From MEBUCKNER@wvwise.org Wed Feb 17 21:19:46 1999 Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 04:21:04 -0500 From: Marian Buckner To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu Subject: Highly Recommended New Book on Growth Issues Members of this listserve concerned about farmland loss to development may find interesting a new book that I just read. It is BETTER NOT BIGGER, by Eben Fodor. Its subtitle is: How to Take Control of Urban Growth and Improve Your Community, and its publisher is New Society Publishers. Fodor has been involved in what some would call cutting-edge research on whether growth pays. According to the cover, "If you have had enough of endless growth, and want to do something about it, then BIGGER NOT BETTER ... is the resource you've been looking for." This is a practical, 150-page small softcover book written in a readable, succinct style. Its subject is taking control of urban growth and improving your community, just as its subtitle indicates. It has the potential to help in farmland and open space preservation work indirectly because of its practical, to-the-the-point advice on growth management. One interesting chapter refutes 12 statements that the author calls myths of growth (growth is inevitable, we have to grow to provide jobs, etc.). I found this section particularly useful. Another chapter is "Putting the Brakes on Growth--What Works." Chapter 6 briefly addresses land conservation techniques and has some case studies. Fodor, who lives in Oregon, has excellent credentials, including a Master's degree in urban and regional planning. Some consider him to be one of the Northwest's leading researchers on the impacts of urban growth. His main work now is as a public interest community planning consultant (not in development) doing growth management consulting, impact analysis of development, and planning for sustainable communities. The book sells for $14.95 and can probably be ordered through your local bookstore. It can also be ordered directly from New Society Publishers (800-567-6772) for that price, plus shipping and handling charge,or visit them on the web at: http://www.newsociety.com . Volume discounts are available. Marian To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest". All messages to sanet-mg are archived at: http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail