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Virtual Montana (ODL in support of fieldwork studies)

Virtual Montana is a three-year Open and Distance Learning Project coordinated by Liverpool Hope supported under the Minerva Action of Erasmus. The project originated in 1999 and is now in its final year of funding. Virtual Montana seeks to:

• establish an educational Web site (http://www.virtualmontana.org)
• develop and promote on-line curriculum materials supporting fieldwork studies
• transfer the experience of ODL technology
• encourage multipliers in using the Web and
• create a information source of geographical information on fieldwork and about mountain areas.

In order to achieve these goals the project team are

1. producing a series of new electronic publications about fieldwork environments,
2. creating a forum for communications between those involved through modern information and communications technology,
3. developing a Web-based learning environment,
4. carrying out trials and tests to further develop the on-line support for fieldwork studies in order to create additional suitable tools to enable and encourage Open and Distance Learning
5. identifying and disseminating resultant models of good practice concerning the use of learning environments such as this

We hope that much of this will be achieved via this electronic newsletter and the future publication of the International Journal of Fieldwork Studies, a peer-reviewed eJournal due at the end of 2002. Calls for the submission of papers and notes for contributors will be available soon on the Virtual Montana Web Site (http://www.virtualmontana.org), and details will be published in the next edition of the Newsletter.

The newsletter is the latest development in the Virtual Montana Project, which has sought to develop online resources to support Geographical Fieldwork in three locations. Since 1999 the project partners, Liverpool Hope, University of Bucharest, University of Lyon 3 and the Field Studies Council, have developed web resources aimed at undergraduates to support fieldwork in mountain environments, focussing on North Wales, the French Alps and Romania.

This first issue of the Virtual Montana Newsletter marks the completion of the second phase of the project. The aim of this newsletter is to provide a source of information and up-to-date communications about fieldwork issues and research, predominantly in the fields of Geography and Environmental Studies. This will be supplemented by the latest news, details of events and reviews of resources. It is anticipated that each issue will have a features section focussing on a specific theme. We hope you will actively contribute.

The proposed themes for future issues are:

Issue 2: Fieldwork Constraints
The problems faced by lecturers, tutors and teachers when organising fieldwork, especially cost, access, expertise, health & safety and organising time.
Possible solutions: i.e. grants / funds.

Issue 3: Fieldwork Impact
Sociological Interaction
Student driven feature on the effect of fieldwork within modules, considering both the learning impact and social development.

Issue 4: The Future of Fieldwork
As legislation, bureaucracy and costs make fieldwork more difficult, does fieldwork have a future in the academic curriculum? Theory verses Practical argument.

Issue 5: Environmental Impact and Sustainability of Fieldwork
As some fieldwork sites become over run with students and teachers, what effect is this having on the surrounding environments and is it sustainable? Investigate ideas and possible solutions to protect these sites.

Issue 6: The effect of Tourism on the Mountain Landscape
As we celebrate the European Year of the Mountain, this article will investigate the impact of people on mountain environments, especially post 1945. As society has more leisure time, will this have an irreparable impact on the mountain habitat?

For further details about the project please contact Karl Donert, Project Co-ordinator at donertk@hope.ac.uk or Amanda Plumb, Project Assistant at plumba@hope.ac.uk.

Karl Donert, Project Coordinator
Liverpool Hope, Hope Park, Liverpool, L16 9JD, UK.

The Second International Conference on 'Rural Space and Regional Development', 26-30 September 2001, Cluj Napoca- Micesti, Baia Mare- Vadul Izei- Carbunar, Romania.

The second Conference on Rural Space and Regional Development was held between 26-30 September 2001 in Cluj - Napoca, Micesti, Baia Mare, Vadu Izei and Carbunar.

The conference was attended by geographers specialising and interested in this field, from Romanian universities and from the Romanian Academy. The conference also attracted 31 international specialists from Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Yugoslavia, and United States. The conference included 5 sections:

• Rural Development and Regional Development - Development programmes and strategies
• Rural Economy and Sustainability
• Rural Population
• Physical Elements of Rural Space and Rural Tourism
• Rural Settlements and the Complex Systems of Settlements

Altogether 89 papers were presented. They were of a high academic level and interest. The following keynote presentations were included in the opening session:
'Keeping the Villages' (Dr. Valise Surd, Geography Faculty, Cluj-Napoca),
'Quelle agriculture pour domain?' (Dr. Simone Denueyer, Universite Libera Bruxelles).

The gathered specialists decided to inform Romanian state institutions of the need to publish 2002 Census data at village level. So, during the conference the participants produced, analysed, voted and adopted the text for the official letters to be sent to the Romanian Ministry of Public Administration and the National Commission for Statistics.

This conference, through the papers given and the discussions held, has opened a new door in the understanding of rural space and regional development. At the same time it provided a major initiative to encourage and sustain Eastern European geographers to attend the 2004 IGU Congress in Glasgow, UK. The conference ended with establishing its next event for 2005.

Daniela Dumbraveanu, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, B-dul N. Balcescu no 1, Bucharesti, cod 70 111, Sector 1, Romania.

LTSN-GEES Subject Centre has a Successful First Year

As many colleagues will be aware, in January 2000 the Higher Education Funding Councils established a network of 24 subject-focused centres collectively known as the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN). The main aim of the centres is to promote and disseminate good practice in learning, teaching and assessment. The University of Plymouth was chosen to host the Subject Centre for Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences (LTSN-GEES) which became operational with a full staff complement just over a year ago. For this reason, we thought that 'Virtual Montana Newsletter' readers might welcome a summary of the activities and services that we have been providing in our opening twelve months or so. The events listed below illustrate the kind of work which LTSN Centres undertake and colleagues are encouraged to make use of their own discipline-based Centre (which you can locate through http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/)

Some LTSN-GEES Key National Events

• Launch conferences on quality assessment: London and Edinburgh
• Residential Conferences for New Lecturers: Birmingham
• C&IT in Fieldwork Conference: Leeds
• International Conference on HE Geography: Plymouth
• Motivating Students Workshop: Kingston
• Environmental Science Swap Shop on Assessment: Kingston
• Conference on embedding careers education in the curriculum: London
• Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences National Conference: Plymouth
• Disabilities and Fieldwork workshop: London
• Special Education Needs and Disabilities Conference: Coventry
• Improving the pedagogic effectiveness of fieldwork workshops: London and Coventry
• Various contributions to other conferences in the UK and overseas
• National programme of 30 departmental workshops: across the UK

Some of our Other National Activities and Services

• Four Learning and Teaching projects funded and in progress
• First three issues of PLANET published (our learning and teaching magazine)
• A website: http://www.gees.ac.uk
• Network of departmental contacts established and operating across the UK
• Register of interest established
• Good practice database updated and extended: http://www.goodpractice.gees.ac.uk
• Information Gateway project in progress: http://www.tellus.ac.uk
• Links established with a wide range of relevant UK and overseas agencies
• Successful bids for £100,000 additional funding for work on pedagogic research and on learning and teaching guides

Our first-year programme has received a very positive review from the Centre's evaluator, Prof. Harold Silver, and also from the relevant professional bodies and colleagues around the country, and we are now looking forward to a busy and productive second year.

If you would like to know more about LTSN-GEES or have suggestions as to future events or activities, please do not hesitate to get in touch (e-mail - info@gees.ac.uk, telephone 01752 - 233530).

Finally, do remember that although LTSN-GEES is focussed primarily on the three disciplines we are designed to serve, we are part of the wider LTSN Network. So, if you have not yet made contact with the Subject Centre for your own discipline, why not do so now? We can provide the link, or as indicated earlier, visit the main LTSN web-site (http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/ ) for more details.

Steve Gaskin
LTSN-GEES
sgaskin@plymouth.ac.uk

Features

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FSC Battle with the Foot and Mouth Crisis in the UK

By the time you read this, the foot-and-mouth-disease (FMD) crisis will, hopefully, be over. But even if the countryside is apparently back to normal, the ramifications of the FMD outbreak are likely to be long-lasting and widespread. What has FMD meant for the Field Studies Council? There seem to be two, rather separate, issues to consider. One, an immediate source of anxiety, is the financial solvency of our charity. The other is how the very nature of the FSC's work will be affected in the aftermath of FMD.

One immediate lesson, which has dawned on many people for the first time, is that the countryside is not just about farming. The rural economy does, of course, include - farming but there is much more besides. Tourism and recreation are now recognised as major economic activities, much more important than farming indeed. Images of pubs with beer but no drinkers, or towns like Keswick with open shops but no customers, have become a regular sight on our TV screens. The complex and integrated nature of the rural economy has been all too plainly demonstrated. Rightly in many ways, the sympathy has been for the farmers who have lost their livestock, but many other rural businesses have lost their livelihoods too. There has, however, been little mention in the press of other sorts of business that depend on open access to the countryside, but many - like the RSPB or the county naturalist trusts - have been hard hit.

So too the FSC. Many groups have cancelled or postponed courses. Often there has been good reason - inability to reach the particular field sites meant that field courses lost their purpose. But in other cases, such as the cancellation of marine biology courses in West Wales, there was no good reason at all. 2001 has been a tough year for the FSC therefore, and whereas we might have hoped to make a decent surplus, we shall be lucky to break even. The FSC depends on its "primary trading" - our income from donations and bequests is very small - so our charity relies maintaining a viable business. There is no safety net except our assets, stored up for a rainy day. FMD is our version of the tropical downpour!

However, all is not doom and gloom. The FSC always tries to be a caring employer and we can take some pride in the fact that we have not had to make anyone redundant. True, we have not been able to offer our usual short-term contracts this summer, but we have been able to keep on our permanent staff, and even given them a deserved pay rise this summer! Nor have we had to close a center for long periods, though folk at Malham and Blencathra in particular must have felt pretty close to closure on occasion. Staff have been inventive in finding new sites, making use of archive data and centre grounds and so on. For many visitors who did make it to a centre, our staff have been able to provide them with high quality course in an "outdoor classroom". FSC staff deserve the highest praise for their commitment and sustained enthusiasm during this very difficult period. The executive committee expressed that very sentiment at its June meeting and I am very proud to repeat it here.

However as the old adage puts it, it is an ill wind that does no one any good, and FMD may just have triggered a rethink on a number of issues that was long overdue. We are now, for example, much more aware of the vulnerability of our teaching sites. There has been interest for some time now in protecting sites, trying not to over-use them. But FMD takes us beyond ecological protection and raises questions about access. Centres like Slapton, which have their own grounds, are clearly in a better position than some others, and the executive may need in the future to pay more attention to the need to acquire its own land in order to provide guaranteed access to teaching sites.

FMD has also created new opportunities for teaching. There are bound to be questions about the future of farming and, more generally, about how we manage our rural land. Where does FMD leave the farmers? They have always claimed to be the stewards of the countryside, but this line has been hard to accept in recent years, when their rush to earn generous subsidies has been as the expense of soil erosion, drainage of wetlands and loss of hedgerows. But now, perhaps, there is a real chance for farmers to become carers of the countryside. New approaches to price support will hopefully place environmentally friendly land use ahead of production, enabling them to farm sustainably and maintain the landscape as visitors would wish to find it.

FSC tutors are in prime position to observe any changes in farming - and more generally in our rural communities - as they occur, and to use such material in their teaching. A-Level geography thrives on "decision making exercises". Questions like: What was the impact of FMD on the rural economy? Will the mix of businesses operating in rural areas changes as a result? How will farming change in the future? Will the impact vary geographically? Will the landscape suffer or benefit? (who judges?)

The geographers may study the changing patterns of land use and rural business, the biologists can see how plant succession proceeds as fields are abandoned or, more generally, how rural biodiversity benefits (or not) as the intensity of farming changes.

So, the Field Studies Council looks as if it has survived the FMD crisis. Finance apart, FSC has indeed gained - a refreshing look at where we teach, and new opportunities for what we teach. All our centers are important players in their own local economies, and as they take part in the recovery, and whatever changes may come along, like all good social scientists, they can be "participant observers", noting what happens and explaining it all to their students. It was interesting to learn too that the FSC was a recommended website for those from abroad wishing to find out about access to the UK countryside; we were praised for our good practice in how to take groups into the countryside during the FMD outbreak. But above all, we have been reminded of the exceptional staff who work for the FSC - I hope they will realize that their hard work this year has not been in vain, not at all, despite the lack of financial return.

FMD was an ill wind certainly, but (daring too mix metaphors) there will be some silver linings too!

Professor Tim Burt, Chairman, FSC Executive Committee

This article is taken from the FSC Magazine. No. 21 Autumn 2001. Pages 4, 6 & 8, with kind permission of the FSC.

Fieldwork: Virtual to Real, Real to Virtual or Virtual 'v' Real?

The heightened perception of fieldwork/out-of-classroom activity as a high-risk undertaking was fuelled by the tragic deaths of four young people on a variety of outdoor activities in July of this year and placed increasing pressure on those who believe that first hand experience of the environment is an important if not seminal experience for all young people. Fieldwork leaders; lecturers, teachers, students etc have a heavy burden of responsibility placed on their shoulders in an ever increasing litigious climate to ensure that experiences are accident free. This expectation of risk free experience may have changed as a result of the events of Sept 11!

Another factor that has affected attitudes to fieldwork has been the view that the timing of the activity can be disruptive to learning, especially where students are studying a number of modules. Others complain of the disproportionate level of resources in terms of time and money that fieldwork activities consume. Very rarely is a detailed cost benefit analysis undertaken either by advocates or detractors of the 'fieldwork experience'. With the increasing pressure in Higher Education, 'To do more with less' cost effective options and/or meaningful alternatives to 'Real Fieldwork' are sought, with Virtual Fieldwork being one alternative.

There are a range of web sites, CD-ROM and videos which address elements of a personal investigation or enquiry whilst others attempt to provide a more holistic approach: some of the approaches require relatively passive roles from the students whilst others are dependent on a level of student interaction. The Virtual Montana and Anglia Campus sites, as at Easter 2001, were illustrative of two approaches.

Virtual Montana offers a depth of contextual information on mountain environments in France, Romania and Wales. The material available in text, figures and images could provide the background reading that a student requires to identify a particular topic of study. Alternatively the material can be used as secondary data to add an extra spatial and/or temporal dimension to the primary data collected. Secondary material can provide exemplification from other case studies in different areas and assist in the development wider understanding of the topic of study that may allow the student to place their individual work in a wider context or relate to geographical generalisations.

The site provides appropriate guidance on health and safety practice for those working in small groups or alone. A listing of basic fieldwork techniques plus a bibliography provide students the opportunity to reflect on topic selection data collection options. Web sites such as 'Virtual Montana' can be seen as a stimulus and support for the student, pre and post fieldwork. The inclusion of undergraduate and post graduate work, the sharing of best practice, peer review and support 'chat boards' for individual enquiries will offer clearer support and guidance for the inexperienced and an 'aid memoir' and feedback/peer review opportunity for the more experienced.

The pilot 'Coastal Process and Management' material trailed by Anglia Campus* in conjunction with the FSC at Dale Fort Field Centre offers a slightly different emphasis with a target audience at post-16. This is a focussed programme putting the west Pembrokeshire coast into an UK/Welsh context and requiring the student to explore what they can see in the various images. Each 'correct' response by the student is logged and reinforced by computer. The student is requested to develop a number of key questions that might be explored on this particular stretch of coast. Questions are posed regarding sampling strategy and a number of options explored and data generated form each approach. Data collection techniques are illustrated through both still and video images and data collection templates are provided. The student, wherever possible, is given the opportunity to practice a technique on the screen. Exemplar data sets are generated and consideration given as to how the data might be analysed with guidance and opportunity to practice graphical and statistical techniques. Management options as to hard or soft engineering are explored by reference to uses at other sites in the UK and with access to cost information students can undertake a cost/benefit analysis of the options available and integrate their preferred option(s) onto the coastline.

The Anglia Campus site with its interactive format encourages student engagement in determining what topic should be studied, what data collected and how it should be presented and analysed. A range of secondary data is also available to broaden the scope of the study. The data sets available were relatively small though it was envisaged that site users would have the opportunity to access the secondary data banks of the field centre network. This approach could be seen as preferable a fieldwork experience whilst remaining in the warmth and comfort of the classroom or computer laboratory, especially by those whose assessment might be by some form of written skills paper. Others will see an opportunity for a preparation activity prior to an actual field visit. Alternatively for modules that include Issues Analysis, this format could provide both the physical and human dimensions required to explore such matters.

Each leader and student has to determine whether the virtual fieldwork alternatives meet their needs. It is a question of 'fitness for purpose'. Both the sites referred to in this note offer a great many things. As fieldworkers who still believe that there are benefits; cognitive, effective and social, in 'learning geography through your boots' then the web sites discussed are seen as an ever important resource in pre and post fieldwork experience, allowing the time at the fieldwork site to be used most effectively instead of discussing the pros and cons of the soil auger or the spade!

*Anglia Campus is now part of the Granada TV Co.

Anthony Thomas, Field Studies Council
adt@field-studies-council.com

(This note is a synopsis of a workshop presentation made by Richard Thomas and Anthony Thomas (FSC) at the Geographical Association Annual Conference 2001.)

A Carpathian Experience

Last September (September 2001), 11 students and 2 staff from Liverpool Hope undertook fieldwork in the Romanian Southern Carpathians. This fieldtrip was the first outing for a new, year three module at Liverpool Hope - 'The Carpathians: geomorphology and landscapes'. This fieldwork-based module provided extensive fieldwork to examine the physical environment (geomorphology and ecology) of Romania and particularly the Romanian Carpathian mountains.

The Liverpool Hope party were accompanied on the field visit by geomorphology staff from the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest. The staff (Professor Nicolae Popescu, Marian Ene and Bogdan Mihai) were invaluable as organisers, guides and interpreters throughout the 10-day trip. The experience not only covered a large area of Romania but it also took in some of the most spectacular scenery that Romania has to offer.

Fig.1 Simplified Route Map

After arriving in Bucharest, the group undertook a long journey across the Romanian Plain to the University of Bucharest's field centre located in Orsova (south-west Romania). The field centre is located up-slope from the river Danube and affords spectacular views over this major river to Serbia (Yugoslavia).

Fig.2 View from Cuicaru Mare down the Kazan section of the Danube Gorge

The second theme of the trip was to examine the high mountain geography and ecology of the highest mountain group in the Romanian Southern Carpathians - the Fagaras Mountains (70km long, E-W orientated ridge). Before reaching the second main location, Balea Lac, the group spent two days travelling through several of the physical units that comprise Romania - Getic Plateau (pediment), Sub-Carpathian Hills, Southern Carpathians, and the Fagaras Depression (Transylvanian Depression). Some stark contrasts in the landscape were crossed during this journey mainly reflecting the variety of geological and structural units. Some key locations worthy of mention are the Cerna River valley, Mehedinti Mountains and Plateau, Ponoare (Fig.3) (Baia de Arama) and the Olt River gorge. The final stage of the journey up to Balea Lac involved a steady ascent into the high mountain region along the renowned Trans-Fagaras Highway (Fig. 4). This route provided the greatest contrast in altitude of the whole trip - from about 600m altitude in the Fagaras Depression to 2034m altitude at Balea Lac (Fig. 5).

Fig.3 Ponoare - karst features (sinkhole and flood lake with deposits in centre of image)	Fig.4 Upper Balea Valley (glacial trough) and the route of the Trans-Fagaras Highway

During this ascent of the northern slopes of the Fagaras Mountains some significant variation in the mountain geomorphology and vegetation was observed. The fluvial valley form (dominated by fluvio-torrential processes) of the lower valley abruptly gave way to the glacial trough form (dominated by cryo-nival processes) of the upper valley (Fig. 4) (after Balea Cascada/Waterfall). A noticeable change in vegetation distribution and type was also evident. Vegetation changed from forested slopes dominated by Beech (Fagus) in the lower valley to those dominated by Spruce (Abies) in the upper valley.

Fig.5 Balea Lake (cirque lake) - courtesy of Mioara Ghincea

The most interesting feature at the Balea Lac cabin (Fig. 5) was that it is situated above tree-line in an alpine glacial environment. The main activities on this part of the trip were to investigate the impact of glacial and post-glacial processes and the alpine ecology in this high mountain region of the Romanian Southern Carpathians.

The final stage of the visit was the return journey back to Bucharest. This involved taking the tunnel through the mountains to the southern slopes of the Fagaras Mountains and the decent down the Capra and Arges river valleys. Once again variations in the geomorphology and vegetation were observed. The two slopes (N and S) of the Fagaras Mountains provided an excellent contrast in observing variations in aspect on controlling the extent of glaciation and the distribution of vegetation.

Before reaching Bucharest, once again the group crossed several of the physical units that comprise Romania - Central Fagaras Depression, Sub-Carpathian Hills, Getic Plateau (pediment), and the Romanian Plain. As with the journey to Balea Lac, some contrasts in the landscape were crossed during this journey mainly reflecting the variety of geological and structural units. Some key locations worthy of mention are the Arges River valley, Vidraru Dam, Arges Sub-Carpathians, Arges Hills and the Pitesti high plain.

In conclusion, the Liverpool Hope group had a very exciting and thoroughly interesting fieldtrip to Romania. Marked differences between the Romanian landscape and the UK were clearly observed and noted by the students on the trip. Romania and the Romanian Carpathian Mountains make an excellent location for undertaking this type of fieldwork. The country also provides a fantastic opportunity for staff and students to make comparisons with other mountain groups and physical environments in Europe in order to gain a fuller understanding of the dynamic nature of the landscape of Europe.

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

Reviews

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The Glacier Garden Museum, Lucerne, Switzerland
(Gletschergarten, Luzern)

The Glacier Garden is a museum and a unique monument to the last ice age. The garden contains excellent examples of giant potholes formed under the ice sheets. Discovered in 1872, the glacial features and museum are open throughout the year to visitors.

The museum has an outstanding collection of alpine relief maps, displays of rocks, alpine buildings and an exceptional 3-D model of the city and surroundings of Lucerne dating from 1792. The 'Hall of Mirrors', Glacier Diorama (multimedia show) and the alpine garden and tower are an ideal opportunity to find out about the landscape, scenery and geology of the central part of Switzerland and of the Alps as a whole.

The Glacier Garden and Museum are also on the Web at http://www.gletschergarten.ch, email info@gletschergarten.ch

Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment

The Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) is a global network focussing on mountain biodiversity research. It is the 12th STAR (Special Target Area Region) project of DIVERSITAS (Paris), an umbrella programme to coordinate research in the biodiversity sciences at the global level, which followed from the Rio protocol.

The website http://www.unibas.ch/gmba/ contains information about the GMBA, its goals and planned network activities. The introduction to the First Global Conference on Mountain Biodiversity that was held in Rigi, Switzerland, in September 2000 has links to the conference abstract book with almost 100 abstracts to the conference talks and posters. Many participants agreed to contribute to a "milestone" book volume on "Global Mountain biodiversity: changes and threats" which should be available by the year 2002, the "International Year of Mountains".

A series of GMBA workshops are planned for the next year covering the themes:

• Linking mountain grassland diversity with fire, grazing and erosion
• The assessment of mountain biodiversity: a synthesis of concepts and methods
• Functional significance of biodiversity
• Conservation ecology at high elevation
• Mountain biodiversity and climate
• Genetic diversity, evaluation and speciation in alpine communities

The site also contains useful links to several global and regional initiatives and events.

Events

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To add or remove yourself from the free newsletter mailing list, send an email with the subject heading 'Subscribe' or 'Unsubscribe' to virtualmontana@hope.ac.uk
Please ensure you include your name, country of residence and email address in all emails*.

*This information will be treated confidentially and will only be used to monitor Virtual Montana Newsletter circulation.

Contributions to future issues

If you would like to contribute to a future issue of the Virtual Montana Newsletter we would be pleased to receive articles, news items, reviews and details of forthcoming events. To send a contribution or for further details please email virtualmontana@hope.ac.uk.
The next issue of the Newsletter is due for publication in January. The theme of the newsletter will be: Fieldwork Constraints - The problems faced by lecturers, tutors and teachers when organising fieldwork, especially cost, access, expertise, health & safety and organising time and possible solutions: i.e. grants / funds. Please email contributions for this next issue to be received by Friday 21 December.