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Rural areas are home to a rich variety of amenities. They range from pristine
wilderness to carefully managed landscapes, from ancient historical monuments to
living cultural traditions. The demand for these amenities is increasing as rising
incomes give city-dwellers both time and money to enjoy amenities found in the
countryside. This growing interest in nature and cultural heritage offers new economic opportunities to rural areas where the economy often lags behind that in
cities. However, encouraging rural development based on amenities is not a
straightforward process. What are the best ways for rural people to realise value
from amenities? How can they balance the preservation of amenities with the
development of their local or regional economies?
Since its establishment in 1990, the OECD Group of the Council on Rural
Development has given a high priority to the study of how rural amenities can
contribute to rural development. The first phase of study was a theoretical examination of amenities intended to provide an analytic framework for subsequent
research. The resulting study was published under the title, The Contribution of
Amenities to Rural Development (OECD, 1994). The objective of the second phase was
to take stock of amenity-related policy instruments used by Member countries to
promote rural development. Examples from eight countries were described in the
report, Amenities for Rural Development: Policy Examples (OECD, 1996a) |
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