Wetlands in a Dry Land: More-Than-Human Histories of Australia's Murray-Darling Basin

Humans have destroyed 87% of the world's wetlands over the past three centuries, leading to biodiversity loss, poor water quality, and erosion of cultural sites. Emily OGorman's book "What Has Counted as a Wetland?" examines how people and animals have shaped wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin, highlighting the role of Aboriginal peoples as custodians of the landscape and the challenges of managing mosquitoes. She argues that we need to understand wetlands as socioecological landscapes to create new relationships with and futures for these places.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 288 pages
\n Publication date: 13 July 2021
\n Publisher: University of Washington Press
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Over the past three centuries, humans have engaged in activities that have resulted in the destruction of nearly 87 percent of the world's wetlands. These activities include draining, filling, and otherwise altering these natural environments. Unintended consequences of these actions include biodiversity loss, poor water quality, and the erosion of cultural sites. It is only in recent decades that wetlands have gained widespread recognition as valuable and worth preserving.

In her book, "What Has Counted as a Wetland? For Whom, and With What Consequences?" Emily OGorman explores the complex relationship between humans and wetlands. Using the Murray-Darling Basin, a massive river system in eastern Australia that encompasses over 30,000 wetland areas, as a case study, OGorman examines how people and animals have shaped these environments over the past century.

Through archival research and original interviews, OGorman delves into the historical and contemporary dynamics of wetlands. She highlights the role of Aboriginal peoples as custodians of the landscape, despite the policies of the Australian government. She also explores how the movements of water birds affected farmers and how mosquitoes have defied efforts to fully understand and control them.

OGorman situates the history of the Murray-Darling Basin within global environmental humanities conversations, arguing that we need to understand wetlands as socioecological landscapes in order to create new kinds of relationships with and futures for these places. By examining the complex interactions between humans, animals, and the environment, OGorman offers insights into the challenges and opportunities facing wetland conservation and management.

Overall, "What Has Counted as a Wetland? For Whom, and With What Consequences?" is a valuable contribution to the field of environmental humanities, providing a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between humans and wetlands and offering insights into the potential for creating sustainable futures for these valuable ecosystems.

\n Weight: 408g\n
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 22 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780295749150\n \n