Option 5.2 Living with hazardous environments

Field study opportunities

·         distributions of different natural hazards, including tectonic (earthquakes and volcanoes), climatic (such as hurricanes and drought) and geomorphic (such as landslides)

·         causes of natural hazards, and the necessity for understanding cause as a means of coping with hazards

·         the impacts that different hazards have upon people, the economy and the environment

·         different ways in which people cope with and manage hazards, depending upon type, cause, or the ability to cope economically

·         how our ability to cope with hazards in future may depend upon factors such as hazard prediction.

• Flash flood case study
  Riera de Ribes, Sant Pere de Ribes

• Coastal managment
  the Sitges coastline

Option 5.4 Wilderness environments

Field study opportunities

·         what we mean by wilderness environments, and how we define them eg harsh climate

·         landforms and ecosystems of outstanding global importance, and indigenous lifestyles and how these might be vulnerable to damage

·         conflicts which develop between indigenous people, wilderness quality, and resource developers

·         how the pressures on wilderness environments can be managed

·         how the environmental quality of wilderness areas might be preserved.

• Ebro Delta: threats to a natural environment
  
  The delta fits several of the criteria that apply to wilderness areas. It covers an area of 320km² ,  retains its natural character and influence and lacks permanent or significant habitation. Much of the land, however,  is under rice cultivation and a wilderness definition that includes  'unmodified or slightly modified land' needs to be clarified in this respect.