Arid Lands of Australia

Three-quarters of the Australian continent is arid or semi-arid. History has shown that man's utilisation of arid lands has, in general, caused progressive deterioration of the natural vegetation, the animal resources, and finally the landscape itself. Already settlement in Australia's arid lands bears all too evident witness to damage and degradation. Each additional use of these lands - for grazing, farming, mining - tends to distort the extremely delicate ecological balance of most of Austrailia. In this volume eighteen experts discuss the, often competing, uses and needs of and for the land, the abuses of it, and some possible solutions. The problem is so vast and widespread that no single state could tackle the problems, let alone tackle them successfully. Before it is too late, the problems of preserving the arid lands for present and future generations challenge the nation and the national government.