Water Lands: A vision for the world's wetlands and their people

Description

Where water meets land, life abounds. This is the story of the nature and people of the wetlands of the world. From Wetlands International comes Water Lands, a beautifully illustrated book about this life-giving, global ecosystem. From the peat bogs of Ireland to the bayous of Louisiana; from the flooded forests of Cambodia to the permafrost of Siberia; from the mangroves of the Ganges Delta to the 'everlasting swamps' of the Nile; and from the marshes of the Brazilian Pantanal to the boggy upland pastures of Tibet, wetlands are in-between and ever-changing worlds. Sometimes wet and sometimes dry, sometimes land and sometimes water, sometimes saline and sometimes fresh; they change character with the seasons, or may lie dormant for decades before bursting into life. Through this highly accessible book, the authors tell intriguing and untold stories of how people interact with wetlands around the world, from the mountains to the sea. They emphasise how wetland communities have shaped and nurtured natural resources over the centuries - and how vital this knowledge and practices are in shaping future plans for managing land and water. They assert a positive narrative for wetlands and their role as climate buffers and in preventing and reducing droughts, floods and human conflicts over water. Water Lands brings together a world of experience and presents a new vision as well as real-life examples, to inspire and influence actions to revive wetlands. Wetlands International is the global not-for-profit organisation dedicated to safeguarding and restoring wetlands for people and nature. Their vision is a world where wetlands are treasured and nurtured for their beauty, the life they support and the resources they provide. With 20 offices around the world, Wetlands International has a strong global presence and a wealth of experience.

Fred Pearce is a veteran UK-based journalist and author, covering international environment issues. He is a consultant for New Scientist magazine, and a regular contributor to Yale Environment 360. His many books include When the Rivers Run Dry (Granta Books) and The New Wild (Icon Books). His past reports for Wetlands International include Downstream Voices. Jane Madgwick is a passionate conservationist who has been very actively engaged in the field of wetlands and water policy for the last 30 years. As CEO of Wetlands International since 2004, she leads a global network of offices operating in over 100 countries. Previously Jane established and led WWF International's Freshwater Programme for Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and was Regional Director for WWF in Western Australia. She has led a number of ecological research and multiple use conservation programmes and was Director of Conservation for the Broads National Park in the UK throughout the 1990s.