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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for this report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported between the National Academy of Sciences and Monsanto Company; The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation through grants 97-50855 and 97-48904; The Winslow Foundation; National Science Foundation through grant DEB-9729452; The David and Lucile Packard Foundation through grant 97-8124; Homeland Foundation through grant 3-97-085; Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation; V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation; The World Conservation Union; Trillium Corporation; The Jenifer Altman Foundation through grant 231. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

This material is not an official report of the Board on Biology or the National Research Council and the opinion reports are solely those of the individual forum participants. The papers presented in this volume are based upon presentations made at the October 27–30, 1997 meeting.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Forum on Biodiversity (1997 : National Academy of Sciences)
Nature and human society : the quest for a sustainable world :
proceedings of the 1997 Forum on Biodiversity / Board on Biology,
National Research Council.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-309-06555-0 (hardcover)
1. Biological diversity--Congresses. 2. Nature—Effect of human
beings on—Congresses. 3. Human ecology—Congresses. 4. Sustainable
development—Congresses. I. National Research Council (U.S). Board on
Biology. II. Title.
QH541.15.B56 F685 1997
333.95'11—dc21
                                                                      99-50565

Cover: Art by Bert Dodson.

Nature and Human Society: The Quest for a Sustainable World is available from the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Box 285, Washington, DC 20055; 1-800-624-6242 or 202-334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area). Internet: www.nap.edu

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