Property rights and responsibilities: Defining the form of change

Excerpt

IN August 1992, the Soil and Water Conservation Society convened the first Norman A. and Ruth A. Berg Fellowship Forum for Public Conservation Policy. The subject of the forum was “Soil and Water Conservation: Is a New Balance Between Private Property Rights and Responsibilities Needed?” R. Neil Sampson prepared an essay to introduce the topic to the 15 participants and set the stage for an intense examination of the health and well-being of policies guiding land use and resource conservation.

Preparing for and participating in the forum gave each fellow an in-depth opportunity to learn more about the public policy and legal issues associated with land use, as well as the various socio-economic impacts of current and past laws affecting private property rights. An opportunity was also afforded to discuss the unique perspectives and experiences of professionals working in consewation from around North America.

Building on the Berg Forum discussions, we would like to examine current issues driving the need for change in the way rights and responsibilities of private property ownership. We presume the purpose of …