More than most countries in the world, Bermuda should be concerned about the protection and enhancement of its environment.

With extreme pressure on its finite space, a delicate eco-system and an extremely valuable marine habitat, the Island faces an array of issues unlike many nations.

Policy-making is akin to a high-wire act, balancing the need to move forward but also preserving what is already there and saving what has taken millions of years to form.

And as Environment Ministers have found out, trying to get the formula right can provoke fierce crossfire from conservation bodies, concerned individuals and developers.

On the land front, the Government has tried to do the right thing by buying up land and ring fencing it from development and they are doing a similar thing with the Island's physical features via the listed buildings scheme.

Plans are well advanced for improved pollution control from the increasing number of vehicles on the roads and an integrated transportation authority should be able to look at the whole picture of the Island's mobility problem into the next century.

The former US bases present a different problem, with oil, asbestos, poisonous heavy metals and vehicles left by the departing forces. Hopes are high for cash from the Americans to clean-up the land before it can be utilised again -- which will be another major hurdle, deciding how best to bring the land back into use.

And the Bermuda Biodiversity Project will eventually provide a database of the Island's wildlife, species and habitats to enable planning and protection to take place more efficiently.

Watersports enthusiast and Environment Minister Harry Soares circled a fish pot ban and fishing programme based upon maintaining sustainable resources.

And in recent times he has overseen the introduction of mooring points around the reefs to limit the damage done by boat anchors.

And to complaints about unrestricted development and the loss of green areas, he says: "Planning controls mean 47 percent of land is protected in one way or another -- compared to many places in the world we are the envy.'' Despite the successes, the Minister -- who has retired his Paget West seat and will not be contesting the General Election -- is under no illusion that there are some major challenges ahead.

"We, as a country are in excellent shape,'' he said. "What we are grappling with now is biodiversity -- how everything in Bermuda interacts and affects each other.

"I believe that understanding biodiversity is the thing for the 21st Century.'' Whoever forms the next Government is going to face some serious challenges, not only with long term issues such as biodiversity but also with some more immediate problems. The Castle Harbour dumping, asbestos storage and disposal, the Ship's Hill development, beach protection, green areas and listed buildings have all caused unrest.

Balancing land use with conservation and trying to boost tourism whilst ensuring a sympathetic and environmentally-sound approach to development will be something of a high wire act.

And conservation bodies such as Keep Bermuda Beautiful -- who to some extent are left to their own devices to lobby for the Island's natural heritage -- deal with the end result of a modern, affluent society; the rubbish.

Apart from the tons of trash collected in the KBB annual clean-ups, there is the issue of dealing with rubbish at source.

Progressive Labour Party Environment spokesman Ottiwell Simmons agrees and believes that balancing economic growth and environmental preservation is the greatest task facing the next Government.

"The next few years will be important, with economic issues in conflict with nature. There is a rather delicate balance to be struck between the two. I don't think we should allow disregard of the environment for one's own economic interests,'' he said.

"But at the same time we must not allow environment concerns stifle or prevent economic development.'' Mr. Simmons cited the PLP's three-pronged approach -- air, sea and land -- as one of the most important planks of its platform.

He blamed the present Government for allowing too much of the scarce land to be built upon.

Open spaces were disappearing as the UBP abused its authority by concreting land that could be utilised to grow food, he said.

The PLP intended to work with farmers to encourage agriculture without the use of pesticides and herbicides.

And the same goes for the fishermen, where foreign fleets will be stopped from fishing in Bermuda waters to enhance the local fishing industry -- albeit hand in hand with marine conservation.

Eco-tourism will see progress and attention will be focused on the disposal of human waste, he added.

The National Liberal Party sees its main role as that of a lobby and advisory body to the Government and they can probably lay claim to being Bermuda's first "green party''.

They have raised concerns over the pressures on the environment and are urging the Government to sign the World Biodiversity Treaty, in order to protect indigenous species.

Environment spokesman Graeme Outerbridge urged the re-thinking of the Ship's Hill project to that end and added that Morgan's Point -- if present plans fell through -- could become a much-needed open space for Bermuda.

In addition he cited an expansion of the parks system, park rangers, and the establishment of a marine parks section as a way of ensuring residents have "green'' areas to escape the densely populated zones.

UNWANTED LEGACY -- Buses and trucks left to rot by the departing US forces at Southside. They are just part of the clean-up problem that will confront the new Environment Minister.