[Subdue] Fen, Bog and Swamp by Annie Proulx - 3 stars

[Jen K]

During the pandemic, Proulx set out to research and write about her passion for wetlands including the history of the different types of wetland regions to the impact on the reduced amount of wetlands on the environment, both in sustaining diverse species and climate change. Much is said about the burning and clear cutting of the Amazon forests but equally important to the rising temperatures is the draining of wetlands and releasing the methane and carbon into the atmosphere. Wetlands also provide a safe harbor for many flora and fauna including those that are now sadly extinct. I appreciate Proulx taking on the topic.

Proulx describes how fen, bog and swamp differ and the regions they are found. I especially enjoyed learning more about the bog people and how more modern day cultures decided to project their own values to tell their stories.

The history is well researched and makes strong points for reclaiming and saving wetlands. However I had hoped for more of a narrative voice from such beautiful writer. Still I learned and enjoyed that she left the reader with hope that though the process is long, reclaiming wetlands can make a big difference and improve the current climate change heating of the earth. I hope that more listen and act.

[Booknblues]

Good to see that it is worth while as I just took it out from the library.

I think many of us need to rethink our initial feelings about swamps and wetlands and begin to see the value of them.

Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America, which I recently read spent a good deal of time talking about them. It explained that our vision of wild rivers is quite different from what our rivers were when large populations of beaver inhabited America.

[Jen K]

Booknblues wrote: "Good to see that it is worth while as I just took it out from the library.

I think many of us need to rethink our initial feelings about swamps and wetlands and begin to see the value of them.

..."

I really want to read Beaverland too. Definitely so much value in keeping wetlands.

[NancyJ]

Thanks for the description. This is a topic my husband has always been interested in. He had a job mapping wetlands in college, and they were relevant to many environmental projects.

I just mentioned the book to my husband. I didn’t realize it would be a sensitive topic. Now he’s telling me that the highest court in the land just said wetlands are worthless. There was a Supreme Court decision this week about a wetlands dispute. As far as I can make out, he agrees that some of the (Clean Air Act) definitions of wetlands are interpreted inconsistently, but we can’t just fill them all in. If you want to buy a house, don’t buy wetlands.

He knows nothing about bog people though. Most of the sites he investigated were contaminated by chemicals, so it’s a good thing people aren’t living there.

[Jen K]

Thanks Nancy for the extra info!!

Sadly I disagree with much coming out of the Supreme Court lately. I didn't realize they were dipping into environmental protections these days. I agree with your husband on the importance and seriously, we need to do more.

The bog people were ancient people killed and preserved in the bogs. I'm sure chemicals wouldn't help but wouldn't make them more dead. :) She does speak about the toxic waste traveling up the rivers into the great lakes. Sad stuff all around but it can be fixed if there is a will.

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "Good to see that it is worth while as I just took it out from the library.

I think many of us need to rethink our initial feelings about swamps and wetlands and begin to see the value of them.

..."

Beaverland sounds interesting. If it’s half as good as The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, I should read it too.

[Booknblues]

NancyJ wrote: " I didn’t realize it would be a sensitive topic. Now he’s telling me that the highest court in the land just said wetlands are worthless. There was a Supreme Court decision this week about a wetlands dispute...."

I had read about it and was concerned because I had just read Beaverland which had discussed the importance of the wetlands in controlling flooding and cleansing water.

It seems it was done out of ignorance not recognizing the delicate ecology of the wetlands and their environmental importance.

I think you would find Beaverland interesting. She does talk about trapping, but it was part of her quest to find out everything about Beaver and how they shaped this country.

[NancyJ]

Jen K wrote: "Thanks Nancy for the extra info!!

Sadly I disagree with much coming out of the Supreme Court lately. I didn't realize they were dipping into environmental protections these days. I agree with you..."

Lake Erie is a whole lot cleaner than it used to be. I think ground water pollution has improved a great deal in Western New York since the 1970’s when some neighborhoods had chemicals seeping up in their back yards in Niagara Falls. I think it helps that they’ve maintained many wetland areas, and they do groundwater testing, even decades after a chemical site has been closed or cleaned up.