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2002 - International Year of Mountains in Scotland
"promoting the conservation and sustainable development of mountain regions, thereby ensuring the wellbeing of both mountain and lowland people"

A partnership of voluntary bodies supported by Scottish Natural Heritage has put together a programme of events to promote International Year of Mountains in Scotland. Here the IYM project officer, Andy Macpherson, gives a brief outline of what IYM is all about and its implications for tourism in Scotland.

International Year of Mountains - International Context and Background

2002 has been declared "International Year of Mountains" (IYM) by the General Assembly of the United Nations. International Years are designated by the UN for issues that are deemed to be of priority importance to all or the majority of countries. This designation partly stems from the Earth Summit held in Rio in 1992 - most of us have heard of Agenda 21 and that oceans and rainforests are issues of global importance, but it is generally less well known that chapter 13 of Agenda 21 is the "Mountain Agenda". This actually sets mountains on the same sort of footing in terms of global importance as oceans, rainforests and climate change.

Under the mission statement in italics above, the year has three basic objectives:

• to raise awareness of the global importance of mountains in environmental, socio-economic and cultural terms;
• to highlight their potential fragility; and
• to emphasise the urgent need to protect and enhance their values.

International Year of Mountains at National Level - UK

Over 130 countries worldwide are supporting IYM, with some 35 having a government-led national committee. Britain is not one of these countries: the UK government tends to avoid signing up to International Years, and much of Britain is not really mountainous country even if mountain products and mountain recreation may be popular. The British Mountaineering Council is running a series of events through the year based around the themes of IYM, as is the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers. Cumbria, with its distinct mountain heritage and identity, is running an active IYM programme throughout the year, and Snowdonia National Park has also shown interest.

International Year of Mountains at National Level - Scotland

The voluntary sector in Scotland has been taking a keen interest in IYM since the UN declaration was made in 1998, and decided to take the opportunity to use the year to build upon the momentum on mountain matters established in Scotland over the last decade or so. Such bodies as the Cairngorms Partnership, Southern Uplands Partnership and the Access Forum have made enormous strides in this period in bringing together the various interests involved in land use and management in the Scottish hills. The existence of the Scottish parliament means that it is possible to bring sustainable management of mountain areas to the attention of the policy community in a way that would have been difficult if not impossible in Westminster. Already in Scotland a motion supporting IYM has been proposed with the cross party support of 16 MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament). Early February saw the formal launch of IYM in Scotland by the minister for tourism, culture and sport, with senior delegates from Scottish Natural Heritage, visitscotland and sportscotland in attendance along with representatives from most other sectors involved with mountains in Scotland. The establishment of a cross-party parliamentary committee on mountains would be an ideal outcome for the IYM Scotland project and one way of ensuring that mountains do not fall off the agenda at the end of the year.

Broadening the focus the policy and institutional arena, some of the key events taking place in Scotland in 2002 are the third European Mountain Convention ("Euromontana") in Inverness in May; a seminar on "The Ecology of Adventure" at Glenmore Lodge largely geared to outdoor education specialists, and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland conference on regeneration and rural design for the Highlands in Inverness, also in May; a conference on "People and Nature" looking at management issues and options for the northern European mountains in Pitlochry in November.

Many other events are taking place in Scotland throughout the year, and further information can be found on the IYM website (www.iym.org.uk). Those interested in fieldwork, however, may care to note the "Makrolab" project taking place in Highland Perthshire from May to July - information available on www.artscatalyst.org

IYM in Scotland is supported by grant aid from Scottish Natural Heritage and in kind by Perth College UHI Millennium Institute.

For more information on International Year of Mountains in Scotland, contact:

Andy Macpherson, Co-ordinator, International Year of Mountains
Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College UHI Millennium Institute
Crieff Road, Perth, PH1 2NX, Scotland.
Tel +44 (0) 1738 877 885
Fax +44 (0) 1738 631 364
www.iym.org.uk
www.mountains2002.org

Another initiative to mark this Year is a new website set up by the Panos Institute at www.mountainvoices.org which uses in-depth interviews to communicate the views and experiences of people living in mountain communities around the world.

Details of other events planned for the International Year of Mountains can be found on the Mountain Forum website at www.mtnforum.org

Call for Papers - The International Journal of Fieldwork Studies

The International Journal of Fieldwork Studies seeks original manuscripts for publication. This is a new international, peer reviewed, internet based journal focussing on the different types of theoretical studies and empirical approaches associated with fieldwork. The journal will be published biyearly with the first issue due for publication in December 2002.

The Editorial Panel encourages submissions from researchers and practioners in disciplines and domains that include fieldwork as part of their activities, though the International Journal of Fieldwork Studies is primarily targeted at Geography and Environmental Studies.

If you are interested in submitting a paper or have questions regarding the journal or the review process, please contact IJFSeditor@hope.ac.uk. Papers will be accepted in either English or French, with abstracts in both English and French.

Papers for publishing in the December 2002 issue should be received by 14 June 2002. All papers should be sent by email to IJFSeditor@hope.ac.uk.

My Community, Our Earth: Geographic Learning for
Sustainable Development

The National Geographic Society, The Association of American Geographers, ESRI, and the United Nations Environment Programme are launching a program that invites high school and college students worldwide to use the tools of geography to examine how their communities can be made healthier and more livable, and how they can exist in greater harmony with the natural world.

The project is called My Community, Our Earth: Geographic Learning for Sustainable Development. Students can use traditional or digital tools to examine their communities in light of a number of sustainability-related issues, and to propose actions and solutions for the future. Details on the program can be found at www.geography.com

Participants will receive a resource kit, which contains software, maps, and educational materials about geography, GIS technology, and sustainable development. Projects that are submitted by May 31, 2002 will be reviewed by an international panel. A selection of the projects will be featured on the MyCOE website and will be displayed at numerous venues, including the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa in August 2002. Teachers and professionals can also volunteer to serve as mentors to assist students in preparing projects.

Posters summarizing the project will soon be available. Contact acarroll@ngs.org if you would like copies.

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to present fresh and innovative ideas on how geographic analysis can reveal ways in which their own communities, and the planet as a whole, and move toward sustainability.

Allen Carroll
Chief Cartographer
National Geographic Society

In the Land of the Jaguar, Mountain Community Tourism Projects, Study Tour in Mexican Mountain Range, April 2002.

Balam along with Mexican communities invites the international mountain community to a workshop in celebration of the International Year of Mountains and International Year of Ecotourism.

"Interact with the experiences of different communities and protected areas in mountains of Mexico where tourism is being implemented as an option for social and environmental sustaintability"

• Is it possible for mountain communities to take the lead in the ecotourism industry?
• What happens before guide training and color brochures?
• Are community parks viable alternatives for future conservation of the landscape?

Helps us answer these questions and others while visiting projects in the states of Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Distrito Federal, Michoacan, and Oaxaca.

Themes of interest: conservation, migration, tourism, infrastructure, community decision making processes.

Objectives:

1. To promote encounters among individuals interested in the different fields of sustainability with Mexican mountain communities where tourism is being developed in order to create future links; student exchange programs, research, etc.
2. To analyze each different cases in terms of social, environmental, and economic impact.
3. To learn:
   1. The basic tools and infrastructure a community can afford and build to create a community parks; multiple use trails, camp sites, singe, sanitation facilities, lodging, surveillance, GIS, etc.
   2. Other perspective of training, community needs beyond nature guiding; Internal org, decision making, self esteem, territorial planing, etc.

Dates: 18th to 25th April 2002

Proposed Agenda:

Day 1 "The Mexican experience in tourism and conservation fields, historical back ground on land management and other social issues" (theory)
Day 2 "Ecotourism Stopping urban sprawl," experiences in community mountains of the Ajusco, Distrito Federal". (practical visits)
Day 3 "El Chico at Hidalgo, a national park becoming a park for people, how to build light infrastructure" (practical visit)
Day 4, 5 and 6 one of three destinations to choose from:

1. Guanajuato´s Sierra (tourism Vs. Migration, women projects)
2. Michoacan (non timber forest products, the history of a volcano)
3. Estado de Mexico (The Popocateptl experience)

Day 7 "Oaxaca, the most cultural and biological diverse state of Mexico" Visiting two communities in the Sierra Norte (communal territory planning)

Accommodation: 3 nights in hostels, 1 night in a camp site, 2 nights in a family house.

Price: Total price including meals, accommodation and transportation for seven
days is from 350 to 450 US.

For further information and reservation details contact:

Balam, Av. San Fernando, 765 4-c Tlalpan, 14460 Mexico, DF.

For more information about Balam, see
http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/balam/balam.html

Summer China Field Study Tour 2002

The Geographical Association International Committee are planning another Summer China Field Study Tour in 2002. The itinerary will probably include Beijing, Xian, loess plateau, Chonqing, Yangtse Gorges, dam site and exhibition, Yichang and Shanghai. The study tour will take place from 27th July to 10th August.

This is truely an unbelievable opportunity to be part of a Geographers paradise - led by UK Geographical experts and enhanced by meeting local groups and Geographical organisations in each location.

For further details contact Sarah Maude at sarah@aamau.demon.co.uk

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Supporting fieldwork study activities in Europe

Fieldwork studies can be expensive. The costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence have risen and so it is harder and harder for teachers and tutors to make a good case for doing fieldwork studies at home or in Europe. This article aims to provide you with some ideas and suggestions about getting European Union funds to support and enable your fieldwork study activities in Europe.

Educational institutions throughout Europe are eligible for different types of funding, depending on where they are located, what the purpose of the activity is and whether they are schools, colleges or universities.

Location, location
Educational organisations that are located in countries that are members of the EU or EEA or associated countries (click here for a list of countries) are eligible for many different types of funding (click here for further details). Support is available for teachers and tutors to visit other locations under the Socrates Action. Socrates can support courses to be developed and undertaken and for materials (especially on-line resources) to be generated, evaluated and tested.

Countries in Eastern Europe have other funding allocated. This action is called Tempus. It is possible to apply for visits and special projects, dependant on the priorities of the specific country concerned.

A few key rules are essential – normally a minimum of three European countries must be involved in any activity. The activity can involve preparation, development and follow up. It may include opportunities for the research and dissemination of results, including conference attendance. In other words most activities are possible – if you have an imaginative and innovative idea.

For schools: the main funding stream is Comenius (unless you work with a local university or teacher training college.

For higher education: the main funding is Erasmus

For adult education: the main funding stream is Grundtvig

For vocational training: try out Leonardo da Vinci

To create innovative IT-based products try Minerva

To raise awareness of a specific issue or run a conference try Accompanying Measures

For languages use Lingua

For youth actions see Youth Programmes

It may also be possible to work with other countries around the world on specific innovative projects. At the moment these opportunities include the USA, Canada and Japan.

There are also opportunities to link in to funds for many other specific initiatives, like culture, citizenship, training, quality issues and lifelong learning for example.

European funding can be a maze to sort through. The value derived from the fieldwork experiences of students visiting other countries, perhaps working collaboratively with students from other places and environments, should not be underestimated. Many of the geographical principles transcend political boundaries – so why not fieldwork?

VM News would be keen to hear about any innovative projects you are working on. Contact donertk@hope.ac.uk or virtualmontana@hope.ac.uk

Karl Donert, Senior Lecturer and International Fellow
Liverpool Hope, Hope Park, Liverpool, L16 9JD, UK.

Fieldwork Safety: Keeping on Track

Outdoor activities must be safe! We all know that but creating a system that is easy to set up, monitor and supports those supervising the group outside is no mean challenge. Below are some suggestions / good practise that might be useful.

Risk assessment is the first and most obvious means of managing hazards. This must always start with a field visit - memories are selective! And preferably with more than one member of staff; different perspectives such as age / gender can be valuable. Listing the hazards likely to be encountered during the activity is a good start but they need prioritising; a scoring system using the likelihood and severity associated with each hazard achieves this in an objective way. See below for an example

Assessing the likelihood of a hazard & the severity of outcome needs to be based on a limited scale (I'd suggest 1 - 5). Multiplying the two produces the risk score. Such a quantitative approach highlights priorities for management.

Having an annotated map on the back of a risk assessment sheet can provide supporting information like where to find a telephone & toilets; an invaluable aide memoire if a site is visited infrequently.

Field safety is just as much for the students' benefit, so why not use an image of the fieldwork site to raise these issues before departing?

Sandy Hill, Assistant Director, Preston Montford Field Centre
Field Studies Council, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge,
Shrewsbury, UK

Fieldwork and FMD

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) affected Britain in many ways. The personal accounts of farmers and their families were distressing and our thoughts remain with them. Recreational access to the countryside, with 'the right to roam' a prominent issue, received much attention in the press. One of the less publicized consequences of FMD was the affect it had on teaching. As the locals on the isles of Arran or Skye will inform you, the hills swarm with students at certain times of the year. The following paragraphs will share an example of some of the problems my colleagues and I faced, caused by FMD, and the solutions implemented.

There is much truth in the old adage that the best geologist is the one who has seen the most rocks. Fieldwork must be an integral part of any physical geography or geology course, and I like to think that it is one of the strengths of our degree programme. Many of our modules were affected by FMD, resulting in postponement, reorganization and even cancellation of fieldwork. The following is just one example of the additional workload it caused and solutions that allowed fieldwork to take place.

The immediate consequence of FMD was the blanket closure of countryside in Britain. This left us with the urgent problem of where to take geography students studying a module in geology. A number of solutions were considered. Several large departments, running weeklong trips, took their students abroad as a result of FMD. Issues of cost, staff timetabling and time precluded this as an option in our case. Some excellent virtual field trips exist on the web and I highly recommend Leeds University Earth Sciences' <http://earth.leeds.ac.uk/learnstructure/virtualfield.htm>. However, these are best as supporting material and are not direct replacements for seeing geology in the field.

A number of local disused quarries were considered, but with little success. One remained underwater following the autumn floods of 2000, another had little of interest (even for non-specialists) and a third required the use of 100m of footpath - closed in spite of the farming in the area being exclusively arable. Finally, a working quarry with enough relevance to the course was found and the quarry company kindly escorted our party during the fieldwork. In addition, an urban geology trip was undertaken, sketching sedimentary structures in cuttings from railway platforms and looking at the rocks in detail where they had been used as building stones. The combination of these two pieces of fieldwork and the interpretation of geological maps allowed the students to write a geological history of the area.

When the module ran again (in the following semester), the situation was much improved. Although the original field location near the FMD hotspot in Cumbria remained off limits, much more of Britain was open to the public. While the government was encouraging people to use certain parts of the countryside well away from FMD, the British Geological Survey maintained a blanket ban for their fieldworkers, even in area hundreds of kilometres from infected animals. This contradictory message was unfortunate. With more time to organize fieldwork in a new area, we ran our module closer to its original format. However, again the area had to be reconnoitred and extra resources, such as geological maps, had to be purchased. This did initially cause some logistical problems but on a positive note, the crisis did open up the opportunity to investigate new fieldwork locations. As a result, staff have a more varied choice of location and have enhanced their expertise in terms of understanding the geology of northern England.

The problems that FMD created lasted over a year and in that time many of our fieldwork locations had to be changed. This had several implications, including the extra costs incurred from the purchase of supporting materials and the expense and demands on staff time of having to make reconnaissance visits to areas where the tutors had not previous been.

Dr. Peter Taylor, Geography, School of Sciences and Social Sciences, Liverpool Hope, Hope Park, Liverpool, L16 9JD, UK.

Virtual versus Real Fieldwork: Part 2

Introduction
The World Wide Web provides opportunities to provide information and to enable communications between people. A variety of virtual field visits have been developed on the Web offering text, images, video clips and even interactive landscapes to explore (http://www.geo-net.org).

But who wants to replace the excitement of going to fantastic fieldwork locations? How can the thrill of visiting a new site ever be captured? The World Wide Web can never replace the excitement of visiting places and doing Geography out of the classroom. However it might be argued that digital experiences can promote and enhance and even enable certain of these activities and the supply of additional resources and on-line information can support students, teachers and researchers.

What is virtual fieldwork?
Virtual fieldwork can be defined as a digital alternative representation of reality. It is not an attempt to create a virtual reality by immersing the user in an interactive computer generated environment. Instead it provides digital information for the visitor allowing them to experience the location without being on the actual site. At their best virtual field visits allow the visitor to interact with the exploration, analysis and interpretation of the virtual information and through participation explore a dimension not otherwise available.

Digital, flexible enhanced environments can highlight features that might otherwise be masked. Capturing images, still or moving, and sounds can provide a sensory experience that is repeatable and can be revisited. Scenario building, simulations and decision making can all be introduced, thus allowing student to interrogate the information (through the digital environment). The Web thus offers access to places that either cannot be visited or else may not be accessible to all. It can offer a multimedia digital alternative which in some cases might be truly 'mind blowing' especially when two-dimensions, with pictures, text, maps and books, are replaced by three-dimensional experiences in cyberspace.

A number of different categories of virtual field visits have appeared on the World Wide Web, these include tourist excursions, holiday snaps, exhibitions, case studies, virtual tours and even opportunities to explore three-dimensional virtual landscapes. Click here to try some of them out.

Using Communications in Virtual Field Studies
The digital revolution does not only provide access to information sources, it also enables rapid synchronous and asynchronous communications between users. Using on-line forms of communications among students and staff can contribute to an improved learning environment. Email would allow visitors to send queries to experts or other users, they can be answered at a convenient time either replying to the individual directly or else on-line in order to generate a list of frequently asked questions. Such relatively informal communications can encourage interactions. Email newsletters like Virtual Montana can be used for distributing information of activities and developments to interested potential users.

Another form of communications that can be used involves creating interaction via Newsgroups and mailing lists. These can allow discussion to be generated between a group of people, potentially geographically distributed throughout the world. The Newsgroups can be subdivided into specialized topics These discussion groups may be "moderated" by a moderator who checks messages for suitability before they are distributed, or "unmoderated", in which case messages are sent out immediately. Virtual fieldwork sites can also use existing newsgroups to publicise their activities.

Why do it virtually?
There are a number of specific advantages associated with virtual field studies:

• dangerous or expensive visits can be conducted virtually, removing any risk and reducing costs.
• virtual studies can be a relevant opportunity to establish activities in a situated context, this makes them more realistic and concrete.
• teachers can obtain information about the behaviour of the users. This can help understand precisely what students are doing while visiting a virtual site.
• more complex studies can be organised into simpler components. This allows the students to concentrate on one aspect at a time.

The World Wide Web is a global hyperlinked information system. The Web has become very popular due to the easy interface for navigation around the available information. Increasingly, sites offering multimedia by using graphics, animation, sound, video clips, as well as text are available. Surveys indicate that people using Web sites expect and are prepared for multimedia opportunities. The major limiting factor remains the speed of access, but this is likely to improve in the future, although not as quickly as most people would like.

Providing virtual opportunities for field visits widens access. The joys of the digital environment mean that virtual fieldwork can be open to all those who are able to get on-line. Access to the Internet continues to grow globally. The web gives anyone who can connect to the Web the opportunity to take a "virtual" field visit to any place that you would otherwise not have a chance to go to and at any time. More specifically, on-line information gives relatively easy access for the disabled. The development of adapted computer technologies has been significant in order to allow certain special needs to be serviced. Thus those who may never have a chance to visit a place can be afforded some degree of experience by the virtual experience.

The Web can provide a low cost alternative without some of the organisational problems or difficulties that a real visit entails. As the technology continues to develop, so the possibilities and opportunities become greater and so the impact that virtual field visits might have may become almost endless. The hyperlinks provided here are just a few examples of what you can see on your cyberspace travels. Some of these virtual places have a lot of graphics so you may find them slow to access, others may require you to download special software for your browser (a plugin), so be patient

Virtual field visits offer a possible answer to some of the problems of cost, distance and accessibility to some locations and to help with relieving pressure on environmentally fragile places. The function of a virtual field trip should be to enhance or extend the real educational experience or in extreme cases they might even replace them. For example, the outbreak of 'foot and mouth' disease (as reported in Issue 1) prevented access to classic fieldwork sites like Mount Snowdon in North Wales. On-line digital visits to Snowdon via the Web were the only means possible to visit the location.

Virtual field study offers significant opportunities in pre-fieldtrip preparation. Generating suitable tasks in order to enable some form of critical reflection can be encouraged and enhanced. By using asynchronous communications and the collaborative completion of fieldwork tasks through the use of email, chat, forum or other virtual learning places, students can be encouraged to prepare their forthcoming visits, establish work patterns with others and develop suitable expectations and even joint responsibilities.

The use of virtual versus real can be seen as an alternative, cheap, and complementary form of information provision. The availability of on-line material is not affected significantly by location, apart from the speed of downloading. Though it is obvious that students benefit enormously from real visits, they are also unlikely to be able to fully appreciate a fieldwork location while they are there, but they may benefit later by revisiting a site virtually. So, teachers increasingly are likely to need to maximise the impact of any field studies they undertake, especially as the justification for fieldwork activity becomes increasingly important as institutions face constraints on their resources, with larger class sizes and smaller budgets.

The case against virtual fieldwork
Web access to virtual field visits increases the problems of management of access to relevant, high quality digital information. Students need to readily access suitable materials and tutors should focus on the creation of relevant activities for them to undertake. Creating these on-line tasks remains an issue. However for most teachers and tutors, successful integration of new technologies into their curriculum still remains a myth.

Customised virtual field visits to suit individuals or specific groups of students remain very expensive to create. The time, expense and expertise that is needed to build a web site is considerable. This is especially the case when compared with professional tourist sites 'off-the-Web'. An intermediate solution may lie in the development of tours of suitable Web sites, or Web Quests. Whatever the situation, many teachers will argue that virtual field trips are best ignored and that adequate preparation can be done with books, pictures and some taught classes before going into the field and that follow up can be completed without reference to technology.

Complete immersion in a virtual landscape for field studies cannot presently be achieved. Thus it can be argued that these partial sensory experiences do not open up new paths for learning. The Virtual Field Course Project based at Leicester University demonstrated a GIS (Geographical Information System) solution. One that began to make it possible to introduce the enquiry approach of experiential learning that viewing digital photographs and text does not permit. The limits on the impact of the perceptual experience means that 'virtual' cannot replace 'real' at least until actual places and people are intertwined with the world of exciting virtual scenarios, problem solving and collaborative concept development. Even if all this were available virtual field visits would still be perceived as nothing more than a geographical computer game with multimedia, graphics and text, where the virtual simply appears makes education more entertaining and the weaknesses of the technology receives scant attention.

Conclusions
Virtual field studies can provide a qualitatively different learning experience than any educational tool available other than actual hands­on experience. It is however impossible to demonstrate the ability of such experiences to provide superior learning outcomes when compared with the real thing. The learning that occurs in the field is normally experiential and direct, especially if students are asked to constantly explore and hence construct learning for themselves, only guided and supported by tutors. However, through virtual experiences the meaningful exploration of a spatial environment might also be undertaken provided the right framework or context is established and the goals or outcomes are made clear including products and assessment that accompany the learning experience itself.

So it can be summarised that IT-based learning tools for virtual field study are simply a system to enable, support and further enhance those real experiences at the heart of field studies.

Regular visits to the Virtual Montana Web site will provide you with an updated list of current accessible visits to undertake. They will be ranked by theme and also by type. They range from collections of photographs and observations to three-dimensional landscapes. Please submit samples of virtual fieldtrips to donertk@hope.ac.uk

Karl Donert, Senior Lecturer and International Fellow
Liverpool Hope, Hope Park, Liverpool, L16 9JD, UK.

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This issue has examined some of the problems faced by fieldwork organisers, and some of the possible solutions to these problems. There are a number of Outdoor Education and Field Study Centres throughout the UK that offer residential and day courses in a range of curricular and non-curricular subjects. Many of these centres provide equipment and teaching facilities, as well as on site tutors with an in depth knowledge of the local area and expertise in a range of outdoor activities.

The following reviews illustrate some of the centres available to groups taking part in fieldwork in the UK. If you would like to highlight any other examples either in the UK or worldwide, please contact us at virtualmontana@hope.ac.uk

Field Studies Council

The Field Studies Council (FSC), with remarkable foresight, was established in 1943 to foster a better understanding of the environment through practical fieldwork undertaken from Centres with a wide range of landforms, and uses and habitat types. The environment around a field centre is, in effect, an outdoor classroom. By the time the present environmental movement had got into its stride, the FSC was a mature and experienced organisation. Many of today's leading biologists and geographers in the UK had their early days enriched by one or more courses at FSC centres.

Well researched locations
Getting the location right is an essential first step and the FSC now has a network of 15 Field Centres, in prime sites across England and Wales which are used as bases from which to explore the surrounding areas. Many Centres are in specially converted buildings of historic interest, and they all have access to superb teaching sites which have been evaluated for safety and teaching suitability. Five Centres are located in National Parks, others in or near NNR's and SSSI's - FSC is involved in the management of the former at Slapton Ley in Devon and Malham Tarn in North Yorkshire.

Wide range of options
We have a very wide range of course options though we maintain the flexibility to modify and adapt to specific syllabus or teacher requirements. You may want to come for a day or a week, or something in between. Most Centres cater for residential courses, though some offer day courses and Epping Forest Centre is purpose built for day visitors. The residential Centres offer a full service and a self catering option is available at Blencathra Centre in the Lake District.

Experienced Teaching Staff
Experienced teaching staff with specialist knowledge and fieldwork expertise lead FSC tutored courses though you may prefer to provide your own tuition. Alternatively you may prefer to share the tuition on one of our Centre-assisted courses. All FSC staff have a strong commitment to field studies and environmental work. In addition to their general knowledge and teaching skills, they all have a first class understanding of their local/regional environment and related issues.

Courses to suit your syllabus needs
Our experience in educational fieldwork is unequalled and we listen to the needs of our customers and develop courses which meet these demands. FSC courses are carefully designed to meet the curriculum and syllabus demands at all levels. Subjects include geography, biology, ecology, environmental science, geology, and leisure and tourism. They complement Common Entrance, Key Stages 3 & 4, GCSE, A level and others such as GNVQs and International Baccalaureate.

For further information visit www.field-studies-council.org

Kindrogan Field Centre

Kindrogan Field Centre is located in a beautiful, secluded glen in the Southern Highlands of Scotland. We have a wide range of habitats and landscapes that are easily accessible form the Centre, and have excellent lab/conference facilities. While it is a fairly remote situation, it is within 2 hours drive of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, and we will pick up visitors travelling by public transport from Pitlochry train station.

We cater for school parties, university groups, and offer a wide range of adult courses. We have several labs & a range of field equipment available for visiting groups, and can offer advice on local sites and Health and Safety.

We also run organised field courses in both geography and biology, specialising in upper school studies (e.g. Advanced Higher/A-level). Our courses cover a variety of field techniques and equipment use, with follow up sessions including data analysis and evaluation skills.

Geography courses on offer are: River Studies, Soils and Slopes Studies, Morphological / Geomorphological Mapping, Rural Land-use Mapping and Rural Town Comparative Study. Our Advanced Higher Geography courses are extremely popular with teachers and students, as we were able to offer 3-day or 5-day courses during which a variety of studies could be completed. This gives students good experience of the key techniques as specified in the SQA arrangements. We have carefully selected our study sites, and all of our studies are fully risk assessed.

For further information, visit www.kindrogan.com

Leeson House Field Studies Centre and Carey Outdoor Education Centre

Leeson House is a beautiful, early nineteenth-century, listed building. It is situated in the Isle of Purbeck, an area of outstanding natural beauty surrounded by World Heritage status coastline. The unique geological sequence and wide range of landscape and habitats make Purbeck an ideal and popular venue for fieldwork. The Centre's extensive grounds contain a wide variety of habitats including ponds, meadows and woodlands.

Carey Outdoor Education Centre is a camp-based Centre situated on the edge of Wareham Forest. The Centre is within walking distance of the historic town of Wareham whilst Poole Harbour, Arne RSPB Reserve, Corfe Castle, Higher Hyde Dorset Wildlife Trust Reserve, Bere Regis and the Purbeck Hills are also nearby. The local environment is rich in opportunities for the exploration of natural history, local history and geographically based studies. The marvellous woodland also inspires a wide range of creative activities including environmental art and music.

Both Centres have a comprehensive range of field studies equipment, ICT facilities and well-stocked library.

Almost any topic or theme can be followed whilst staying at Leeson and Carey. Underlying all courses is a strong emphasis on PSHE, together with many opportunities for work in literacy, numeracy, art, music, citizenship and ICT.

Groups can take part in a wide range of activities based at other Dorset County Council Outdoor Education centres, e.g.: climbing, canoeing, low ropes or Ancient Technology.

For contact details and further information, see our website at:
www.dorset-cc.gov.uk/outdoored

Dorset and East Devon received World Heritage coast status in December. Information can be found on the Jurassic Coast website.

Mountain Water Experience

Mountain Water Experience, one of the South West's premier activity providers, run a residential field studies and activities centre located in the South Hams district of South Devon. The surrounding areas of coastline and moorland offer clients the opportunity to explore, study and experience nature at its best.

As the national curriculum constantly changes we are continually searching out new sites for environmental study. The local district has a wealth of river estuaries, old woodland, seashore sites and beaches from which data can be easily retrieved.

Part of the MWE operation is the provision of adventurous outdoor pursuits. As Dartmoor is only a short distance away there are excellent opportunities for climbing, hillwalking, camping, caving and many other associated activities. Mountain Water Experience is licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority, is an approved British Canoe Union Centre and a registered provider for the Mountain Leaders Training Board. All of the staff have a wide range of experience both educationally and in the outdoor industry.

Open throughout the year the centre can cater for groups of up to sixty students and staff. The accommodation consists of bunked rooms of various sizes and has facilities for lectures and relaxation. The resident chef and house manager delivers home cooked meals to the clients ensuring that their dietary needs are accommodated.

For further information regarding the centre, courses or the local area please do not hesitate to contact the office on 01548 550 675 or take a look at the website: www.mountainwaterexperience.com

The Plas Caerdeon Estate is set in the magnificent scenery and grandeur of the Snowdonia National Park. It is situated in 18 acres of private woodlands and overlooks the Mawddach Estuary, often described as one of the most beautiful in Britain. Since its conversion into a residential outdoor education centre by Liverpool Hope University College, it has played host to many groups taking advantage of the spectacular surroundings to enhance study programmes, or take part in a wide variety of outdoor pursuits.

Plas Caerdeon offers a wide range of activities, from outdoor pursuits such as canoeing, rock climbing and orienteering to geographical and biological fieldwork, creative breaks or residential study. Teaching staff are fully qualified in canoeing, climbing, mountaineering and environmental sciences, and will assist groups to make the most of their time at Caerdeon. Other activities, such as pony-trekking and dry slope skiing can be arranged with the support of highly trained local providers. The Centre can also be used for residential study, drama workshops or music rehearsals.

History

The Manor House was built in 1850 and takes advantage of its stunning location, with panoramic views of the surrounding terrain. Donated to Hope by the Sisters of Notre Dame, Plas Caerdeon has undergone a £360,000 re-investment programme, which has seen the renovation of the impressive stone Manor House and two cottages situated in the landscaped grounds.

Included among its many famous visitors is renowned scientist Charles Darwin, who stayed at Plas Caerdeon in 1869 to work on a revision of his famous publication 'The Origin of Species'.

Safety

Plas Caerdeon is fully licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA). Not only does AALA approve and issue the license, but is also responsible for regular inspections of the Centre and equipment, and the monitoring of instructional staff.

Plas Caerdeon has an outstanding reputation for safety, maintained by highly qualified staff, experienced in outdoor education provision, not only in Britain, but throughout the world.

Accommodation

The Manor House can accommodate up to 60 people with the flexibility of two and three bedded rooms on the second floor, and the option of two, four or eight bedded rooms on the first floor. It also features a games room, and conference room with adjoining spacious lounge overlooking the Mawddach estuary.

Farrow Cottage can sleep up to six people (One double and two twin rooms), while Watkin Cottage caters for up to four people (One double and one twin room).

Catering: Fully flexible, from home-cooked meals to special dietary needs.

Equipment and teaching facilities

Plas Caerdeon provides all specialist equipment and clothing. Telephone, fax, e-mail and office facilities are available. Other facilities include a purpose-built classroom, teaching rooms, small library, laboratory and computer suite. A small fleet of minibuses provide daily transport for groups.

Booking Procedure: Visits to Plas Caerdeon can be booked on-line via www.hope.ac.uk or tel: 01341 430 276.

Trewern Outdoor Education Centre

Established in 1967, Trewern is the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham's outdoor centre. We offer residential activity and field study courses to Primary and Secondary schools. The centre is situated in beautiful countryside on the Welsh border near the small market town of Hay-on-Wye, and accommodates up to 36 students.

All our programmes are prepared in consultation with visiting groups, and are carefully tailored to meet their needs. For junior pupils activities support many areas of the curriculum, with an emphasis on Science and Geography. This is linked to support materials that can be used in the classroom, including a study pack on the 'contrasting locality' of Hay-on-Wye.

From Key Stage 3 to GCSE and A level, students follow courses in Science, Geography and History. Courses can be tailored to introduce the students to a range of fieldwork skills and develop their knowledge and understanding of the subject. Each study area has a bank of studies available; each supported by datasheets and other resources. Follow up work is in two well-equipped classrooms with generous ICT provision.

Centre staff leads all curricular sessions. All instructors are qualified teachers and hold a range of nationally recognised qualifications in outdoor activities. The centre operates within the rigorous standards laid down by the Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority and the guidelines of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The centre is a member of the Brecon Beacons Charter Group and all teaching sites have access agreements.

Further information on our Website - www.trewern.bardaglea.org.uk
E Mail - office@trewern.bardaglea.org.uk
Telephone - 01497 820512
Fax - 01497 820056

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