Geographical Links

The Evergreen Forum

GEOGRAPHICAL LINKS

This year we will look at some major geographical issues from the seven continents and the oceans of the world. An environmental theme will form the basis of our discussion but we shall try to be positive and not dwell too much on degradation.

Session 1 will focus on forests, why they are located where they are, why they are valuable, why they are exploited and what can be done to save them. We’ll use South America as our jumping off point.

For session two we will visit Australia and focus on the conservation of water. Why is such a large continent so short of big rivers and of water? How is water stored, how do we access it, are we using more from our accessible stores than is being replaced?

In Asia we might look at the impact of rapid industrialization on our environment. Why have some areas of Asia developed so rapidly, in contrast to the lack of industrialization in much of the African continent? What impacts does this development have on the environment?

When we look at the oceans, our eighth "continent" for the purposes of this course, we can look at the value of mangrove forests, the role of coral reefs and the deep water as a sink for carbon dioxide. How is man impacting on the seemingly vast, untouched ocean areas?

This leaves us with Europe, North America, Africa and Antarctica. If we manage to look at all four of these we may consider the impact of tourism in Europe and beyond, using the Alps and Mediterranean as our launching pads; at urbanization and sub-urbanization in North America, perhaps beginning with Los Angeles; and at the impact of global warming in Antarctica. In Africa we shall concentrate on everything that is good so that we have a truly hopeful and positive image of a continent that is still so beset by conflict and poverty.

Covering such a vast topic as the world and its environment will necessitate a thoughtful approach. I hope, first, to paint a broad picture of the chosen continental area so that we all start with a similar knowledge base and then to look at just one or two specific schemes or impacts. The structure of the whole course at this stage is deliberately flexible so that we can adapt it to suit our group.

Suggested reading:

Although there are no required texts I’d like to recommend a very good, light read that will help with understanding the Australian Continent, and that is Bill Bryson’s book "Down Under" published in 2000. Some of you may find "Why Geography Matters" by Harm de Blij interesting. And the geographical Magazine often has articles of interest. Try "Alaska’s Rain Forest" in July 2007.

Leader: Helen Goddard was a geography teacher in Cambridge, England.

Thursday: 10.30 a.m. 12.30 p.m.

8 weeks beginning September 27.