Quarries In The Peak District National Park example essay topic

Mining and quarrying were the backbone of Britain's economy since the start of the industrial revolution. Due to cleaner methods in energy production, which have been enforced during last 100 years and the course of developments in modern technology, Britain's principle wealth is now governed mainly by the success of her tertiary businesses synonymous with the larger towns and cities. Nevertheless our standard of living also depends on the supply of aggregates, the most basic of building materials but most commonly used in the construction of buildings, transport networks, tunnels railroads and airports. According to Foster Yeoman (1994) the aggregates industry is five times the size of the domestic coal industry. However, such material often comes from quarries located in areas of high scenic value, which are often National Parks or Areas of Natural Beauty (AONB's) and is raising cause for concern among environmentalists and local communities, but for different reasons. The National Parks of England and Wales were designated as such under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949.

The purposes for which they were designated were to: 'conserve the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of its area and to provide for the enjoyment and understanding of its special qualities by the public' Association of National Park Authorities (ANPA 2001). Furthermore the National Park Authorities (NPAs) are also required to foster the social and economic well being of the communities within the park. ' Scotland however had a much smaller population; therefore the pressures on the land were deemed not to be as great. Consequently places of natural beauty did not warrant the designation of national park status.

Nevertheless, the new Scottish Parliament is currently implementing National Park areas throughout Scotland. Described by Simmons (1974) protected landscape is a non-consumptive resource: the crop is of a visual nature and when this has been taken in by the consumer; the source remains the same and it is the aim of the management to perpetuate this attribute. It is the duty of the NPAs (and their governing body ANPA) to promote methods of sustainable development, which is commonly achieved by each NPA having a 'balanced membership', consisting of local people and those representing the national interest by virtue of their individual knowledge or experience. Many hill, mountain and wetland areas, and their communities depend upon the NPAs and the estimated 100 million tourists who visit the national parks of England and Wales each year.

This figure justifies a lb 40 million contribution by the Government and the European Union to the management of the parks and also enables many places to attain grants from the European Union. The Quarry Products Association (QPA 2001) suggests that there are 1300 quarries currently in operation in the UK producing 210 million tonnes per year: equating to lb 3 billion worth of product, which accounts for ten percent of the nations GDP. Furthermore, the QPA infer that quarrying provides 40,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, primarily to people in rural areas across the United Kingdom. Although these figures are impressive, environmentalists raise concerns over their obtrusion on the landscape.

According to Edwards (1993) approximately 23 percent, totaling 300, of these quarries are located on National Park land in England and Wales and are expected to have devastating affects on natural habitats and ultimately the local economy as tourism may become affected. Map 1. Location of the Peak District National Park Wallis (1992) acknowledged 1200 people working in quarries in the Peak District National Park. However, according to the census of 1991 this figure reflects only 5.1 percent of the working population and not 10 percent as suggested.

The Peak Park itself employs 950 locals on full and part time basis (equating to just over 4 percent of working population) while an undisclosed number of people work in the service industries associated with tourism. However people working in the quarries would be expected to earn relatively high wages taking into consideration the skills involved, extensive training, safety and shift work. Those working in tourist related industries are often paid at minimum wage due to minimum training involved and the fact that many are employees of small business enterprises. With regards to training, size of quarry and location it could be argued that the local economy does not benefit. Scotland's premier 'super-quarry' Glensanda in Morvern, Argyll employs only 170 people from various villages and towns around Argyll, Inverness-shire and Strathclyde, few are not even local to the region.

The reason behind such a small workforce is due to 'innovative materials handling and processing techniques,' developed by Foster Yeoman, a private English company. Delivering materials by ocean going transport, which is easily facilitated by the deep-sea lochs around Glensanda, which reduces the need for lorry drivers and invariably cuts back on expenses. BAC MI estimates that 'a lorry load of crushed rock will double after a 30 mile journey. ' Map 2. Location of Glensanda Large quarries are generally inimical developments, producing dust and noise as well unsightly holes in the surrounding landscape. The only positive attribute is that Port A ppin, the nearest village, located across Loch Linn he is by and large unaffected by pollution due to the transport arrangements.

However, the landscape will be changed forever with the loss of the 2,000 ft mountain and journalist Edwards (1993), has highlighted the fact that the money, which the company was obliged to commit to the reinstatement of the land is grossly inadequate and it is questionable as to whether a natural habitat will ever be regained. Picture 1. Transport arrangement at Glensanda There are potentially 5 other sites along the west coast of Scotland that have been earmarked for super-quarries primarily due to the fact that 'environmental objections are inhibiting further quarrying in England' (Edwards 1993). Although the suggested sites are not recognized as a National Parks they are definitely Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Those in favour of such quarries are corporate businesses and to a much lesser extent local communities, which are torn between the prospects of long-term employment even though it will be at the cost of their scenic environment. Upon casting votes in favour of a super quarry on the isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, Hetherington reported that 38 percent abstained while 62 percent voted yes but many with a heavy heart. Furthermore the benefits appear to be reaped by continental Europe, where '60 percent of the quarried stone' is bound (Foster Yeoman) while the disturbance fund for the island will only receive lb 25,000 per annum. The Yorkshire Dales reputedly provide the majority of the local markets with supplies from their own quarries, 'contributing lb 6 million per year to the local economy' (Dales 1994). Altruistically, local businesses involved in aggregate production appear to be concerned about 7 percent of the local working population whose 'well-being depends on the industry' (Dales 1994). The Dales are rich in chemical grade limestone, which British Steel purchases in tens of thousands of tonnes for their blast furnace on Teesside.

However, in a bid to curtail transport costs they decided in 1992 to opt for road transport rather than to continue using the Red mire to Redcar railway line. Unsurprisingly this cost effective measure meant that as many as 60 lorries each day, six days a week, would be driving through small country villages, which locals feared would inevitably lead to an increase of noise and air pollution and also cause vibration damage to older buildings. Map 3. Yorkshire Dales Many NPAs have taken these concerns into deliberation and have campaigned with local authorities to the DoE to re-route the journeys taken by industrious vehicles. Furthermore they also drive to curb the detrimental visual impact that quarrying has on the landscape. In the case of Top ley Pike Quarry in the Peak District, established at the beginning of the 20th Century, applications to extend the existing quarry will not be granted if certain criteria are not met.

Included in these conditions are the planting trees to act as screens to nearby villages, the building of stone walls and the banking of soil and waste to provide similar type barriers. In the event that the terms were accepted and the application granted, a gesture of goodwill was made by officials that can only be described as 'quid pro quo': allowing the temporary closure (albeit 3 minutes, 3 times a fortnight) of a local road to make way for the blasting of the rock face. Aggregates are finite resources, which have taken millions of years to form and relatively few years to extract and deplete. The QPA estimates that a typical rock quarry may last approximately 40 years and 10 years for sand and gravel. The restoration of land that has been quarried may then be returned as near as possible to its previous state or to benefit wildlife and / or the community. It is the suggestion of a Foster Yeoman director that where Mount MacArthur once stood, in Morvern, a scenic glen will take its place.

There are numerous reasons for the demand of aggregates but the causes are simple: capitalism and consequential population growth. Therefore, quarrying in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty will remain a contentious debate, as it will (arguably) benefit local and national economies. The demand for stone is synonymous with the demand for a healthy economy. However, when the resources become depleted there is a strong possibility that either extension will be granted or new sites found so as to perpetuate the economy and develop the buildings and infrastructures that modern society needs. Population growth in Britain is creating a demand for quality housing, which is already encroaching onto Green Belt areas, giving reason to believe that there is every possibility that future generations may be turning to National Park areas to build housing estates.

Invariably, as the population rises more people will want to visit the national parks. However, it is the concerns of the environmentalists that there will be little left for them to appreciate due to our blatant abuse of resources. It is not a viable option to phase out quarrying altogether as even though we are using non-renewable resources it is evident that they play a requisite part in our everyday lives. However that is not to suggest that we keep abusing them as we have been doing during the last century. Rather than sending aggregates abroad it might be worthwhile levying a hefty tax that make them less attractive to purchasers. Furthermore each legislative government ought to invest time and effort into enforcing recycling policies of aggregates, which would potentially reduce the amount of stone being quarried whilst providing more jobs.

Although employment in mining and quarrying has been falling and is significant only in relatively few areas although it still plays an important part in the economy at both national and local levels' Brad beer (1987)

Bibliography

McGarvie M. Foster Yeoman 75 Butler & Tanner A Pictorial History 1998 Simmons I.
G. The Ecology of Natural Resources Edward Arnold 1974 Classroom Handouts Wallis E.
Geofile: UK Mines and Quarries April 1992 Edition 194 Leaflets Glensanda Quarry 1994 Rough Guide to Operations Internet sites web 30 April 2001 web 27 April 2001 web 2.
html 02 May 2001 web oh me.
html 02 May 2001 web 02 May 2001 web 07 May 2001 REFERENCES Wallis E.
Geofile: UK Mines and Quarries April 1992 Edition 194 McGarvie M.
Foster Yeoman 75 Butler & Tanner A Pictorial History 1998 Simmons I.
G. The Ecology of Natural Resources Edward Arnold 1974 web web 2.