Friday Photo (50) - Britain's Geological Wonders - Arran

ARRAN, UNITED KINGDOM - DRUMADOON SILL
Drumadoon Sill, found on the Island of Arran in Scotland, is a spectacular example of this type of igneous feature, formed when molten rock forces its way in between two layers of rock below the ground.
(c) Geology for Global Development 2012

Lessons from China (2) - Active Landslide Video

Below is a video of an active landslide in the Gansu Province of China, observed on the 13th September 2012. This slope face had reportedly been falling apart since the previous afternoon, and had resulted in the evacuation of a number of houses. At the base of the slope is a small river, and there was concern that the material could block the river and result in flooding.

You can see a number of features within the video, including large boulders bouncing and a constant (dry) flow of material.

Lessons from China (1) - Introduction

As highlighted on the GfGD blog last week, I have recently returned from the First International Symposium on New Techniques for Geohazards Research and Management in the Gansu Province of China. This conference encompassed two days of presentation relating to landslides, debris flows and management strategies followed by four days in the field, travelling 1200km by road to visit sites of major landslide activity.

The beauty and magnitude of the landscapes there was enormous, ranging from magnificent loess terraces, to sharp limestone mountains and vast sediment-laden rivers. It was, however, the raw vulnerability of communities that impacted me most - The desperate need for improved science and engineering, but an even greater need for better communication, decision making, education and understanding of how to build resilience. 

Posts about various aspects of this trip, case studies and challenges, will come in the near future. In the meantime, here are a few photos taken from the trip. Look out on Wednesday for a video of the active landslide in the final picture below.

Landslide in loess terrain (Heifangtai, Gansu Province, China)
(c) Geology for Global Development, 2012

Construction of a large debris flow channel to reduce the risk to the community at the bottom of the valley. A deadly flow killed over 1500 people in 2010.
(Zhouqu, Gansu Province, China)
(c) Geology for Global Development, 2012

An active complex landslide - with failure occurring in both the loess material and bedrock
(Gansu Province, China)
(c) Geology for Global Development, 2012

Friday Photo (49) - Britain's Geological Wonders - Guernsey Granite

GUERNSEY, UNITED KINGDOM - GRANITE COASTLINE
The predominantly granitic geology of Guernsey has allowed quarrying for building stone, and formed some beautiful coastlines that draw many tourists to the Channel Islands. 
(c) Geology for Global Development 2012

Establishing New University Groups

GfGD currently has University Groups established in Cambridge, Leicester, Leeds and at UCL. In the new academic term we expect to launch groups in Oxford, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Plymouth - and we are currently in conversations with a number of other places.

Over the summer we've put together some resources to help students establish new GfGD University Groups. This set of guidelines will help students to understand how to establish a University Group or affiliate their existing student geology society with GfGD. 

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzuh3zrCojYWNHFHOENjbEgtVWc

We've also put together a list of possible activities for University Groups, and activities that we are doing on a national basis.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0Bzuh3zrCojYWX3VLS1ZjUWtjZ0E

If you're a student, and interested in helping to set up a group then have a look at these and get in contact If you're an academic, why not suggest to students at your institution that they explore the possibility of setting up a group.

China: New Techniques for Geohazards Research and Management

Last week I was in China at the First International Symposium on New Techniques for Geohazards Research and Management in Gansu Province, China. This conference combined a series of talks about geohazards (particularly focusing on slope instabilities and debris flows) and hazard management strategies with a series of field visits around the Gansu Province in China. One of these visits includes to Zhouqu, where a significant landslide in 2010 killed more than a thousand people. 

Whilst mainly presenting information about my PhD research, I also took the opportunity to share some of the principles and work of GfGD. Any management of geohazards must take a holistic approach, understanding the importance of both engineered solutions, and also reducing community vulnerability. GfGD is working to champion a greater understanding and practice of the latter within the geoscience community. Next week we will post a report of the conference, together with a number of photos and case studies. 

Friday Photo (48) - Britain's Geological Wonders - Chevin Geology Trail

CHEVIN FOREST, WEST YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM - GEOLOGY TRAIL
The Chevin Forest Park Geology Trail has a leaflet outlining several parts of the local geology, and you can even download audio files outlining the features you are looking at. A beautiful and interesting afternoon near the historic market town of Otley, West Yorkshire.
(c) Geology for Global Development 2012

Cabinet Reshuffle: Change at DFID

As mentioned on GfGD's Facebook page - last week David Cameron reshuffled his Government, and made some changes to the Department for International Development (DFID).

Andrew Mitchell who has served as Secretary of State since 2010, and Shadow Secretary of State since 2005 moved to another brief within the Cabinet. He was replaced by Justine Greening. Lower down the ministerial ranks, Stephen O'Brien (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for International Development) was also replaced by Lib-Dem MP Lynne Featherstone. Alan Duncan retains his position as Minister of State. 

Many people will have their own opinions about the successes and failures of the past two and a half years of Coalition Government, and in particular how DFID has progressed. You can read a variety of posts and opinions on the Guardian (see Jonathan Glennie, Liz Ford and Sol Oyuela for example). The general feeling from tweets, articles and blog comments however seems to be that Andrew Mitchell can leave DFID with his head held high. After five years as Shadow Secretary of State, he was described as being one of the 'best-prepared' secretary of states with genuine 'commitment to the sector.' 

Here a few of my own thoughts. In my opinion, and I would certainly welcome other's thoughts and comments Mitchell has been one of the higher profile Secretary of States in recent times, bringing some positive leadership and direction to this department, that showed that a genuine belief in the importance of development. In the difficult economic climate, there has been little (vocal) public support for ringfencing DFID's budget. Despite this, Mitchell has worked solidly to defend and promote the importance of supporting the world's poorest communities which must be commended. It is regretful and disappointing that he didn't oversee the promised legislating of 0.7% of GDP to international development. I also have concerns that the focus on value for money, which is not unwelcome, could bring about a reluctance to support projects bringing long-term results. Vaccines are much easier than hygiene education for example. It should also be noted that Stephen O'Brien was held in high regard by a number within the development community. 

Justine Greening and her ministerial team, therefore have a big responsibility to build on this work, and have a lot in their various in-trays. Greening must continue to fight to win the argument over the 0.7% of GDP, standing up to some fellow Conservative MPs who are sceptical to say the least. In the event of pressure from the Treasury to back down on this pledge, Greening must remember the promise of her predecessor not to balance the books on the backs of the world's poorest. Greening should also re-examine the 'value for money' approach taken by Mitchell - to ensure that DFID are not just taking a short term approach to development, in order to show rapid results. Real value for money comes from investing in long-term change, prevention rather than cure. Alongside these massive tasks, DFID will be taking a leading role in the development of post Millennium Development Goal targets, must continue to implement the HERR recommendations and many other tasks.

Overall, we should be proud of the fact that the UK has an overseas development department, and the work that we do to fight poverty and improve the lives of communities around the world. Both Andrew Mitchell and Justine Greening are privileged to have led and to lead such an important department.  

Reminder: GfGD National Committee Positions

REMINDER - THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS FOR ALL POSITIONS ON THE GfGD NATIONAL COMMITTEE IS FRIDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2012.

GfGD would like to establish our first GfGD National Committee - a group of students and recent graduates ready to volunteer some of their time to help manage a specific area of GfGDs work and contribute to the wider leadership and development of GfGD. (Please note, for logistical reasons, and to help us meet our initial objectives, these positions are currently only open to those residing in the UK)

Positions include: Secretary, Communications Officer, Deputy Communications Officer, University Group Officer, Fundraising Officer, Placements Officer, Resources and Publications Officer, Advocacy Development Officer, Education and Careers Officer

Details of all these positions can be found on our website at http://www.gfgd.org/get-involved. If you are a student or fairly recent graduate, and interested in applying for one of these positions, download the application guidelines and application form from this same page. 

A completed application form, together with your CV should be returned to (joel[at]gfgd.org) by the end of 21st September 2012.

If you are reliable, enjoy working as part of a team, and passionate about seeing good geoscience supporting and informing development then we would love to have your application to join us on this next, and exciting, stage of our journey. 

Friday Photo (47) - Britain's Geological Wonders - Malham Cove

MALHAM, UNITED KINGDOM - LIMESTONE PAVEMENT
We are Geology for 'Global' Development - and so although the focus of our work is the developing world, we thought we'd use a few Friday Photos to profile some of the beautiful geology we have in the UK. Our first example is this limestone pavement and cliff at Malham, in the Yorkshire Dales. Careful conservation of such sites can be used to improve geoscience education and generate income for local economies.
(c) Geology for Global Development 2012

Dan Sharpe: The Importance of Quaternary Mapping in Global Development

After a busy summer of various field projects, Dan Sharpe is back and starts this terms blog posts by looking at the importance of Quaternary mapping... 

Quaternary mapping is a technique not taught on many undergraduate geoscience courses, however it is one that is vital in the field of global development. Mapping Quaternary deposits can tell us whether an area of ground is unstable, problematic (in terms of future development) or a good aquifer and thus is crucial in construction and planning, along with natural hazard protection and water resource management.

Quaternary is the name given to the final epochs of the Cenozoic era; the Pleistocene, the Holocene and the slightly more controversial current Anthropocene (an informal term for the period of human interference on our planet). In other words, roughly the past 2.5-2.6 million years (a tiny fraction of the 4.54 billion years the Earth has existed). Mapping these deposits show the levels of interference of surface processes such as glaciation, desertification, floods and even surface geochemistry and can be a crucial component in understanding a hazard or resource.

Natural Hazards

The type of surface deposit can be a very important control on the intensity of a natural hazard. In particular, the porosity of a soil can seriously affect the flood risk in an area, and mapping this can highlight areas under threat. In developing nations, flooding proves a huge setback in physical development and loss of lives - particularly in southern Asia with the presence of the El Nino and frequent typhoons. Understanding and mapping areas at risk can not only reduce the loss of life during periods of flooding but also mitigate the damage to infrastructure, meaning that there is less need to repair but focus can instead be placed on development.

Marco Dormino/ UNDP

Indeed soils and more specifically soil porosity and consolidation play an important role in other hazards too. The Haiti earthquake of 2010 killed over 300,000 people. One of the major problems in the area was that many of the poorly constructed homes were built on unconsolidated land that liquified during shaking (for details see this information sheet). Liquefaction occurs in almost every earthquake on some scale but in this example an area large enough to cause serious harm was affected, and thus large scale failure of buildings and roads occurred. Understanding the ground beneath which construction is taking place is therefore crucial in aiding the development of nations susceptible to natural hazards.

Water Resources

Sub-surface characteristics can be crucial in the trapping or release of water, particularly precipitation. Mapping quaternary deposits will determine levels of vegetation and type of ground. Levels of surface run-off or infiltration can be mapped as a result. Potential traps may be identified and provide important information on where water will hold underground and where a resource can be exploited. This is an increasingly vital skill in developing nations, particularly Africa. The World Bank Institute (WBI) released a statement in 1999 saying:

“... over the past few decades, use of water has increased, and in many places water availability is falling to crisis levels. More than eighty countries, with forty percent of the world’s population, are already facing water shortages.”

This is a trend that has not stopped and thus it is crucial that geoscience courses include techniques to find water resources, and more generally gaining a greater understanding of near-surface deposits from recent geological history. 

Quaternary mapping is not yet fully integrated into many courses at universities, but is an increasingly important technique when using the earth sciences to aid in global development.

Reminder: GfGD 'Placements' Blog

Disaster Planning in the Solomon Islands
(Photo Courtesy of David Cavell/Greg Smith)

Don't forget to check out the fantastic posts on our placements blog written by Laura Westoby and David Cavell/Greg Smith from the University of Leicester. 

This summer they've been in Indonesia and the Solomon Islands respectively, undertaking work that will contribute to their undergraduate research project. They've also been learning a lot about what it's like to undertake geoscience work in developing countries.