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Need for a population policy in Britain
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Biological Conservation
Panel on Biological and Medical Sciences of the Committee on Polar Research of the National Academy of Sciences, can submit recommendations to the Working Group for placement on the agenda. All those who are concerned with understanding the ecology of our world appreciate having a 'simple' model ecosystem to study. A good start has been made in protecting the relatively untouched Antarctic flora and fauna, but the future will require yet greater safeguards and vigilance.
References
GREENE, S. W. & GREENE,D. M. (1963). Check-list of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic vascular flora. Polar Record, 11, 411-18. GREENE, S. W., GRESSITT,J. L., Kooa, D., LLANO,G. A., RUDOLPH, E. D., SINGER, R., STEERE, W. C. & UGOLINI, F. C. (1967). Terrestrial life of Antarctica. Amer. Geogr. Soc., Antarctic Map Folio Series, Vol. 5, 24 pp., 11 pls. HOLDGATE, M. W. (1967). The Antarctic ecosystem. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, Ser. B, 252, 363-83. LONGTON,R. E. (1966). Alien vascular plants on Deception Island, South Shetland Islands. British Antarctic Surv. Bull., 9, 55-60. MEYER, G. H., MORROW,M. B. & Wvss, O. (1963). Viable organisms from feces and food stuffs from early Antarctic expeditions. Canadian J. Microbiol., 9, 163-7. MURPHY, R. C. (1962). Antarctic conservation. Science, 135, 194-7. RUDOLPH, E. D. (in press). Ecology of land plants in Antarctica. In Antarctic Research Symposium. Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Washington D.C., 20 pp.
ANON. (1960). Antarctic Treaty, 1959. Polar Record, 10, 157-64. ANTARCTICTREATYCONSULTATIVEMEETINGS(1962, 1965, 1967, 1969). Reports 1, 3-5. Polar Record, 11, 73-8, 1962; 12, 453-63, 1965; 13, 629--49, 1967; 14, 663-70, 1969. BoYr~, W. L. & BOYD, J. W. (1963a). Soil microorganisms of the McMurdo Sound area, Antarctica. AppL TILBROOK, P. J. (1967). The terrestrial invertebrate fauna Microbiol., 11, 116-21. of the maritime Antarctic. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. BOYD, W. L. & BOYD, J. W. (1963b). Viability of coliform London, Ser. B, 252, 261-78. Bacteria in Antarctic soil. J. Bacteriol., 1121-3. TUBAKI, K. & ASANO, I. (1965). Additional species of CORT~, A. (1961). La primera fanerogama adventicia Fungi isolated from Antarctic materials. Japanese hallada en el continente Ant~irtico. Contr. Instituto Antarctic Res. Exped. 1956-62, Sci. Reports, Set. E, Antdrtico Argentino, No. 62, 14 pp. No. 27, 12 pp.
Need for a Population Policy in Britain The British Government is urged to adopt a positive population policy in a statement sent to the Prime Minister by the Conservation Society. It says that even at the current low rate of growth a child born in 1969 is likely to see the population of Britain nearly double in his lifetime, and asks what Britain will be like to live in with a population of 100 million and a population density of 1,200 people per square mile. The statement, called 'Why Britain Needs a Population Policy', argues that it will be impossible to provide a high-quality environment if the population continues growing, and points to a number of adverse effects--huge urban areas, overcrowding of popular recreational areas, restrictions on freedom of movement and loss of agricultural land--which continuing population growth will bring. Dismissing economic arguments for a growing population, it says the Government has miscalculated the extent of the problems that continuing population growth in Britain-already one of the most densely populated countries in the world--will give rise to, and has also underestimated its ability to influence future demographic trends. The Government should aim at stabilizing the size of the population. Although nearly all married couples take
contraceptive precautions at some time during their marriage, nevertheless many couples have more children than they intended. The main emphasis of Government action should be to enable people to control their own fertility more effectively. Far from imposing restrictions on people, a population policy would actually increase people's freedom. The principal measures involved in a population policy would not only be acceptable to the majority of the population but would be positively welcomed by them. In order that people should have only the number of children they actually want, there must be the widest possible dissemination of know/edge of effective birth control techniques and easy access to professional advice. The statement ends with an enumeration of actions which it recommends the British Government should take. S. G. LAWRENCE, Hon. Secretary, The Conservation ,Society, 21 Hanyard's Lane, Cu)~ey, Potters Bar, England,
Biological Conservation
Panel on Biological and Medical Sciences of the Committee on Polar Research of the National Academy of Sciences, can submit recommendations to the Working Group for placement on the agenda. All those who are concerned with understanding the ecology of our world appreciate having a 'simple' model ecosystem to study. A good start has been made in protecting the relatively untouched Antarctic flora and fauna, but the future will require yet greater safeguards and vigilance.
References
GREENE, S. W. & GREENE,D. M. (1963). Check-list of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic vascular flora. Polar Record, 11, 411-18. GREENE, S. W., GRESSITT,J. L., Kooa, D., LLANO,G. A., RUDOLPH, E. D., SINGER, R., STEERE, W. C. & UGOLINI, F. C. (1967). Terrestrial life of Antarctica. Amer. Geogr. Soc., Antarctic Map Folio Series, Vol. 5, 24 pp., 11 pls. HOLDGATE, M. W. (1967). The Antarctic ecosystem. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London, Ser. B, 252, 363-83. LONGTON,R. E. (1966). Alien vascular plants on Deception Island, South Shetland Islands. British Antarctic Surv. Bull., 9, 55-60. MEYER, G. H., MORROW,M. B. & Wvss, O. (1963). Viable organisms from feces and food stuffs from early Antarctic expeditions. Canadian J. Microbiol., 9, 163-7. MURPHY, R. C. (1962). Antarctic conservation. Science, 135, 194-7. RUDOLPH, E. D. (in press). Ecology of land plants in Antarctica. In Antarctic Research Symposium. Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Washington D.C., 20 pp.
ANON. (1960). Antarctic Treaty, 1959. Polar Record, 10, 157-64. ANTARCTICTREATYCONSULTATIVEMEETINGS(1962, 1965, 1967, 1969). Reports 1, 3-5. Polar Record, 11, 73-8, 1962; 12, 453-63, 1965; 13, 629--49, 1967; 14, 663-70, 1969. BoYr~, W. L. & BOYD, J. W. (1963a). Soil microorganisms of the McMurdo Sound area, Antarctica. AppL TILBROOK, P. J. (1967). The terrestrial invertebrate fauna Microbiol., 11, 116-21. of the maritime Antarctic. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. BOYD, W. L. & BOYD, J. W. (1963b). Viability of coliform London, Ser. B, 252, 261-78. Bacteria in Antarctic soil. J. Bacteriol., 1121-3. TUBAKI, K. & ASANO, I. (1965). Additional species of CORT~, A. (1961). La primera fanerogama adventicia Fungi isolated from Antarctic materials. Japanese hallada en el continente Ant~irtico. Contr. Instituto Antarctic Res. Exped. 1956-62, Sci. Reports, Set. E, Antdrtico Argentino, No. 62, 14 pp. No. 27, 12 pp.
Need for a Population Policy in Britain The British Government is urged to adopt a positive population policy in a statement sent to the Prime Minister by the Conservation Society. It says that even at the current low rate of growth a child born in 1969 is likely to see the population of Britain nearly double in his lifetime, and asks what Britain will be like to live in with a population of 100 million and a population density of 1,200 people per square mile. The statement, called 'Why Britain Needs a Population Policy', argues that it will be impossible to provide a high-quality environment if the population continues growing, and points to a number of adverse effects--huge urban areas, overcrowding of popular recreational areas, restrictions on freedom of movement and loss of agricultural land--which continuing population growth will bring. Dismissing economic arguments for a growing population, it says the Government has miscalculated the extent of the problems that continuing population growth in Britain-already one of the most densely populated countries in the world--will give rise to, and has also underestimated its ability to influence future demographic trends. The Government should aim at stabilizing the size of the population. Although nearly all married couples take
contraceptive precautions at some time during their marriage, nevertheless many couples have more children than they intended. The main emphasis of Government action should be to enable people to control their own fertility more effectively. Far from imposing restrictions on people, a population policy would actually increase people's freedom. The principal measures involved in a population policy would not only be acceptable to the majority of the population but would be positively welcomed by them. In order that people should have only the number of children they actually want, there must be the widest possible dissemination of know/edge of effective birth control techniques and easy access to professional advice. The statement ends with an enumeration of actions which it recommends the British Government should take. S. G. LAWRENCE, Hon. Secretary, The Conservation ,Society, 21 Hanyard's Lane, Cu)~ey, Potters Bar, England,