Collaborative Land Use Management: The Quieter Revolution in Place-Based Planning

Collaborative Land Use Management: The Quieter Revolution in Place-Based Planning discusses the less-regulatory approaches to land use management that have emerged over the past 35 years, analyzing the collective value of such place-based planning approaches as land trusts, open-space ballot measures, watershed conservancies, ecoregional plans, and smart-growth initiatives. Collaborative Land Use Management appraises these trends from physical, social, economic, civic, and environmental justice perspectives. Mason seeks to answer such questions as: ·What are the environmental justice implications of smart-growth efforts? ·How is the property-rights movement affecting collaborative planning? ·What is the significance of newly created planning regions? ·What do these approaches mean in the larger context of the future of the American landscape? ·How do we begin to evaluate and assess these efforts? Robert Mason pulls together a wide array of land-use planning initiatives into a synthetic and critical story. Incorporating many insightful case studies, Collaborative Land-Use Management is intended for planners, practitioners, policy-makers, geographers, and students with interests in environment and landscape.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Introducing the Quieter Revolution Chapter 2 Lead-up to the Revolution Chapter 3 The Politics of Place Chapter 4 Protecting Regional Landscapes Chapter 5 Slowing Sprawl, Saving Places Chapter 6 Let a Thousand Local Initiatives Bloom Chapter 7 Counterrevolutionaries Chapter 8 Evaluating the Revolution Chapter 9 A Quieter Future?

About the Author :
Robert J. Mason is associate professor of geography and urban studies and director of environmental studies at Temple University. He teaches courses on human-environment interactions, environmental policy, and environmental tourism, and is the author of Contested Lands: Conflict and Compromise in New Jersey's Pine Barrens and with cartographer Mark Mattson, theAtlas of United States Environmental Issues.

Review :
Hands down the best new-century book on all aspects of contemporary American land-use planning, politics, practicalities, perils, and prospects. Among many other great things, Mason offers a wide and original set of deep case studies, excellent comparative thinking, accessible theory, a knack for explaining hugely complex situations, a superb feel for both historical and current reality, and a tone of clear-eyed forward-looking optimism. Masterly-and encouraging too. Professor Mason captures the essence of today's environmentalism through the smart use of techniques available in our system of local land use controls. He makes a compelling argument that this place-based approach to land management holds the best political promise for continuing to strive for sustainable development and addressing climate change. The unevenness of the 'Quieter Revolution' resulting from a decentralized policy approach is precisely what allows place-based planning to effectively address issues of environmental injustice and to counter 'bigger picture' arguments lobbed by the wise-use and property rights movements. This is a must-read about the current politics and the policies behind the delicate balance between land development and land conservation. This timely book rightly focuses on innovations in land use planning in cities and regions where the public and private sectors are working together to create better communities. Robert Mason convincingly explores both the achievements and obstacles of place-based planning. This 'Quieter Revolution' of local planning partnerships will bear a large responsibility for America's environment and quality of life in the coming decades. Robert J. Mason has done us a favor by informing us of the many "below the radar screen" ways in which important landscapes can be preserved despite limitations in state planning and regulatory authority and often in spite of local governments' unwillingness to exercise their authority. He presents a rich tapestry of public, private, and non-profit tools and techniques that are used to preserve perhaps millions of acres of land each year from development. Collaborative Land-Use Management is an important contribution to the preservation, urban planning, and landscape planning literature. The concepts and discussion that Mason raises are of wider relevance and interest. Rob Mason is on to something . . . and something important! Quietly and without much fanfare, a new phase in the long struggle for sound land-use planning and management has been occurring across the nation. This book provides the first comprehensive analysis and critique of the movement. It is an outstanding contribution. A very good book for presenting the background on the status of collaborative planning....Highly recommended. Mason has given us something of a handbook for the near future of environmentalism in the United States....A century from now, the book will still be relevant.