No development please, we´re British

This book was prepared and published in the Arab sultanate of Oman by the "Office of the Government advisor for Conservation of the Environment". It features a large and exotically-looking portrait of Sultan Qaboos, Oman's long-time ruler. After winning a civil war against Communist-backed rebels in the Dhofar region, Qaboos had a scientific survey conducted of the region in question. While the foreign scientists where nominally present to study the flora and fauna of the Dhofar region, they also observed the habits of the local population and issued recommendations concerning future development.

Or lack of it.

This work has a rather "Green" or ZPG tendency. The primitive pastoralists of the Dhofar mountains are said to have lived in perfect harmony with their environment for ages. This is about to change. The sultan's administrative centres could develop into small towns, something the author sees as negative. High quality food and medical care will increase the human population. Provision of watering points for cattle has "implications" for their density and grazing impact. Concerning the administrative centres, the author (one J.B. Sale) writes: "The fact that they are offering desirable facilities not easily obtainable elsewhere, seems likely to make them centres of attraction for a semi-nomadic people". If the population increases, the locals will cut down the trees to build more huts. The cattle in Dhofar are sustainable only because they are fed with sardines during the dry season. The additional water supplies might increase the number of cattle, destroy grasslands, etc. Damage is caused by the construction of surfaced roads, the administrative centres and other building developments. Airfields are another no-no. "Technology is already causing a marked impact on the environment. As the population rises rapidly under the influence of modern health care this impact will greatly intensify". And yes, the oil reserves will soon be used up.

It seems Qaboos didn't follow the advice of the British scientists. Says Wikipedia: "In November 2010, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) listed Oman, from among 135 countries worldwide, as the nation most-improved during the preceding 40 years."

The rest of the book actually does deal with the flora and fauna of the Dhofar mountains. It contains chapters on ecology, climate and the general environment. Most of this volume is a catalogue-like survey of animal and plant specimens collected by the 1977 British expedition, complete with the inevitable scorpions (shown in black-and-white) and butterflies (in colour). The library copy I leafed through also has an insert at the back cover, a map showing Dhofar.