In this issue: Summary of the first Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desert ification 29 September-10 October 1997; Desertifleation Assessment and Mapping in the Arid and Semi-arid Regions of Patagonia (Argentina); A New Predictive Too/for identifying Areas of Desertification: A Case Study from Namihia; Endangered Ecosystem: Wildlife Ranching and Research; Ecological Study of a Section of the Aecra Plains; Rangelands and Animal Production: Constraints and Options; An integrated Approach to Inter-regional Cooperatio,i and Major Activities within the inter-regiotial Programme of Action to Combat Desertification and Drought; Social Aspects of Land Degradation in Central Asia; Poverty, Deserufication and the impact of Drought in Ethiopia; Rehabilitation and Environmetal Protection in the Louga Region of Northern Senegal - A Success Story in Desertification Control etc.