Publisher's Synopsis
A review of the British countryside - past, present and future, this book looks at the period leading up to the Dower & Hobhouse reports, the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, and the setting up of the National Parks Commission. The author deals with the personalities involved and the decisions made, providing an overview of areas which became national parks, and what subsequently happened to those which did not. In Part 2 of the book, there are a series of commentaries, commissioned by experts in their field, and covering such subjects as National Parks, access to the open countryside, areas of outstanding natural beauty and nature conservation. The book looks at future concerns in Part 3, and assesses what needs to be done to correct any deficiencies in the system.
