摘要：It has long been recognized that rural areas of the United States are diverse in character and prospects.
In many areas, economic prosperity has led to rapid and, some contend, unrestrained growth. In these
areas, there is increasing concern about sprawling and inefficient development, loss of farmland and
open space, and the erosion of community character and rural culture. Nevertheless, many other rural
areas have been bypassed, despite the recent robust performance of the national economy. Communities
throughout the Great Plains continue to lose economic base and population. Similarly, many communities
in western America continue to struggle with the transition from a traditionally extractive economic base
as resource limitations are realized and rules governing resource use become more restrictive.
