It is at the local level that most countryside managers operate. Although most of their work must be firmly rooted in a national or international context, most managers can only begin to affect and influence the allocation of necessary resources on a more localized scale. The definition of 'local' will vary con­ siderably; an amenity manager within a water authority or river authority may have a river network as large as several counties within which to work, whereas a countryside manager working within a small local authority may have a much smaller remit - possibly only one site. However, many of the processes involved with making the necessary decisions will be similar in all cases. The preceding chapters have examined three major influencing factors which are common to all countryside management. Similarly, this chapter explores the process of policy and strategy formulation at the local level, focusing on the common elements.