Securing the wet tropics? / editors, Geoff McDonald, Marcus Lane.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 233-240) and index.

This book traces the evolution of human values, attitudes, uses and public policies affecting the Wet Tropics - from exploitative frontier attitudes and policies to longer term rational policies to protective conservation. The Wet Tropics, in miniature reflects Australian attitudes to natural resources management and illustrates periods of "policy succession" as Australians came to terms with their environment and resources. The book is organised in historical sequence to the present explaining the distinct phases of human values and use of the Wet Tropics. It traces Aboriginal occupation and use; the early timber-getters and settlers clearing the scrub for farming; the critical, courageous and far-sighted early steps in conservation and reservation in the early 20th century, multiple use management and the timber industry through to World Heritage listing and emerging debates about the impacts of tourism. It gives most attention to the political upheaval and impacts associated with World Heritage listing and the social, legal and management consequences.