ABSTRACT
The impacts of recreation and tourism, memorably termed the ‘fourth wave’ (Dower 1965:123), have transformed many rural areas in recent decades, in some cases becoming predominant within the economy and contributing significantly to social change. The demand for rural land to be used for recreational purposes has added to pressures upon the countryside to fulfil multiple roles, thereby adding to the complexity of rural planning and land management. In their research on countryside recreation management, geographers have analysed the outcomes of existing management plans as well as contributing in both theoretical and practical form to the ongoing debate regarding the nature and use of the countryside. This chapter will outline some of the main avenues of geographical enquiry into the management of countryside recreation, with special reference to formulation of management plans, issues relating to access, and the relationship between recreational provision and social change.
