AS Level Geography - Case Studies

The Eden Project is Helping to Regenerate Cornwall

- Cornwall's economy used to rely on FARMING, FISHING, MINING and QUARRYING but these industries have been in decline since the 1970s and this has DAMAGED THE ECONOMY AND LANDSCAPE which has forced people to LEAVE

 - Relies on TOURISM however most of the tourist industry jobs are SEASONAL and LOW-PAID -> Cornwall has the lowest weekly wages in Britain which has caused OUT-MIGRATION of YOUNG PEOPLE

 - Low wages causes YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEAVE due to the fact that they can't afford PROPERTY -> House prices have INCREASED due to HOLIDAY HOMES-> RURAL AREAS UNDERPOPULATED for majority of year -> SMALL BUSINESSES CLOSE due to LACK OF TRADE-> ISOLATION causes more people to LEAVE -> SPIRAL OF DECLINE

 - Eden Project opened in 2001 and it's an example of RURAL DIVERSIFICATION + REBRANDING

 - Changed RURAL LANDSCAPE + aims to REGENERATE AREA THROUGH ECOTOURISM

 - There is a TROPICAL ZONE, MEDITERRANEAN ZONE and OUTDOOR TEMPERATE ZONE    -> Each contain PLANTS + focus on SUSTAINABLE FARMING

The Project has:

1 - Changed the image of this part of Cornwall to a YEAR-ROUND destination for ECOTOURISTS

2 - Attracted over 1 MILLION EXTRA VISITORS per year

3 - Developed SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH and EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

4 - BOOSTED BY LOCAL FARMING + FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES via LOCAL SUPPLIERS -> INTEGRATED AREA PLAN (IAP)

The Eden Project has Attracted Tourists but Created other Problems too

Positive Effects:

- Visitor survey in South Cornwall showed 36% of people visited the area mainly because of the Eden Project

 - It buys over £7m of LOCAL FOOD PRODUCE annually

 - Generated approximately £150m annually in EXTRA REVENUE to LOCAL BUSINESSES

 - CREATED OVER 500 JOBS and approximately 2500 JOBS have been made due to tthe effects of the VIRTUOUS CYCLE

 - LED TO £75m FACELIFT project for ST AUSTELL TOWN CENTRE

 - LOCAL BUSINESS SURVEY showed that 22% of responses mentioned about POSITIVE IMPACT of the area's IMPROVED IMAGE as a RESULT of EDEN PROJECT

Negative Effects:

- EXTRA VISITORS have produced TRAFFIC PROBLEMS especially in the summer which LOWERS QUALITY OF VISITOR EXPERIENCE and REDUCES chance of people VISITING AGAIN

 - EXTRA CARS create extra GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS which is a massive drawback on the project's FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY -> However the EP and Cornwall County Council have REDUCED the ENTRY PRICE for walkers and cyclists, cycle routes from local towns and the EDEN BRANCH LINE bus-rail link.

 - It keeps NEEDING MORE PUBLIC MONEY-> It has needed £150m in donations from the MILLENNIUM LOTTERY FUND, the SOUTH WEST ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (RDA), the EU and CORNWALL COUNTY COUNCIL