This report draws on lessons learned from observations made at seven case study sites, all of which permit economic activities, especially recreation, that are not harmful to the biological values and natural functions of the area. There is now a need to translate these experiences into policy instruments. The guidelines, summarized in some 20 pages, offer sound and well-documented advice on how to proceed.

Much of the country’s recent population growth is situated in exurban areas. By many accounts exurbanization has become the dominant pattern of land development in the country and there is no indication it will slow in the foreseeable future (Theobald 2005; Brown et al. 2005; Glennon and Kretser 2005). By definition, exurban development takes place beyond the metropolitan fringe, often in rural and remote areas. The development of new exurban communities is a growing trend, especially in the West. In this case, developers and homebuilders seek large tracts of land, up to thousands of acres, in rural areas (typically within 50 miles of a large city) where they plan entire communities consisting of commercial, retail and residential land uses. Recreational amenities such as golf courses and hiking/biking trails are often included in these master-planned developments. Our philosophy is reflected in the book’s two objectives. First, we seek to document the extent and impacts of exurban development across the country. At issue is demonstrating why planners and the public-at-large should be concerned about exurbanization. We will demonstrate that even though exurbanization favors amenity rich regions, it affects all areas of the country through the loss of agricultural and grazing lands, impacts to watersheds and land modification. A summary of environmental impacts is presented, including the loss of wildlands and agricultural productivity, land modification, soil erosion, impacts to terrestrial hydrologic systems, the loss of biodiversity, nonnative and endangered species and other topics. Our second aim is to provide readers from diverse (nonscientific) backgrounds with a working knowledge of how and why exurbanization impacts environmental systems. This is accomplished by working closely to ensure contributors follow a specific outline for each chapter. First, contributors will spell out fundamental concepts, principles and processes that apply to their area of expertise (e.g., riparian areas). Contributors will move beyond a cursory understanding of ecological processes without overwhelming readers with the dense material found typically in specialized texts. For this reason, visuals and other support materials will be integral to each chapter. We have chosen contributors carefully based on their record as research scientists and acumen as educators. Second, once the mechanics have been laid out, authors will explain how and why land development in nearby areas influences ecosystems. Issues of interdependency, modification and adaptation, spatial scale and varying time horizons will be featured. Third, contributors will weigh in on the pros and cons of various land-development schemes. Fourth, authors will share their thinking on the merits of conservation devices such as wildlife corridors, open-space requirements and watershed management districts. Finally, each chapter will conclude by identifying pitfalls to avoid and highlighting "best practices" that will mitigate environmental problems or avoid them altogether. In sum, after completing each chapter, readers should have a firm grasp of relevant concepts and processes, an understanding of current research and know how to apply science to land-use decisions.

A system plan is the design of a total reserve system covering the full range of ecosystems and communities found in a particular country, identifying the range of purposes of protected areas and the relationships among the system components (i.e., individual areas, protected areas and other land uses), and different sectors and levels of society. Highlighting key linkages with other aspects of economic development, it shows how various stakeholders can interact and cooperate to support effective and sustainable management of protected areas, and help to establish priorities. A valuable resource for all those involved with national system planning.

Foreword. Nature and scope. Overview of the planning process. Steps in land-use planning. Methods and sources.

Planning and the Rural Environment examines the environmental issues affecting countryside planning. Emphasis is placed on the look and feel of the open countryside, the function and appearance of the rural environment, rather than the problems of its people and the settlements in which they live. Also discussed is the conflict of interest generated between some of the major planning systems concerned with the development of rural activities and the protection of rural resources. Comprised of 13 chapters, this volume begins with an assessment of conflicting views of how a countryside of the future should develop and the degree of control and direction that should take place. The following chapters consider how the emerging range of environmental problems and opportunities in rural planning can best be illustrated. In particular, the dominance of agriculture as a rural activity is analyzed, together with forest and woodland management; leisure activity in the countryside; and conservation of resources and wildlife. The next section is devoted to uplands and the urban fringe, paying particular attention to some of the ways in which rural interests interact in two very different areas. Finally, the development of rural planning is reviewed and issues that are expected to shape the countryside of the future are considered. This book should be of interest to postgraduate students of rural planning and specialists in various fields of countryside planning.