would have been at least the length of a double decker bus. A special BBC documentary about the finding of the skull and its significance will be shown on the BBC 1 at 20.00 on January 1, 2024, featuring David Attenborough. The fossil skull, which is in remarkable condition, was found following recent rapid cliff erosion of the soft clay cliffs. It is hoped that future erosion will reveal more of its body. The cliffs where the fossil was found are steep and dangerous. Anyone wanting to look for fossils along the Jurassic Coast are advised to go to locations such as Charmouth in West Dorset, where fossils can often be found on the beach. Soft clay cliffs are prone to collapse and mudflows and are not safe areas for adults or children. Colossal sea monster unearthed from Dorset cliffs (msn.com)
Major new town planned for East Devon: The 500-acre site for a major new town in East Devon, close to Exeter was approved by East Devon District Council in early December. The proposed new town will provide 8000 homes, as part of the strategy to build new housing in the region. The agreed site is between the A30 Exeter to Honiton dual carriageway and the A3052 Exeter to Sidmouth coast road. It is east of the Westpoint exhibition area, home of the Devon Country Show and other events, and west of the village of Faringdon. At present the main land use is farmland with a small area of light industrial premises. This will be the second new town to be developed east of Exeter. Cranbrook north of the A30 and close to Exeter Airport has been developed over recent years, including a new shopping centre due for completion at the end of 2023. This area is close to the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone which is creating up to 15,000 jobs in the area between Exeter and Exeter airport.
Site for 8,000-home new town near Exeter approved - BBC News
Exeter & East Devon Enterprise Zone – Accelerating clean growth (eedez.com)