Category: Common Place

What is the importance of knowing the geography of your community?

What is the difference between rural and urban geography? In the rural environment, it is possible to understand the changes that happen in the local landscape.

What happens when communication is electronic, and it is not related to place?

With these questions in mind, what is the ‘definition of a ‘community college’? On top of that, what does it mean to manage a ‘centre of geographic sciences’ in a community college context, in a rural landscape?

This leads my thinking to CORAH. A Centre of Rural Aging and Health. What exactly is rural aging? Aging in Place? Where does technology fit into the picture? What is the relationship between health in a rural landscape, when compared to an urban landscape?

Certainly, there are many citizens who elect to live in a rural landscape, where it is easier to monitor the changes in the wildlife populations, old growth forests, agricultural practices. Human densities are lower. There are less of the trappings of the ‘built’ environment.

Recently, I have been exploring ‘hidden treasures’ (see posts Hidden Treasures, Landscape and Food, Treasure Hunt and Micro Adventure) in its various forms. Paul Colville informs me that there are painted rocks at the Margaretsville wharf.

Edward has challenged me to define the role of community in understanding our local geography, our sense of place. To complement the role of our educational institutions.

Many years ago, we instituted this relationship with MapAnnapolis.

Perhaps it’s time for a second thought, with CORAH in mind, as well as the changes in access to new technologies.

Certainly, Edward and myself would be happy to join others in the community to see what is possible. We have all the elements. We just need to continue the conversation.

Yesterday, Heather and I walked in Valley View Park.

I did not take my phone or iPad. On the walk, we discovered some interesting stones. One thing led to another.

Today we returned to the Park with my iPad. I took the following photographs.

Can you find the treasure ?

Today, I had a second iteration. I noticed some stones at COGS. Again, this could provide material for a second treasure hunt (or geocache).

Let’s take the concept to a higher level. Imagine you wanted to engage students at COGS in exploring the landscape of Annapolis County. You could locate ‘geocache’ or treasures on various trails, bicycle routes, canoe routes etc. The treasures should be hidden on accessible public land.

Would this be a way to engage students at COGS with the surrounding community? Conversely, could this engage the community with resident students?

The common denominator would be a better understanding of our landscape.

The end result could be a book of hidden treasures of the Annapolis Valley. Ideally, the treasures would be natural features. They could be viewpoints or picnic sites too.

POSTSCRIPT FROM EDWARD

I sent a note to Bob, to include the following link and graphic in one of his posts. He hesitated, then wrote, “Please adapt the blog to include the information. I am biased. I do think the Brits have a better handle on Geography, the discipline than Canada“.

This global survey supports his “bias”.

2024 Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects
in GEOGRAPHY
Note how well the UK schools rank. Seven schools in the top 10 tell me they’re doing something right. Maybe COGS should look closely at this to unearth what makes the UK institutes so strong. Going out on a limb here, COGS could adapt or adopt valuable lessons from this ranking (and invite some UK geography talent?). UBC didn’t do too badly.