We find vastly different settlements established beside a large variety of interesting geographical features giving  advantages and challenges.

We learn a little of the forces that created the vastly different geographical features and explore the various ways the communities lived with these.

Studies take is to settlements involving -   Mountains     Flood plains  Desert lands  Volcanoes  Coasts  Active faults  Antarctica   Major constructions   Mining & Milling   Farms   Education   Harbours  Tourist attractions  1860's Gold Rush Areas  Pre European (Stone Age) Maori

Studies can involve:-  Town Planning   Holiday homes    Transport    Flood protection  Declining communities   Ghost towns    Developing communities   Water and waste systems  Surveying retail outlets, businesses, Homes,   Museums   Industries   Town planning,  Leadership and administration,

Settlements in the Mining & Milling Zone  KANES feel these offer the best learning about settlements because of the biggest variety and most extremes conditions. Settlements are small and are easier to comprehend, they have had the most upheavals with swings from poverty to wealth and back and coping with remote, locations, wild weather, and difficult transport.

Settlements in the Desert Adventure Zone  KANES find groups enjoy the gold rush settlements that either faded into ghost town or boomed into attractive tourist towns boosted by attractive desert weather, and environmental beauty.

Alpine Trails Zone  and  Alpine Grandeur Zones KANES feel these are best Zones to explore high mountain settlements.

Settlements in other Zones now predominantly support farming industries, with a some interesting exceptions.  They have varying backgrounds that can be explored in local information centres and museums,  and all still provide excellent settlement study opportunities.