‘For centuries the drainage of wetlands has been seen as a progressive, public spirited endeavour, the very antithesis of vandalism’ (Baldock Reference Baldock1984). How different is the view today, underpinned by both the increased wealth of evidence of the true value of the services provided by the natural functioning of wetland ecosystems and profiled by an increasing number of influential statements from both scientists and policy-makers.
Key analyses such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) and individual national inventories have emphasized the importance of wetlands, not only for wildlife, but also human welfare and environmental security. There is therefore considerable interest in their restoration and/or creation after a legacy of human modification and destruction.
In the first half of this text, Biebighauser traces the story of wetland drainage for agriculture and, in the second half, provides guidelines for converting dry or previously drained land to wetland. His aim is to help the reader build wetlands, based at least partly on a better understanding of how they were altered in the first place.
This is not a scientific treatise but, many will argue, much more useful. It focuses on the practical, not the academic, and the excellent array of photographs and diagrams provides clear understanding and guidance on techniques used and proposed. The many examples of early writings describing the rationale and approach to drainage provide insight into the thinking of those early pioneers of agricultural reclamation. The author concludes that ‘the drainers of wet land were kind, hardworking, intelligent people who placed a much higher value on fields that could be farmed’. New knowledge has certainly helped to better inform such decisions and Biebighauser's text is a valuable addition to the literature in showing how restoration can be achieved in practice.
The text relies heavily on actual case studies and examples, strengthened by reported conversations with those involved. It provides guidance on the many steps necessary to achieve a successful outcome. All the material comes from the USA and is written within that legislative and regulatory framework, particularly related to the Clean Water Act, permitting and the concept of jurisdictional wetlands. Whilst this emphasis makes the book of greatest interest to the North American reader, it is not without relevance to a wider audience. It manages to capture the real challenges of wetland recovery and how to meet them, using machines, human determination, skilful observation of terrain and the practical need for fund-raising. Wetland scientists, conservation and natural resource managers and water engineers are just some who will find the book a very useful practical guide and reference.
