Conference reports/Book review

monitoring and evaluation of sites did not exist, a number of regions such as Severn Trent were engaged in pre- liminary surveys. Standards were still poorly defined and often development control procedures were inadequate and misguided.

Solutions, according to Harris, re- quired legislative control, greater cooperation between local planning authorities, landowners and industry, and increased funding to help re- clamation. Even though the NRA has powers under Section 161 (Water Re- sources Act 1991) for works to prevent pollution, the cost of solving the prob- lem is likely to be in excess of Xl00 million. If we are serious about clear- ing up our water, said Harris, then a central funding system is required.

ing and remedying contaminated land. In looking at attempts to identify con- taminated land, Acres reflected on Section 143 of the EPA 1990, where the need for registers was identified. These were, however, delayed for six months in April 1992. Should such registers be introduced, it will clearly have environmental implications for both buyers and sellers of land and property. The uncertainty created could cause the already shaky housing market to crack completely in some areas.

to upgrade and treat contaminated land. The forms of grant aid were identified as DLG, City Grants, Local Grants and European funding. However, not all these grants were available to private and public sector alike, and many types of treatment were not eligible for funding. It was obvious that the rules as they existed did not always function in the best interests of the area; money was clear- ly not available in sufficient quantities and no priorities for reclamation ex- isted nationally.

In November 1991 the NRA pro- duced a policy initiative, ‘Policy and Practice for the Protection of Ground- water’, in which six key areas were identified. One of these was contamin- ated land, and within this area the use of Section 106 agreements was strong- ly encouraged by the NRA, to control and monitor ground and groundwater contamination.

While accepting the need for regis- ters, Acres said that the HBF also saw the need for flexibility to be intro- duced into the systetm, ie deregistra- tion following successful treatment, appeal against registration and in- creased grant provision.

The conference pointed the way to the future. In short, there is potential to ‘clean up’; our European partners have made us increasingly aware of the issues, and it is now up to us - all of us - to act to improve our future development.

The final speaker to address the conference considered the highly sig- nificant issue of funding. Virtually all of them agreed that it was of great significance to any successful proposal

Jean Badman School of Estate Management University of Central England

Birmingham, UK

Book review Harris finished by giving some illus-

trations of how the NRA approached the problem of contaminated land in the Midlands. He indicated that the Severn Trent region had been operat- ing a phased programme since July 1991. Initial assessment of the prob- lem shows well in excess of 200 con- taminated sites, and much further work is needed. Significant resources are required, as is a greater willingness by government to address the issues.

Insights into rural law AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND LAND USE

broader shifts in the rural economy and the position of farmers. The result is the series of anomalies anatomized

Law and Policy Issues for Rural Areas here by Rodgers in his excellent chap- ter on management agreements, and

edited by W. Howard and C. Rodgers by Lennon who looks at the legal problems now facing some farmers

University of Wales Press, Cardiff, setting aside land. UK, 7992, 278 pp This may sound dry stuff, but the

legal nitty-gritty is fascinating and

Developer’s view

The developers’ viewpoint was pre- sented by John Acres of the House Builders Federation (HBF). Develop- ment and redevelopment, he said, were affected by various ‘carrot and stick’ government initiatives, ranging from Green Belt policy and Urban Development Corporations to grant aid.

Since Circular 21/87, contamination of land has been a ‘material consider- ation’, and consequently government has been exploring the means and methodology for identifying, record-

Ignore the rather unpromising main actually of great importance if the title of this book and concentrate on economic and legal sides of the rural the sub-heading, for this is an excel- policy equation are to balance. In a lent series of essays on a neglected chapter on the role of planning law. topic. There are now plenty of books Harte forsees a general transforma- dealing with the extensive use of eco- tion of the legal framework surround- nomic instruments in the conservation ing farming in conservation in the field but few which assess the state of direction of greater integration. the law regarding conservation and though it is unclear whether this will land use. be through a general extension of

As the editors point out, legislative planning law or continued recourse to and planning control over rural land specific ad hoc controls, perhaps exer- has tended to develop in an ad hoc and cised over limited areas. highly cautious way over recent years, Not all the contributors to this often failing to keep up with changes volume are lawyers, and there are in grants and subsidies and with broader reviews of the policy and

86 LAND USE POLICY January 1993

Book reviewlcalendar

Society. More details from: Prof J.L. van Genderen, ITC, PO Box 6, 7500 AA En- schede, The Netherlands (Tef: +31 53 874 254; Fax: +31 53 874 436)

*26-29 April 1993, Cook College, New Brunswick, NJ, USA ‘Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS): A Tool for the 90s’. One of a series of short courses in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to be run by the Office of Continuing Education of Rutgers Universitv. More details from: Office of Continuing Profes- sional Education. Cook Colleee. PO Box 231, New Brunsiick, NJ 089O<Oi31, USA (Tel: +l 908 932 9271; Fax: + 1 908 932 8726).

administration of conservation as well as close legal analysis. The chapter by Reynolds and Sheate discussing the recent reorganization of conservation agencies in the UK is one of the most incisive analyses of this topic the wri- ter has seen. Other policy chapters are less successful, such as Wrathern writ- ing on European issues. Whereas his discussion of less favoured and en- vironmentally sensitive areas policy is very competent, he misses an oppor- tunity to examine the difficulties of implementing national environmental schemes and programmes in an EC

Calendar

legal framework. However, the book generally suc-

ceeds in its aim, and the editors’ claim that the essays ‘provide penetrating . . . insights into the state of our land’ is well justified. It will be invaluable both as a source of detailed informa- tion about rural law and as a stimulat- ing, if eclectic, collection of essays reviewing its efficacy, consistency and future direction.

Clive Potter Wye College (University of London)

Wye, Ashford, UK

This calendar is based on information provided by the respective organizers and from secondarv sources. LAND USE POLICY welcomes information on all meetinas suitable for listing-in this section. Copy deadlines are three months ahead of cover-dates. An asterisk denotes a new entry.

*S-8 January 1993, London, UK Institute of British Geographers Annual Conference. More details from: Alison Hind, Administrator, Institute of British Geographers, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, UK (Tel: +44 (0)71 584 6371; Fax: +44 (0)71 581 9918).

fLl1 February 1993, Pasadena, CA, USA Ninth Thematic Conference on Geologic Remote Sensing: Exploration, Environ- ment, and Engineering. Topics addressed include: Spectral Geology; Petroleum Ex- ploration; Remote Sensing of Active &a&s; Environmental Remote Sensing; Geologv of the Pacific Rim; Energv and Mine&i Exploration; Remoie Se&g in Marine Environment; and Cartography. More details from Nancy J. Wallman. ERIM, PO Box 134001, Ann Arbor, MI 48113-4001, USA (Tel + 1 313 994 1200 ext 3234; Fax: +1 313 994 5123).

*15-16 February 1993, Palmerston North, New Zealand Climate Change Symposium: 17th Interna- tional Grassland Congress. More details from: Agronomy Department, Massey IJniversity, Palmerston North, New Zea- land.

15-19 February 1993, Tunis, Tunisia CODATU VI: Sixth Conference on the Development and Planning of Urban Transport in Developing Countries. Cen- tral Theme: Sustainability, Poverty, De- velopment: Selecting a Transportation Sys- tem. More details from: CODATU Asso- ciation (GCPC), Grande Arche, Paroi Nord, 92055 Paris la Defense, CBdex 04, France (Tel: +33 1 40 81 23 04; Fax: +33 1 40 81 23 93).

*16-18 February 1993, New Orleans, LA, USA 1993 ACSMiASPRS Annual Convention and Exposition, in conjunction with the 60th Meeting of the Permanent Congress of FIG. Industries represented in the ex- position include photogrammetry, remote sensing, urban planning, municipalities, geodesy, cartography, surveying, land and geographic information, forestry and ecol- ogy. More details from: 1993 ACSh4/ ASPRS Annual Convention and Exposi- tion, 5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite ‘100, Bethesda. MD 20814-2122. USA (Tel: tl 301 493 O&IO; Fax: + 1 301’493 82&i)

*9-12 March 1993, Valdivia, Chile International Symposium on Systems Analysis and Management Decisions in Forestry: ‘Forest Management and Plan- ning in a Competitive and Environmentally Conscious World’. More details from: Andres Weintraub, Dept of Industrial En- gineering, University of Chile, PO Box 2777, Santiago, Chile (Tel: +56 2 6897895; Fax +56 2 6894403).

April 1993, Scotland, UK A colloquium on Maps and Africa. More details from: Dr Jeffrey Stone, Director, Aberdeen University African Studies Group, GlO Old Brewery, King’s College, Aberdeen, AB9 2UF, Scotland, UK (%I: +44 (01224 272534: Fax: +44 CO)224 48861 i) .’

_ ,

*19-23 April 1993, Enschede, The Nether- lands Internation~ Symposium, ‘Operationaliza- tion of Remote Sensing’, organized by the ITC, EARSeL, the Dutch Remote Sensing Board (BCRS) and the Remote Sensing

25-27 May 1993, Washington, DC, USA ‘1993 Federal Environmental Restoration’: Conference and Exhibition. More details from: Hazardous Materials Control, Re- sources Institute, 7237 Hanover Parkway, Greenbelt, MD 20770-3602, USA (Tel: + 1 301 982 9500; Fax: + 1 301 220 3870).

27 June-10 July 1993, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK 14th International Seminar on Environ- mental Training and Managc.ment. More details from: Centre for Environmentai Management and Planning, 23 St Machar Drive; Old Aberdeen, LB2 IRY, Scot- land, UK (Tel: +44 (0)224 272483; Fax: +44 (0)224 487658).

*1%15 July 1993, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe Symposium on ‘Water, the Lifeblood of Africa’. Sub-themes: Water Services for Rural Communities, Land Use, and River Engineering. More details from: John San- ta Clara, PO Box 1748, Harare, Zim- babwe, or Prof David Stephenson, Private Bag 3, WITS, 2050 South Africa (Tel: +27 11 7162560; Fax: +27 I1 4032062).

18 July-11 September 1993, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK 8th International Training Course on En- vironmental Assessment and Management. More details from: Centre for Environ- mental Management and Planning, 23 St Machar Drive, Old Aberdeen, A62 IRY, Scotland, UK (Tel: +44 (0)224 272483: Fax: +44 (0)224 487658).

2-6 August 1993, Wageningen, The Nether- lands XVth Congress of the European Society for Rural Socioloev: Agricultural Change. Rural Society andY_the State. More de&s from: (Local Arrangements Committee) Anton J. Jansen, Agricultural University, Department of Rural Sociology, Hollan- desweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen, the Netherlands (Fax: +31 8370 82166); (Sci- entific Committee) David Symes, Universi- ty of Hull, School of Geography and Earth Resources, Cottingham Rd, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK (Fax: +44 (0)482 466340).

LAND USE POLICY January 1993 87