The book is divided into five parts:
With its well-structured coverage, effective illustrations and foundation for further, more-focused interest, this book is easily accessible to all.
It is an essential reference for undergraduates and postgraduates studying environmental management and sustainability, and an important resource for many students on courses including environmental science, environmental studies and human geography.
Chris Barrow is Founding Editor of the journal Land Degradation & Development and continues to work on it. His research and publications focus on environmental management, land degradation, water and agriculture, tropical highland environments and smallholders. He has undertaken research in Malaysia, the sub-Antarctic, highland Morocco and Amazonian Brazil (floodlands). He lectured at Hull University (1975–77), joined Swansea University as a Lecturer in 1978, and retired from a Readership in late-2011. He worked as a palaeoecologist with the British Antarctic Survey (1972–75), gained a PhD from Birmingham University (1977) and a PGCE in 1978.