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176 drawings6 x 9

"A wealth of information."-Booklist

"A nice range of accessible information and activities."-Orion Afield

Wetlands provide perfect arenas for nature study. Discover Nature in Water and Wetlands explores the properties, processes, and phases of water and the plant and animal life associated with it, from trees, cattails, and ferns to dragonflies, salamanders, turtles, and beavers. With just a few essentials, such as a field notebook, hand lens, and bug box, readers will find both straightforward information and all kinds of activities to uncover the fascinating, diverse ecosystem that surrounds our ponds, swamps, and other watery places.

Elizabeth Lawlor and Pat Archer have teamed up on Discover Nature at the Seashore, Discover Nature Close to Home, Discover Nature at Sundown, and Discover Nature in Winter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

How conservation was insertedfor allocation in naming the CCA.
Fritchey does a masterful job allowing the general public to view the deception that has gone on with so-called conservation organizations in the Gulf, and Atlantic, in order to achieve their selfish re-allocation objectives. From making commercial fishermen red herrings for the "alleged" slide in fishery stocks, to the ouright grab of resources for themselves, these allocation organizations have lied, perjured, and extorted the public's resources right out of the public's reach. In so doing, they have driven a wedge between the user groups, and deprived the non-fishing public access to the most regulated fishery resource in the world. Meanwhile, the marsh habitat that these resources depend on are being lost at an ever increasing rate daily. A truly spectacular job connecting the dots that have led to the ruin of many hard working, tax paying, American fishermen, and have left the marsh habitat they depend on in sad shape. Britton Shackelford

This book is a must read!!! Especially if you belong to the CCA
Wow, what a great book. It is sad that this is an account of true events. Unfortunately, these events are still taking place all over America's coastal states. Wherever Exxon's faux conservation group the Coastal Conservation Association shows up, they make it there mission to destroy the commercial fishing industry, and reallocate fish stocks to their wealthy membership. With Exxon's record profits and friends all the way to the white house it hasn't been hard for them to do. The argument the Coastal Conservation Association uses, is that more money is generated by wealthy sportfishers then by lowly commercial fishers and seafood consumers. Therefore all fish should be protected for their membership's exclusive enjoyment. Sounds simple, but this puts thousands of people out of work and denies the consumers their right to the fisheries resource.
This is truely a David and Goliath story. David being the inshore finfishermen whom represents the Free American Spirit that refuses to die and Goliath being Exxon who represents corprate greed.
Read this!
I Understand the sequel is being written as I type this. Can't wait for it to come out!!

Much help on a report
I'm doing a research paper for english and I chose the net ban as a topic. My father used to be a commercial fisherman on the Florida coast. He was put out of business after the net ban was put into effect in 1995. He's always had theories about why the ban was passed. He read and loved the book Wetland Riders and with his information, and the facts I got from the book I was able to write a strong paper against the net ban. The book was great and was a lot of help. Anyone who's been affected by Net limitations in any state should read this book.

Sport Fishermen versus Commercial Fishermen, Fun vs Food
I'm Robert Fritchey, the author of "Wetland Riders." I fell in with South Louisiana's traditional coastal finfishermen in 1980, deciding after graduate school that I would earn my living only from renewable resources. A lifelong sport fisherman, my addiction to fishing and the outdoor life led me to the Bayou State's rapidly vanishing coastal marshes, where I earned my livelihood netting redfish and other wetland-dependent species of fish through the 1980s.

"As the 1980s opened, fishermen worked freely, under few restrictions other than those imposed by nature," I wrote in the book's preface. "But earning a living as an inshore finfisherman became progressively more difficult--and finally next to impossible. What happened?"

"Wetland Riders" details my own search for the answer to this question. But my interests were more than academic--in 1988, Louisiana's anglers--prodded by a Texas-based sportfishing organization which has since gone national--claimed the redfish for their own exclusive use. By taking the fish from us fishermen--and the seafood markets and restaurants--the sportsmen began to devalue Louisiana's threatened coastal wetlands. I wrote "Wetland Riders" as an educational tool, to circumvent a biased media and inform the public directly, as a prelude to getting back our fish.

Equipped with my experience as both a sport and commercial fisherman, I investigated the escalating fish fights between the recreational and food-producing industries which, I learned, were occurring around the coasts of America.

I also learned that the underlying cause of the sportsmen's aggression against our traditional seafood harvesters lies deeply embedded within our emotional human nature. In the book's introduction, I quoted a true sportsman, a Texan who-- in the 1930s--also sought to quell the destructive friction between these two environmentally important industries: "When the average sportsman sees a net fisherman make a good catch he is overcome in many cases with a feeling that must be experienced but cannot well be described." That feeling, unfortunately, is envy, an emotion that can easily overpower rational thought.

The number of recreational fishermen began to steadily increase following World War II, and exploded during the 1980s and 1990s, as financially successful Baby Boomers and their children took up fishing. A critical mass of these anglers have proven more than willing to be organized into a political movement whichimperils our domestic seafood industry.

As old Claude McCall--one of the 7 net fishermen that I profiled in "Wetland Riders"--explained, "There needs to be regulation, but not the kind we have now. The management that's being used now just tries to knock the commercial fisherman down. We'll wind up with almost no domestic production of seafood; it'll all be imported.

"How about if we get in a war and can't get imports? We'll have to eat steak, I guess."

In the chapter, "It's Not Me, It's Him!," I revealed that, "The collective impact of great numbers of recreational fishermen, each landing just a few fish, quickly adds up." Indeed, virtually every species of fish that is currently defined as "overfished" is being harvested by both recreational and commercial fishermen. And data presented in this chapter reveal that, in many fisheries, the recreational sector is responsible for harvesting a far larger slice of the pie than the food-producing sector!

As I investigated why this fact is not publicized, I described in "The `Con' in Conservation" the first attempt by a media conglomerate to expand their "educational program" beyond the sportsmen, to 30 million members of the general public. The campaign typified the recreational media's tactic of focusing blame on our family fishermen while avoiding any responsibility by sport fishermen.

In "The Recreational Fishing Industry: Something of Value?" I deconstructed the incredibly diverse recreational industry that is displacing our traditional commercial fisheries.Many of our commercial fisheries are centuries old, and predate recreational fisheries. They have achieved sustainability by merely harvesting fish which they send out to consumers in urban areas, thereby bringing only money into their rural communities. The tourism-based recreational industry, on the other hand, brings people into coastal communities which spurs coastal real-estate development.

The co-existence of both industries leads to a natural tension, a sort of two-party system where each "party" limits the impact of the other, though in different ways. As we go to a one-party system, the astute reader may envision the future of these old fisheries.

In "Conservation Through Use: Resource Management for the Twenty-First Century," I advocated sharing hotly-contested finfish species on an equitable basis, and cite the precedent for such an action. Upon the increased allocation of fish that commercial fishermen and consumers would receive, I proposed a per-pound severance tax. Inspired by the self-reliance, resourcefulness and optimism of our inshore fishermen, I suggested that taxes on our product be used to establish a local, sustainable source of revenue for a stewardship action fund dedicated to slowing the loss of fishery habitat.

As noted in the update to the book's second edition, "1998: New Players, Same Game," sportsmen in the mid-1990s benefited from a multimillion dollar national "fish crisis" campaign, which eerily failed to mention any negative impacts by the vast sportfishing industry. Amid that backdrop, well-heeled sportsmen demonized and outlawed nets, destroying some of the largest traditional food fisheries in the country, including Louisiana's.

A must read for anyone interested in fisheries issues
Mr. Fritchey drew on his background as a commercial fisherman and his impressive skills as a researcher to put together this compelling story behind the story of the so-called "fish conservation" movementthat's become so popular with the mass media today. In Wetland Riders he'sexposed this blatant resource grab for what it really is; awell-coordinated and well-financed assault on the U.S. consumer's right tofisheries resources that belong to us all. From consumer to commercialfisherman to someone who enjoys the ambiance of coastal communities withoutboardwalks and amusement parks and tee shirt shops, if you have anyconnection to the seafood industry at all you owe it to yourself to readthis book. ... Read more

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Product Description
This field guide is for those who love wetlands and recognize that wetlands are an integral and vital part of healthy tropical ecosystems.More than 200 common wetland plants, birds, fishes, and insects are described by three of Hawai'i's leading botanists.Photographs and a glossary of botanical and ecological terms, an index to all scientific and common names, and references for further reading provide additional information. ... Read more

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Constructed wetlands are man-made marshes—gravel beds filled with growing plants—that function as natural wastewater treatment plants. Due to their more pleasing aesthetics and their cost effectiveness, they are being chosen over traditional processing plants around the world. While other books have outlined how to build constructed wetlands, this book goes the next step as well, outlining the design and planning techniques to make these wetlands attractive and natural looking as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great All-around Guide for Constructed Wetlands
This book has become an invaluable reference around our office...for the engineers, landscape architect and directors.The book covers a range of useful topics, from design basics (including relevant modeling formulas), pricing estimates, integration information for planners, citizens and regulators, wetland ecology background notes, landscaping ideas and wonderful examples of systems that the authors themselves have designed and installed.

The book highlights the benefits of wetlands often overlooked or undervalued in other engineering-oriented texts - wildlife habitat creation, aesthetics, water recharge, etc.

Since the book was writen by a landscape architect and an engineer, two visionary pioneers in their fields, it covers a lot of useful ground. ... Read more

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Both practical and theoretical, this book provides the basic principles of soil chemistry, hydrology, wetland ecology, microbiology, vegetation and wildlife as a sound introduction to this innovative technology to treat toxic wastewaters and sludges. The use of wetlands for acid mine drainage, and metals removal in municipal, urban runoff, and industrial systems is discussed. Case histories are also presented, demonstrating specific types of constructed wetlands and applications to municipal wastewater, home sites, coal and non-coal mining, coal-fired electric power plants, chemical and pulp industry, agriculture, landfill leachate, and urban stormwater. Construction and management guidelines are clearly explained, providing information on applicable policies and regulations, siting and construction, and operations and monitoring of constructed wetlands treatment systems. Recent theoretical and empirical results from operating systems and research facilities, including such new applications as nutrient removal from eutrophic lakes and urban stormwater treatment within highway rights-of-way, are included. This book is an ideal resource for wastewater treatment plants, consulting engineers, federal and state regulators, industrial environmental managers, municipalities, environmental health professionals, and ecologists. ... Read more

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A simple, poetic exploration of a wetland environment describes what a wetland habitat is, the various animals that make it their home, and why wetlands are important. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Squish!
This is a very nice book.It is difficult to find at the local libraries in our area.I am glad that I found such a nice copy to add to our home library. ... Read more

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With America’s WETLAND, award-winning photographer Bevil Knapp and veteran reporter Mike Dunne sound the clarion call ofthe catastrophic effects of Louisiana’s vanishing coastline—not just for Louisiana but for the nation and the world. This vital landscape known as America’s Wetlandis currently disappearing at a rate of twenty-four square miles per year and could lose another five to seven hundred square miles in the next fifty years if no action is taken. New Orleans could become "America’s Atlantis," one of the country’s unique cultures lost forever. Knapp’s beautiful, sometimes startling photographs and Dunne’s incisive commentary bring the urgency of this problem into full view.

Documented here is a way of life that is quickly waning. Fishermen, oyster farmers, cattle ranchers, oil industry workers, shipbuilders, and tugboat captains are all heavily dependent on Louisiana’s coastal territory in bringing the people of the United States a host of products and services sometimes taken for granted. Home to nearly two million residents, the state’s wetland serves as protection from hurricanes and storm surges and acts as a buffer for the city of New Orleans, identified by the National Hurricane Center as the city most threatened by the loss of America’s Wetland.

The book makes clear that as coastal erosion in Louisiana worsens at an alarming rate, the nation’s economic and energy security is put at ever-higher risk and the environmental repercussions become unthinkable. Aerial photographs show how the oil and gas infrastructure is becoming increasingly exposed to the Gulf. Wells, pipelines, ports, roads, and levees that are key to delivering energy to the nation have been made vulnerable. Louisiana wetlands are the natural nursery ground for much of the country’s seafood and the wintering habitat for more than five million waterfowl and migratory birds. Stunning photographs of owls, pelicans, egret, crab, crawfish, and alligators illustrate the vast array of wildlife whose home—if not very survival—is endangered by the possible collapse of this intricate ecosystem.

America’s WETLAND not only maps the causes and effects of Louisiana’s diminishing coast but also outlines restorative and conservation initiatives such as tree planting, rebuilding fisheries, and setting aside wildlife refuges. With the active support of all Americans, there is still hope that this imperiled border of the country can be saved. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Wonderful Read
This was a great book!I was especially impressed with the interview they did concerning what would happen to New Orleans if the levees broke.(This was written pre-Katrina.)

Definately a great book for yourself or for a gift.

An important book at a critical time!
This is not only a very beautiful coffee table book on Louisiana's wetlands, its wildlife, and people; but it couldn't have come at a more critical time.The chapter entitled "America's Atlantis" on New Orleans predicts exactly what happened to this great American city.If you've ever wanted to know more about not just our vanishing coastline, but also about Louisiana's unique culture, this is THE book! ... Read more

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"Ralph Tiner transforms ‘wastelands’ into national treasures. His book provides an accessible introduction to wetland ecology and management for students, the public, and wetland scientists."—Aram J. K. Calhoun, associate professor of wetland ecology, University of Maine

Praise for previous edition:

Named one of the Best Science Books for Junior High and High School Readers 1998 in Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources by the American Association for the Advancement of Science

"If you want a comprehensive introduction and field guide to wetlands, written by one of America’s most broadly knowledgeable wetlands biologists, Tiner’s book is it."—Barbara Bedford, Cornell University

In the revised and expanded edition of this classic guide, Ralph W. Tiner introduces readers to the ecology and beauty of the wetlands in eastern North America. Topics include their formation and functions, wetland types, causes of loss and degradation, and recent efforts to protect them. The discussion now includes many examples from the Great Lakes region and information on best management practices for working in and around wetlands including vernal pools. A new chapter on classification and assessment further clarifies how the unique characteristics of these important natural resources serve specific functions.

In Search of Swampland also provides a field guide to wetland plants, soils, and animals. It includes detailed descriptions and illustrations—many of which are new to this edition—of more than 300 plants and 200 animals. Clear identification keys, information on how to distinguish typical hydric or "wet" soils from dryland soils, and general procedures for identifying wetlands in the field make this book an indispensable resource for readers with little or no training in wetland science, as well as for the scientist or amateur naturalist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Should have been titled, "In Search of Swampland of the Northeast"
This book only addresses the swamp land of the Northeast; none of the other swamp systems of the United States.

Excellent text on wetlands
I got this book as a research reference in order to assist me in wetland delineations.It covers hydric soils, wetland hydrology, and wetland vegetation in a clear and comprehensive way.I recommend this board to everyone from the wetland scientist to the interested average Joe.

Great introductory text
I teach a short course in wetlands to students who are primarily non-scientists. My students love this book, as do I.Technical issues are discussed in a way that is accessible to the general reader AND clearly explains the concepts.I highly recommend this volume both to other instructors and to individuals with an interest in the natural history of wetlands.

Excellent coverage of a timely topic
I have an interest in wetlands science and this book gives an excellent introductory review of the topic. The drawings are excellent; but I wish that there were more color plates of the flora and fauna; this, of course,would have raised the cost of the book. The bibliography at the end of thechapters are helpful if you need more information. The controversial areaof hydric soils is also covered very well.

Overall a very good firstbook. ... Read more

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Understand the current concept of wetland and methods for identifying, describing, classifying, and delineating wetlands in the United States with Wetland Indicators - capturing the current state of science's role in wetland recognition and mapping.Environmental scientists and others involved with wetland regulations can strengthen their knowledge about wetlands, and the use of various indicators, to support their decisions on difficult wetland determinations. Professor Tiner primarily focuses on plants, soils, and other signs of wetland hydrology in the soil, or on the surface of wetlands in his discussion of Wetland Indicators.Practicing - and aspiring - wetland delineators alike will appreciate Wetland Indicators' critical insight into the development and significance of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and other factors.Features· Shows 55 color plates, documenting wetland indicators throughout the nation - with more than 34 soil plates and aerial photos· Illustrates other wetland properties with more than 50 figures· Provides over 60 tables, including extensive tables of U.S. wetland plant communities and examples for determining hydrophytic vegetationContentsWetland DefinitionsWetland Concepts for Identification and DelineationPlant Indicators of Wetlands and Their CharacteristicsVegetation Sampling and Analysis for WetlandsSoil Indicators of WetlandsWetland Identification and Boundary Delineation MethodsProblem Wetlands and Field Situations for DelineationWetland ClassificationWetlands of the United States: An Introduction, With Emphasis on Their Plant CommunitiesWetland Mapping and Photointerpretation ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Book- Very Resourceful
I got this book in a very timely manner and actually had it for the first day of class- let me tell you that RARELY happens.

Not helpful
I did not find this book very helpful when it came to identification. It did help with classification and mapping.

Wetland Indicators by R.W. Tiner
This book is very well put together and provides a wealth of information on Wetland Indicators.If you are just learning about wetlands, what is in them, and how to identify different ones, then this book will be GREAT for you!

Very Useful
This book is a good overview of Wetland Delineations. I bought it for the mapping information and found it useful when using GIS for Wetland Delineation Maps ... Read more

Product Description
This volume represents the proceedings of a workshop held from 30 July 3 August 1995 at Fairmont Hot Springs, Montana. The workshop was designed to meet the scientific and regulatory need for current information describing ecotoxicology and risk assessment for wetlands. Professionals from government, industry, and academia were selected to participate based on their expertise on the specific topic to be considered. These workshops have provided an excellent forum for stimulation and exchange of ideas on the technical and scientific issues underlying chemical fate and effects in the environment and overall hazard assessments of chemicals in ecosystems. The organizers and participants of this workshop hope that the current proceedings will be as useful as the previous workshop proceedings to scientists, engineers, and decision-makers concerned with maintaining and reducing the loss of the nation's wetland resources. Althought the organization and objectives of this !workshop were similar to some earlier workshops, this is the first workshop to deal primarily with the environmental aspects of an ecosystem rather than with a discrete environmental problem. The proceedings of this workshop is published by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Nice read for overview of the history of wetland mitigation in Florida
This book is an easy -almost- fun read if it didn't cover the sad topic of the destruction of Florida's wetlands.It is not too technical but covers the history of wetland regulations and the more recent government programs to slow loss and restore wetlands in the U.S. My favorite aspect of the book is that the author includes tons of quotes from key politicans and regulators that highlight the battle for continued development (in wetlands) and the view that their is value in saving Florida's remaining wetlands.

Paving Paradise
A friend who had read Paving Paradise gave several friends a review almost identical to Joy's review. I thought that I would schedule an outing to encourage people to read the book and we would discuss it.I and others have purchased the book and are following through by inviting the authors to speak at the annual Environmental-Conservation Summit in Manatee County, October 27. Manatee-Sarasota Fish and Game Association, Sierra Club and Audubon are working to invite as many new people as possilbe to educate on our losses and to discuss how we can change this pattern of wetland loss.

Mary Sheppard

100% complaints, no real suggestions for improvement.
Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite are full of complaints.The authors of Paving Paradise: Florida's Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss show us a world of uncaring incompetence, malicious greed and the tragic results that inevitably follow from bad policy implemented by corrupt bureaucrats.These would-be Woodward and Bernsteins seem like sleuths on the trail of fraud and waste, turning up "backroom" deals, "toothless" regulators, "phony" mitigation banks, and so on.But it's a world so full of name-calling and so utterly devoid of successes or even good faith efforts that it can't help but call into question whether they are looking for the truth or just a sensational story.

Dumb growth
Craig Pittman and Matt Waite obviously appreciate the irony in the lies they have been told while they were documenting the truth about the decades of reckless bulldozing of Florida's precious wetlands.That sense of humor makes it possible to read their exhaustive account of the corrupt ways developers repeatedly circumvented laws and regulations to destroy irreplaceable natural resources in order to make a lot of fast bucks.Floridians need to read this book to understand what has happened and is still happening to the wild places and the water supply in the state.Non-Floridians should read it to find out how to keep this from happening elsewhere."Paving Paradise" is a compelling non-fiction cautionary tale.

Read this book now
Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite explain why bulldozed and buried wetlands underlie the foundations of thousands of mines, highways, golf courses and shopping malls all over Florida, despite clear federal and state policy calling for no net loss of wetlands.This probing, well-crafted narrative will keep you turning every page of Paving Paradise. The prize-winning pair of St. Petersburg Times will help you understand the "topsy-turvy world where a minus can equal a plus, dry land masquerades as wet, and supposedly scientific test results don't count if they yield an undesirable answer."It might sound depressing, but the truth can help us move forward, or at least have that choice! ... Read more

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Making the latest academic research on effective wetland restoration techniques accessible to the private environmental consulting firms and protection agencies who need it most, this book provides essential information on disturbance dynamics. The author focuses on the increasingly significant role of flood pulsing-a hydraulic seed-dispersal technique for rivers, streams, and swamps-in successful long-term restoration efforts. ... Read more

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Richly illustrated and packed with numerous examples, this unique global perspective introduces wetland ecology from basic principles to advanced applications. Thoroughly revised and reorganised, this new edition of this prize-winning textbook begins with underlying causal factors, before moving on to more advanced concepts that add depth and context. Each chapter begins with an explanation of the basic principles covered, illustrated with clear examples. More difficult concepts and exceptions are introduced only once the general principle is well-established. Key principles are now discussed at the beginning of the book, and in order of relative importance, enabling students to understand the most important material without wading through complex theory. New chapters on wetland restoration and wetland services draw upon practical examples from around the world, providing a global context, and a new chapter on research will be particularly relevant to the advanced student planning their own studies. ... Read more

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Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each A True Book includes lively sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a comprehensive "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations, and Internet sites. A staple of library collections since the 1950s, the new A True Book series is the definitive nonfiction series for elementary school readers. ... Read more

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Text explains how wetlands are created naturally and how they sustain themselves. Describes how the flora and fauna of wetlands are ideally adapted to their environment, and how the ecosystem copes with pollutants and climatic change. For students of ecology, biology, and environmental science. Includes index and illustrations. DLC: Wetlands. ... Read more

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Cody Matheson, PhD in marine biology, faces a ruthless developer, sexual intrique, and threatened death as he struggles to save pristine wetlands from destruction. ... Read more

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The rapidly disappearing wetlands that once spread so abundantly across the American continent serve an essential and irreplaceable ecological function. Yet for centuries, Americans have viewed them with disdain. Beginning with the first European settlers, we have thought of them as sinkholes of disease and death, as landscapes that were worse than useless unless they could be drained, filled, paved or otherwise "improved." As neither dry land, which can be owned and controlled by individuals, nor bodies of water, which are considered a public resource, wetlands have in recent years been at the center of controversy over issues of environmental protection and property rights.

The confusion and contention that surround wetland issues today are the products of a long and convoluted history. In Discovering the Unknown Landscape, Anne Vileisis presents a fascinating look at that history, exploring how Americans have thought about and used wetlands from Colonial times through the present day. She discusses the many factors that influence patterns of land use-ideology, economics, law, perception, art-and examines the complicated interactions among those factors that have resulted in our contemporary landscape. As well as chronicling the march of destruction, she considers our seemingly contradictory tradition of appreciating wetlands: artistic and literary representations, conservation during the Progressive Era, and recent legislation aimed at slowing or stopping losses.

Discovering the Unknown Landscape is an intriguing synthesis of social and environmental history, and a valuable examination of how cultural attitudes shape the physical world that surrounds us. It provides important context to current debates, and clearly illustrates the stark contrast between centuries of beliefs and policies and recent attempts to turn those longstanding beliefs and policies around. Vileisis's clear and engaging prose provides a new and compelling understanding of modern-day environmental conflicts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great primer for those new to wetlands issues
Ann Vileisis' award-winning book is a terrific primer for anyone who wants to learn about society's changing attitudes toward wetlands and the always controversial topic of wetlands protection. Her groundbreaking research is matched by a keen grasp of both the details and the big picture. For anyone who wants to learn more about what's gone wrong with the nation's wetlands protection system, try the newly published Paving Paradise: Florida's Vanishing Wetlands and the Failure of No Net Loss (Florida History and Culture)

A terrific historical overview of wetlands...
This is a great primer for anyone interested in the history of our wetlandecosystems- from armchair ecologists to the PhDs.It helped me enormouslyin understanding how our wetlands came to be what they are today. Vileisis' style is engaging and clear, making this a real page turner.Ididn't want to put it down.

An essential book for those interested in wetland protection
We've all heard the statistics.As Vileisis puts it, "Overall, 221 million acres of wetlands once graced our nation's lower forty-eight states with a rich mosaic of life.More than half of these important landscapes no longer exist."This book traces a history of loss and chronicles the changing attitudes of the settlers from Europe and their descendants about wetlands.Caught up as we frequently are in controversies about how to identify wetlands, how to preserve them and mitigate their loss, this book provides a long perspective and calls for no less than a change in culture if we are to stop the inexorable downward trend.

Vileisis describes how, to the first European settlers, what we call wetlands were "dismal swamps," linked by images such as Pilgrim Progress' "slough of despond" to whatever is dark and evil.Later wetlands represented opportunity: drain them and make a lot of money, whether selling real estate in Florida or planting more and more crops.

This is more than a book about wetlands, however.It is a history of water policy in the United States.It tells the history of the great American institutions that grew up to deal with wetlands issues: the Soil Conservation Service, the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and others.She also tells of the federal legislation that shapes our current ways of dealing with wetlands;how these laws got passed and how they have been enforced.Anyone attempting to understand the changing role of the Corp of Engineers in wetland protection, for example, should read this book.

The book is also gracefully written and filled with great stories about entrepreneurs and dreamers who saw opportunities in controlling the rivers and draining the swamps, and how their plans almost always went awry.It also tells of those who helped change the cultural attitude toward wetlands, people like Mrs. Augustus Hemenway of Boston, who, with William Brewster, founded the Audubon Society and groups like Ducks Unlimited, who saw dramatic decreases of wildlife in their favorite hunting areas.When scientists began to understand the values of wetlands in the early 20th century, long-entrenched attitudes began to change.

Vileisis points to the essential difficulty for understanding and dealing with wetlands: land is property, and our thinking is guided by concepts of "property rights."The waters of the country, on the other hand, have been understood as belonging to all of us.But wetlands are both land -- we can put a fence around it-- and water -- it flows and knows no boundaries.This is the key to why it has been so hard to shape public policy and attitudes about wetlands.As Vileisis puts it, "Americans were stuck somewhere between the conventional view of wetlands as property and the ecological view of wetlands as a life-support system."

Vileisis takes heart from the resiliency of nature, but in her closing chapter she says, "...while there have been changes in attitudes, policies, and laws, and marked decrease in the rate of wetlands loss, the destruction of wetlands continues because powerful interests cling to the status quo that calculates its profits in the ledger of short-term private gain with little concern for the common good."For those of us who work to change this cultural attitude, this book extends our sense of interconnectedness to those who lived before us.Vileisis says, "Informed by history, we can remember the trade-offs already made and turn away from the mistakes and misunderstandings of a time when we knew no better." ... Read more

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What lives in a wetland besides flamingos, ducks, and other birds? How do plants survive in the soggy soil? What jobs do wetlands do? Wade into this book to find out what makes wetlands one of Earth's treasures. ... Read more