AbstractAmerica's need for open space has become a wide-spread and popular concern, if not a faddish one. The purposes served by open space are varied and occasionally conflicting. They include conserving wildlife habitats or providing areas for outdoor recreation, pro-viding small neighborhood parks in developed areas or containing urban sprawl by securing large areas, con-trolling growth, or preserving historic areas. Indivi-duals dedicated to any one purpose may remain largely unconcerned about others. One goal of open space con-servation whose necessity has produced little conflict is the preservation of agricultural land. The conflict in this area centers instead on its implementation.