Environment Analysis of Greater Manchester County Essay -- Environment

My essay focuses on the county of Greater Manchester in North West England. A thriving metropolitan area, the county has been a place of interest since its rise in the Industrial Revolution. Greater Manchester is a landlocked county in the North West constituent of England. The Pennine mountain range runs along its northern and eastern borders, whilst the West Pennine Moors are rig on its air jacketern border. To the south lies Cheshire, a flat county with large plains odd by glaciers in previous Ice Ages. Greater Manchester therefore has a graded profile, with steep mountains and hills to the north-east gradually settling out to low-lying, fertile plains in the south-west.The countys geology consists mainly of rock from 3 geological periods the Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic, alongside glacial deposits left over from Ice Ages in the Quaternary period. The oldest rocks seem to be found in the north-east of the county, and the youngest in the south-east. The Permian and Trias sic rocks laid down are indicative of hot, desert conditions with the formation of mudstones and sandstones Red Permian sandstones are overlaid by red, brown and yellow(a) Triassic sandstones and mudstones from the Sherwood Sandstone Group. These rocks are found mainly in southern Greater Manchester. (Natural England). Glacial till is also common in the low-lying areas to the south and west of Greater Manchester. Following frequent changes in climate in the Quaternary period, glaciers have advanced and retreated leaving a layer of glacial deposits in their wake (Natural England). These deposits were transported downstream via meltwater rivers to lowland areas, making them fertile and very useful for pastoral farming. As such, lowland areas have become popula... ...ved January 16, 2011, from Crimestop Guards http//www.crimestopguards.co.uk/manchester.htmGeology Roam. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from Edina Digimap http//digimap.edina.ac.uk/geologymapper/geologymapperjsession id=2E1FABFC46F36A0FF08FE920D9377244?execution=e1s1Greater Manchester. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from Wikipedia http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Manchester modeNatural England. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from Natural England http//www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/geodiversity/englands/counties/area_ID15.aspxSeager, R. (2006). The Source of Europes Mild Climate. American Scientist, 334 - 341.UK Mine & Quarry Listout - North West England. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2011, from UK Mine & Quarry Listout - North West England http//www.aditnow.co.uk/mines-quarries-uk-regions/north-west-england/