Planners and decision-makers today need to be in command of a broader range of tools and information than ever before. Knowledge of the Land aims to show what is available in the way of natural resources information, and how it has been used (or not used) in planning and policy making. For both methods and applications, the authors have tried to provide enough detail for the reader to judge what data, skills, and procedures are required to meet their particular needs, and the ample references give guidance on where to find further information. There has been a notable shift in planning and rural development over the past decade. Technocratic, top-down approaches are still very much in evidence, but there has been an explosion of participatory initiatives. Many institutions cling to sectoral thinking. There is, however, growing recognition that sustainable development involves balancing environmental, social, and economic considerations, Such a balance requires an interdisciplinary approach, both to the the survey of natural resources, and to the use of the information acquired in land evaluation, planning, environmental impact assessment, and the preparation of coherent strategies and policies for sustainable development. The old ways and the new bring insights crucial to meeting these challenges. Both provide invaluable methods of work. By bringing together the standard methods of resource assessment and planning, and new thinking and emerging techniques, this book will help all practitioners to bridge the gap between the two.

Useful and very well constructed book. * Geoderma *
The book has a logical structure with a fluid written style, clear links between chapters and a useful glossary that enables the reader to come to terms with the plethora of acronyms in this field. * The Geographical Journal *
Essential reading for a wide range of audiences ... Knowledge of the Land goes where few such methodological volumes have gone before, into a world of land database development in a postcolonial and postdevelopment era ... few, if any, more thorough, accessible, and thoughtful books on the subject have been published in recent years. * Environment and Planning *
Written in clear language, with detailed examples, and with careful attention to the daily challenges of natural resource information development, the text also takes very seriously the challenges of the antidevelopment critique and of 'participatory' science ... remarkable sophistication ... Pragmatic and extremely clear chapters ... the book represents the closest thing to 'critical pragmatism' of its kind on the market. * Environment and Planning *
Challenging ... brings some fresh thinking into the area and would help theoreticians and practitioners to bridge the gap between the real world and emerging ideas. * International Journal of Environmental Studies *