At a conference called by the Royal Society for the Arts, their President, HRH Prince Philip, laid down a Royal Challenge: that all parties with specific interests in the countryside should work together to achieve a sustainable future for our rural areas. His premise was that there are too many single-issue groups campaigning in isolation and that their interests often conflict; what is needed is a co-ordinated approach to the management of our countryside. World-renowned environmental campaigner David Bellamy has now written this book which highlights the many problems facing our rural areas. Although currently grabbing the headlines, fox hunting is not the only controversial issue affecting our countryside: wind farms; organic farming; the right to roam; species conservation and control - these are just some of the topics discussed in a no-nonsense way by Professor Bellamy, one of the world's leading experts in conservation.Not all is doom and gloom, however, as is shown by the many case studies of successful projects that are going on throughout the length and breadth of these islands and that provide examples of how co-operation and understanding can advance the cause of every countryside interest group. As you would expect, Bellamy pulls no punches; his conclusions and recommendations are typically forthright. There is, however, no doubt that if they are heeded, the future of the British countryside will be far brighter. This is a book that must be read by anyone who cares for Britain's greatest asset - its countryside.