Agriculture has been the biggest single modern influence on the development of the British landscape. The nature of agricultural systems has been moulded by government and European policy. The module will cover UK agricultural systems and their impacts on landscape scale habitats. The secondary driver of non agricultural rural development will be examined and how the two together are influencing change in the modern UK landscape. Agricultural diversification and its associated impacts will be examined. The effectiveness of biodiversity action plans on development will be discussed.

The module will be delivered through 15 hours of lectures and 6 hours of site visits, the site visits covering 2 sites are compulsory. This will consist of 3 hours a week over 5 weeks with 1 full 6-hour day for site visits.

The 129 hours of independent study is to be split approximately 79 hours reading, 50 hours assignment preparation.

An evaluative assignment weighted at 100% consisting of 3000 words (LO 1, 2, 3, 4)

Formative assessment will take the form of short answer questions mid module and review of assignment plan prior to final submission.

Internet Access
Library

Bayliss-Smith, T.P. (1991) The Ecology of Agricultural Systems. Cambridge University Press
Pretty.J (1999) The Living Land: Agriculture, Food and Community Regeneration in the 21st Century Earthscan Publications LTD
Soffe, R. (2005) The Agricultural Notebook. Blackwell
Soffe, R. (2005) The Countryside Notebook. Blackwell

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