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GCE JAN 2010 : (A2 3) Skills and Decision Making in Geography

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ADVANCED General Certificate of Education January 2010 Geography assessing Module 6: Skills and Decision Making in Geography A2G31 Assessment Unit A2 3 [A2G31] TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY, AFTERNOON TIME 2 hours. INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your Centre Number and Candidate Number on the Answer Booklet provided. Answer all the questions. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The total mark for this paper is 80. Quality of written communication will be assessed in all questions. Section A carries 20 marks. Section B carries 60 marks. You are strongly recommended to spend 25 minutes answering the questions in Section A of this assessment unit. Section B is a decision making exercise. You should spend at least 25 minutes reading the questions, and selecting appropriate information before attempting to write your answers. You are provided with a Resource Booklet for use with this paper. SYNOPTIC ASSESSMENT You are required to demonstrate understanding of the connections between the different aspects of geography represented in the specification when answering the questions in Section B. 5576 Section A SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES You are strongly recommended to spend 25 minutes on this section. 1 (a) Study Table 1 which shows the location quotients of high and medium-high technology industries in UK regions. Table 1: Total employment and employment in high and medium-high technology industries in UK regions (2006) UK Region Total (thousands) High and Mediumhigh Technology Industries (thousands) Location Quotient South East 4081 154 0.94 East of England 3761 107 0.71 South West 2222 101 1.14 West Midlands 2357 139 1.48 East Midlands 1882 97 2.06 Yorkshire and Humber 2262 82 0.91 North West 2954 136 1.15 North East 1070 55 1.29 Wales 1228 66 1.35 Scotland 2406 76 0.79 713 29 1.02 Employment Northern Ireland Crown Copyright. Annual Business Inquiry. Office for National statistics; Northern Ireland Census of Employment and Quarterly Employment Survey. (i) What does the location quotient statistic measure? [2] (ii) What information, not shown on the table, would have been required to calculate the [1] location quotient values? (iii) Using the table, interpret the location quotient values for high and medium-high technology industry for 5576 East Midlands, Northern Ireland, and East of England. [4] 2 [Turn over (b) Graph A shows the number of hectares of vegetable crops sprayed with different types of pesticides in five counties of Northern Ireland in 2004. Graph A 2,500 2,000 1,500 Area sprayed in hectares 1,000 Insecticides Herbicides 500 Fungicides 0 wn h Do ag m tri y Arm An err nd o nd Lo County Seed treatments Pesticide type Molluscicides ne yro T Note: Fungicides are used to reduce problems with fungi, herbicides to reduce weeds and molluscicides to protect against damage by snails and slugs Adapted from http://www.afbini.gov.uk/pusg-vegetable-crops-2004.pdf (i) State one advantage of this type of graphical representation of these data. (ii) State one disadvantage of showing data on this type of graph. [3] For a named fieldwork exercise: 5576 [1] (iii) Describe the pattern as shown in the graph of pesticide use in County Down. 2 [1] name a sampling technique which could have been used, describe how it operates, and explain why it is a suitable technique for that activity. 3 [8] [Turn over Section B Decision Making Exercise You are recommended to spend 95 minutes on this section. 3 Background to the Report The Aberdeen and Grampian region of Scotland has some of the finest coastal golf courses (links) in Great Britain and is one of the fastest developing areas in Scotland for golf. There are more than 70 golf courses in the area serving 24,000 local golfers. In addition, this area has seen a major surge in tourists coming to play golf. The better known courses attract around 7,000 visitors each year, 65% of whom are from the USA. A predicted growth in golf tourism is one of the reasons that new golf developments are now being considered. One such development is the Menie Estate near Balmedie, 16 kilometres north of Aberdeen. The plan is for two full-size championship quality golf courses within sand dunes on the coast of northeast Scotland. In addition, a golf driving range, a state-of-the-art golf academy and practice area are planned, along with a large clubhouse and five-star hotel with conference and banquet facilities. The hotel will offer a spa, tennis courts and other recreational facilities. Additional residential units will include 36 luxury four- and eightbedroom golf lodges, as well as 950 holiday homes with sea views. Future plans for expansion include more residential units. There will also be a maintenance facility with a research centre for grass. It was hoped to start the building early in 2008 and for the resort to be completed in 2012. However, there was an early setback for these plans when Aberdeenshire Councillors rejected the planning application for the 1 billion golf resort late in 2007. You must adopt the role of First Minister to the Scottish Parliament who is to investigate the proposal and decide whether or not to proceed with the golf course. Note that you do not have to decide on an alternative only whether you approve or reject the project described here. You should base your answer solely on information contained in this examination paper and resource booklet and not on any decision that may have been made in relation to this issue. 5576 4 [Turn over 5576 5 [Turn over 8 Graph C. Decision B. The likely impact on: A. Introduction Heading (iii) the local people. (ii) the local and national economy; (i) the local environment; Sub-heading 10 6 12 12 8 10 30 8 SubSection section MARKS 2 Role THE REPORT MUST BE STRUCTURED AS BELOW 2 Format MARKS C. State clearly your decision and justify it on the basis of the greater overall bene ts. (iii) Discuss the social impact on local people and the counterarguments. (ii) Discuss the possible bene cial effects on the local and national economy and the counterarguments. B. (i) Discuss the environmental impact of the proposed development and the counterarguments. A. Describe brie y the proposed development and outline the potential demand for it. GUIDANCE TO CANDIDATES Draw a graph using data from Table 2 (found in Resource F) and incorporate it into the report at an appropriate place. You must adopt and maintain the stated role. Each of the three sections must be clearly set out using the headings and sub-headings provided. You must adopt the role of First Minister to the Scottish Parliament who is to investigate the proposal and to decide whether or not to proceed with this proposed golf resort. THIS IS THE END OF THE QUESTION PAPER Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright holders may have been unsuccessful and CCEA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgement in future if notified. 1312-042-1 5576 8 [Turn over ADVANCED General Certificate of Education January 2010 Geography assessing Module 6: Skills and Decision Making in Geography [A2G31] TUESDAY 2 FEBRUARY, AFTERNOON Resource A Resource B Resource C Resource D1 Resource D2 Resource D3 Resource D4 Resource E Resource F Resource G Resource H 5576.03 CHECKLIST OF RESOURCE MATERIAL Map of area Detailed map of proposed development Plan of the resort hotel and some of the proposed villas Aerial view looking south over the proposed development site Mobile dunes within the proposed development area Range of dune habitats with low-lying dune slack Hole 13: present view and projected change Background to the proposed development Arguments against the proposed development Arguments for the proposed development Quotations related to the development A2G31RB Assessment Unit A2 3 RESOURCE A MAP OF AREA N A90 0 km Foveran Dunes 4 AREA OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Menie Dunes Balmedie A90 Aberdeen Airport A96 ABERDEEN A90 5576.03 5576.03 2 [Turn over RESOURCE B DETAILED MAP OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Golf course 1 Golf course 2 Resort boundary Resort Hotel Driving Range Holiday Homes North Sea N 0 5576.03 3 500 metres [Turn over 5576.03 4 [Turn over Road / Path Holiday home Hotel Hotel PLAN OF THE RESORT HOTEL AND SOME OF THE PROPOSED VILLAS RESOURCE C 0 metres N 100 RESOURCE D1 AERIAL VIEW LOOKING SOUTH OVER THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT SITE Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS) 5576.03 5 [Turn over RESOURCE D2 MOBILE DUNES WITHIN THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREA Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS) RESOURCE D3 RANGE OF DUNE HABITATS WITH LOW-LYING DUNE SLACK Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS) 5576.03 6 [Turn over RESOURCE D4 HOLE 13: PRESENT VIEW Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS) HOLE 13: PROJECTED CHANGE Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS) 5576.03 7 [Turn over RESOURCE E BACKGROUND TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT The billionaire US property developer, Donald Trump, has applied for permission to turn sand dunes at the Menie Estate, located 16 km north of the Scottish city of Aberdeen, into a 1 billion golf resort. The site of the development comprises the Menie Estate, an area of 452 hectares located north of Balmedie between the A90 and the sea. The main aim is to create a world class golf resort which is planned to include: 2 full-size 18-hole golf courses; golf clubhouse; golf academy; maintenance building; driving range; 450-bedroom 5 star hotel; conference centre and spa; 36 four- and eight-bedroom golf lodges; 950 holiday homes in four blocks; accommodation for 400 staff; 3 parking areas and access roads; and 500 luxury homes. According to the developers, the aim is to create the greatest golf course in the world designed to attract major championships such as the Ryder Cup. In July 2007, planning of cials recommended approval for the project, which it is claimed would create more than 800 jobs during the peak season. However, the north of the site incorporates about one third of a Site of Special Scienti c Interest (the Foveran Links SSSI). Furthermore, this section of coastline is designated an Area of Landscape Signi cance. Donald Trump claims that his Scottish roots his late mother was a Macleod from the Isle of Lewis, North West Scotland are one of the main reasons that he wants to proceed with the development. However, he has warned that, if obstacles are created, he will locate the proposed development elsewhere, possibly in Northern Ireland. CCEA 5576.03 8 [Turn over RESOURCE F ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Local residents in the quiet nearby village of Balmedie object to the proposed development. They see it as a gated community with too many luxury houses which would change the nature of the local community. House prices are already high in Aberdeen and surrounding areas and there is a fear that property prices will rise further if rich outsiders are attracted to the area by the luxury properties and the other facilities offered by the golf resort. This may lead to local people not being able to afford to live in their own area. It will also reduce privacy and increase traf c on local roads. The dunes on which the world s greatest golf course is to be built are one of the most spectacular habitats in the whole of Scotland, on a remote and beautiful stretch of the coastline. They are designated as a Site of Special Scienti c Interest (SSSI) and one of the top ve sand dune systems in the United Kingdom in terms of their importance to the environment. It is predicted that development will destroy one third of the Foveran Links SSSI, a wildlife site of national importance. Seven species of endangered birds on the Red List , including redshank, skylarks and lapwings, are threatened by this golf development. These birds depend on the rich dune ecosystem and the adjoining beach. Aberdeenshire Council is required by Scottish law to conserve biodiversity. Allowing this development to go ahead will reduce biodiversity in the council area. While the development will undoubtedly bring jobs to the area, which some people may welcome, the unemployment rate in both Aberdeen city and the surrounding area is less than 2%. The need for increased employment in the area is less important than the need to conserve this precious environment. Although it is possible to incorporate a golf course successfully into a rural environment, achieving this in an Area of Landscape Signi cance is much more dif cult. In such locations the quality of the environment, its biodiversity and ecological status need to be considered before any development is permitted. A golf resort could be developed elsewhere in the area without destroying these protected dunes. The warning by the developer that he will relocate elsewhere in Europe is an empty threat which should not in uence the decision. All member states of the European Union are legally required to apply the same environmental safeguards as those in Scotland. The time taken to nd an alternative site would be better used seeking a solution that would work in this area, but without destroying the dunes. So far the developer has refused to consider keeping his development in the area but moving it away from the protected dunes. If this development were to be allowed, there is a fear that all protected areas in Scotland could be under threat and that Scotland s priceless natural heritage could be sold off to create jobs in the short term. The Scottish Wildlife Trust, among others, are concerned about the potential environmental impact of the development on one of the most important sand dune systems in the UK. 5576.03 9 [Turn over Table 2: Direct habitat loss due to the development within the Foveran Links SSSI (in hectares) Habitat Bare mobile sand Beach s and Mobile dunes Dune s lack Area of SSSI within proposed golf resort Projected loss from golf development 13.8 10.9 3.1 0 17.5 2.7 8.6 2.6 The part of the site which lies within the Foveran Links SSSI is unrivalled nationally. The moving sand (Resource D2) is what makes the site special; stabilising that to provide a golf course (Resource D4) will reduce most of the value of the habitat (Table 2) and reduce the biodiversity of the dunes. Although the developers claim that the damage can be minimised, the chances of success are poor; the area will be so badly damaged that it is unlikely that it will remain of scienti c interest. There are also implications for public access to the beach and dunes, reducing recreational opportunities for local people. The scale of the development is entirely out of keeping with the area and the proposed housing would not bring economic bene ts to local people. It will create a sprawling corridor of urban expansion, the scale of which would have an adverse impact on the character of the landscape. The planning policy for the Scottish countryside is that houses should not be built, except where speci c exemptions apply. The proposed housing in this development does not qualify. CCEA 5576.03 10 [Turn over RESOURCE G ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Aberdeen is seen as the gateway to the North Sea oil reserves. Since the 1970s, residents of this relatively remote part of Scotland have experienced a considerable increase in income and employment as a result of the oil revenues that have come into the area. Recently, however, oil industry pro ts have declined. Many business leaders in the area argue that the building of this important golf resort in a largely neglected part of Scotland could be the biggest boost to the area since those oil reserves were discovered, and will help to replace the jobs lost since oil incomes declined. While the Aberdeenshire Council have rejected the plan, many people within the Council and elsewhere are united in condemning their decision. For every letter objecting to the proposal, Aberdeenshire Council has received three letters of support for the planning application: 105 to 327. There is also a petition objecting to the proposal but it has only 28 signatures. Local opinion may be divided but more people support the proposal than are against it. With more than 200 km of beaches in this part of Scotland, the development will only affect a small proportion of those. In any case the developer, Donald Trump, argues that the course will actually improve the local environment. Each and every golf course I have built has got awards for environmental protection, and I do not think anyone has got as many awards as we have I believe, when we are nished, the course will be better environmentally than before we started. It s possible I could lose a great deal of money. It would cost a lot less money if we did not care about the environment. This area will also bene t enormously from these proposals in other ways. There will be a 400% increase in the numbers of tourists attracted to the area as a consequence of the building of the golf resort. This will bring increased opportunities for local businesses and vastly increase the employment possibilities for local people. It is accepted that the SSSI in the dunes, and the habitats to the south of it, are environmentally signi cant and there will be severe adverse impact on the dunes in some places. However, much has been made of the shifting sands within the dunes on which the golf courses will be built, and the diversity of species supported by the various habitats. This is said to be a unique environment and thus in need of protection. However it is likely, although not provable, that the dunes will stabilise naturally by the end of the century, without any development. Large masses of sand tend to be colonised with vegetation, unless other factors interfere with this natural process. In the process many of the species associated with the present dunes would probably disappear naturally. The current dynamic nature of the dunes may be temporary and so the range of species may decline naturally in the long term. By identifying low-lying dune slacks (Resource D3) which are some of the most sensitive areas, and designing the courses around them, habitat loss will be minimised. Opponents of the scheme allege that dune slacks will be destroyed. Information from analysis of Geographical Information Systems shows that, in total, three smaller dune slacks will be destroyed. Of the 38 dune slacks in the area, just 17 will be affected at all by the golf course. 5576.03 11 [Turn over It is planned that some of the habitats that will be affected by the development will be relocated elsewhere, so reducing the impact on the sensitive ecology of the area. While it may take up to ve years to complete, the habitat translocation is estimated to have a high success rate. Scottish National Heritage claim that the site possesses the best range of [dune] slacks in Great Britain in terms of stages of development . In fact, this is imprecise and exaggerated as there are three other sites in Great Britain with a similar quality of dune environment. The Chambers of Commerce in Scotland, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Confederation of British Industry all support this development proposal. Scotland s economy has not escaped the global economic downturn which started in 2008. Business owners in Scotland argue that developments like this one are required if money is still going to ow into NE Scotland. With a struggling economy, this development will boost the construction industry, creating much-needed employment. Construction costs could exceed 1 billion, bringing major bene ts to the local and national economy. Table 3: Bene ts of the development Resort under construction Resort in operation Extra jobs created Aberdeenshire Rest of Scotland Wealth generated in the area per year ( million) Extra jobs created Wealth generated in the area per year ( million) 6230 205 1250 47 740 57 190 11 There will also be many jobs provided for the area after the resort is completed, bringing wealth into the local economy. While many of the jobs will go to local people, the impact of this development will not just be in the local area but also nationally. The development will help to diversify the economy, building tourism and raising the area s pro le internationally. There is, at present, a shortage of high quality hotel accommodation in the area, which will be remedied, bringing advantages for the business and tourism markets. CCEA 5576.03 12 [Turn over RESOURCE H QUOTATIONS IN RELATION TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT We have to look to our long-term future. We need to diversify our economy and this scheme would be the perfect platform for that It is in [the developer s] interests, as well as in everybody else s, to preserve our wildlife. Kate Dean, Leader of Aberdeen City Council The destruction of part of Aberdeenshire s beautiful unspoilt coastline [is] too high a price to pay for this development we hope that Scotland will continue to offer and promote the best golf courses in the world, but not at this expense. RSPB Spokesperson Leisure and tourism are worldwide industries that have come to be regarded as the fastest growing markets and it is these markets that Scotland is uniquely placed to exploit. Future generations will look back in dismay if we do not seize this unique opportunity and support these proposals. Ian D Cowie, Knowles Food Services Balmedie is a beautiful natural stretch of beach has anyone walked on it as the sun sets like I have been doing for years? It would break my heart to see it being ripped up by JCBs and [to be] told that I m no longer allowed to walk there. Vikki, in submission to forum I have two jobs and I m still struggling to make a living up here. Rich Americans move in and how are we expected to pay the in ated prices that will appear once businesses realise that they have a lot of money? Jim Robinson, in blog The environmentalists are suggesting that a golf course might be detrimental to some sand dunes. How many jobs have these dunes created over the last 4000 years? How many mouths does this place feed? Ask the environmentalists that! James Robson, in letter to Sunday Herald newspaper 5576.03 13 Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright holders may have been unsuccessful and CCEA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgement in future if notified. 1312-042-2 16

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Additional Info : Gce Geography January 2010 Assessment Unit A2 3 Module 6: Skills and Decision Making in Geography - Revised
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