This volume consists of eleven original papers that survey the state of the art in research and public policy regarding specific problems and opportunities confronted by resource communities. The papers are international in scope, dealing with the experiences of resource communities in four nations—Canada, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United

This book integrates the most current research findings on the economic, demographic, fiscal, and social consequences of rapid growth in rural communities and offers strategies that can be used to mitigate the often disruptive impact of that growth. While working extensively with government officials and citizens in rural communities, Drs. Weber and Howell became aware of the need for a compilation and synthesis of the research on rural growth; they subsequently invited scholars working in selected topic areas to contribute to that effort. The resulting papers were refined during a meeting sponsored by the Western Rural Development Center, edited, and brought together in this volume. Incorporating 1980 census data, the book outlines the spectrum of changes associated with rapid growth in rural areas, presents specific options for managing rapid growth, and suggests a model that communities can use for impact assessment and for monitoring the effectiveness of various management strategies.