xii Editor's Introduction 



back over his forty-five years of experience in conservation, he ex- 

 pressed his belief that the early conservationists would not be sur- 

 prised at the persistence of some of the big problems nor discouraged 

 at the rate of progress thus far. 



In retrospect, the quality and reception of the whole set of Forum 

 programs more than justified the decision to depart from tradi- 

 tional arrangements. Both the selection of lecturers and the group- 

 ings of conservation subject matter made it possible to look at old 

 problems from new angles and with fresh eyes and to relate resource 

 conservation more closely with the country's total economy and social 

 structure, and with world developments. 



It is hoped that in their present form the essays will be as useful. 

 However, they must speak for themselves; they are offered as a book, 

 not as the literal record of the lectures and discussions. The papers 

 have been edited, and some of them slightly revised by their authors. 

 The record of discussion among speakers and their answers to ques- 

 tions from the audience has not been included, not through lack of 

 some lively and informative exchanges, but because impromptu com- 

 ment is one thing and a carefully wrought book is another. A partial 

 exception has been made for the informal closing remarks of each 

 principal speaker, which represent his only opportunity to reply to 

 the comments of persons who had seen his paper in advance. These 

 statements do not appear as such, but important passages have been 

 inserted in the main texts or used elsewhere as footnotes. 



The essays do not lend themselves to summary; as noted earlier 

 they range too widely and are too undogmatic. What can be said here 

 is that they attest — if further proof be needed — the pervasiveness of 

 resource conservation problems and the potential breadth of future 

 conservation policies. Population; technology; people's needs, stand- 

 ards, and preferences; economic and political behavior — all of these 

 are no less involved than the resources themselves. To get a full view 

 of conservation is to look, from a certain angle, at the whole of our 

 modern civilization. 



Henry Jarrett, editor, 



RESOURCES FOR THE FUTURE 



