Earl F. Epstein coauthored the National Academies of Sciences' 1980 report Need for a Multipurpose Cadastre. He taught quantum mechanics and survey law, and helped draft the social science component of the National Science Foundation's proposed Center for National Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA). Since 1988, he has studied and taught environmental, water, and natural resource law and policy at The Ohio State University, where he is professor emeritus, School of Environment and Natural Resources.

Preface Acknowledgments About the authors Part I Introduction and problems Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Problems created by chaotic land records Part II History of land, land records, and land governance in America Chapter 3 Land in America Chapter 4 Land records in America Chapter 5 Land governance in America Part III Solutions, actions, and prospects Chapter 6 An American land records system (ALRS) Chapter 7 Incentives, barriers, and prospects Chapter 8 Actions Glossary References Index