KS3
and
G.C.S.E.
Level
Geography - National Parks

Decision Making Exercise - Tourism in the National Parks

The Decision Making Exercise is based on a small village and farm located in the remote part of an imaginary National Park called Cragdale. Dalecourt Farm lies just outside the village of Bringleton which is about 10 miles from the town of Limeley. Peter Barton and his wife Sarah have run Dalecourt Farm for about 15 years. Peter keeps a large herd of dairy cattle which in the past consisted of over 100 animals. Like many farmers in recent years, Peter has been put under a lot of pressure to produce less food. Farmers in Britain had become too efficient and were producing more food than we needed. Peter was adding to the European 'milk lake' and now he has to agree to an E.U. quota which states that he cannot keep more than 80 dairy cattle. If he overproduces, he has to pay a financial penalty.

In the last couple of years, Peter and Sarah have been looking for ways of diversifying - this means making an income from ways that don't depend on farming. Sarah and a friend from the neighbouring Turnham Farm, have already set up a small business making speciality cheese. These hand-made cheeses are sold to tourists visting the area. Sarah sells some to a local shop but also sets up a stall at Dalecourt Farm in the summer months. Sarah and Peter both agree that encouraging visitors to stay on the farm will bring in extra income from the fees that they pay and will also enable Sarah to sell more home-made products directly to the public. Peter has located two suitable fields close to the farm where visitors can park caravans and pitch their tents. He would need to make only a small number of changes to set up a new Camping and Caravanning Site:
  • He would need to extend an underground power line so that he could provide lights at the entrance.
  • He would need to convert an old barn into toilet and washroom facilities.
  • He would need to convert a second building into a small shop selling farm produce.
  • He would need to put up some signs to advertise the Camping and Caravanning Site.
Planning permission from the National Park Authority is needed for all of these changes.



CLICK HERE to read what a group of local people have to say about Peter's plans for Dalecourt Farm.

CLICK HERE for the Decision Making Exercise tasks.


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