Glaciated Landscapes & People
Farming on Glaciated Landscapes
Glaciated landscapes are used in many ways. In some regions the land present is very valuable as the soil is fertile and the land is flat on the base of the U shaped valley floor. The soil here is often comprised of heavy clay soil and can be used for dairy cattle and some crops, such as turnips and potatoes.
The steep mountainous sides of the valley however, mean that the land can not be ploughed. Also with the weather in some areas being very cold, wet and windy, the conditions are not suitable for farming anyway.
Sheep farmers have low incomes, so many have diversified and developed ways of earning extra money from such as shops and by taking school tours around the area.
Many demands mean many conflicts
Water
With glaciated valleys having the ability to hold water, due to the steep sides acting as a basin, many water companies wish to flood the land and use it for Hydro Electric Power. Conservationists however believe this ruins the landscape and should not be carried out, whilst at the same time tourists believe the water has potential for leisure activities such as water skiing.
Infrastructure
Road builders find the land very suitable for developing on, due to the flatness and straightness of the valley floor. The roads attract many more visitors as access is improved to the area and more car park spaces are built. Farmers find the tourists often leave gates open, damage stone walls by climbing over them and do not abide by the Countryside Code.
Conservation
Due large influxes of tourists to the area conservationists feel the scenery is spoilt due to overcrowding and erosional processes that occur, such as footpath erosion.
All of these scenarios pose problems for National Parks in which many glaciated landscapes are located. The authorities have to balance out the various uses and demands without destroying the nature of the resource that has attracted so much interest in the first place.