Economics of Rural Land-Use Change

Abstract

This book analyses land use in the US. Far-reaching changes have affected rural areas over the last half century with the spread of cities and the growth in recreational and environmental uses of land. These changes have been effected mostly through the land market. The many failures of that market have led the authorities to intervene increasingly out of concern for the environment. This book meets the need for an overview of the subject by drawing on economic theories and modern econometric methods. Thirteen US economists from among the leading specialists have contributed to the 16 chapters of Economics of Rural Land-Use Change. The result is both a handbook, summarising the state of knowledge, and a presentation of (as yet unpublished) empirical studies illustrating and expanding on these issues. It is aimed at academic economists and students as well as public-sector decision-makers and managers, with the authors providing straightforward and didactic explanations of what are often complex matters without sacrificing scientific rigour and precision.