Geog 3340.1(.2) Geography of Nova Scotia
Instructor: Dr. Hugh Millward
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Course Overview
This course provides an introductory perspective on the Geography of Nova Scotia, stressing the human-land relationship as it has evolved from pre-historic times to the present day.
The course begins with a survey of the natural environment, or the "endowment of nature" as Andrew Clark termed it. Major topics here are bedrock and surficial geology, climate, and natural vegetation.
We then follow the sequence of settlement and trace the province's evolving cultural and economic geography. A section on resource industries takes each of the primary industries in turn: agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and mining. We pay particular attention to issues of resource depletion, changing market conditions, and the decline / restructuring of each industry.
The historical evolution of the urban system is traced, as is the rise and transformation of the major industrial districts. Recent decline and restructuring in these districts is then examined, and the role and effectiveness of economic development policies are assessed.
Relationships between economic and demographic change are considered, with particular emphasis on problems of rural decline and rural sustainability.
The course concludes with a consideration of current planning and land-management issues. Topics include transportation, housing, and business parks in urban areas, and recreation, environmental protection, and non-resident land-ownership in rural areas.