Taming the Flood: History and Natural History of Rivers and Wetlands - Softcover

Purseglove, Jeremy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192860917 ISBN 13: 9780192860910

Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks, 1989

Synopsis

The last forty years have seen the destruction of a huge proportion of flora and fauna in marshes, wet meadows, ponds, and river banks. This has happened largely as a result of enormous public investment in land drainage, carried out by water authorities, councils, and individual farmers. As a practical landscape architect working in the Water Industry, Jeremy Purseglove has been actively involved in building a wider brief for land drainage engineers so that they can enhance, rather than destroy, the heritage of our rivers and wetlands. "Taming the Flood" draws extensively on this experience, not only analyzing the conflicting demands made on rivers and wetlands, but also outlining practical proposals for their protection and use.

About this title

Review

‘His original determination remains the driving force of this compelling book. Mr Purseglove’s mission was to show why rivers really matter to England and how our wetlands are a vital part of the natural scene. His descriptions are wonderfully accurate, his writing captivating and his enthusiasm catching. On any level, it’s a good read, but, as a call to action, it’s outstanding [...] It is his love of the subject, his deep knowledge and poetic insight that wins us from the very first page.’ John Selwyn Gummer, Country Life magazine

‘Taming the Flood most deserves its status as a classic [...] for its evocation of place [...] the descriptions of wetlands are exquisitely written. This fine book calls for, and takes, a longer view.’ The Sunday Times

Praise for the previous edition:

‘Jeremy Purseglove has a gift that is increasingly rare in these days of scientific specialisation – of joining practical wisdom about working with nature and the land to an imaginative appreciation of their place in our history and culture.’ Richard Mabey

‘A most authoritative book which appears at a very appropriate time. It will give rise to new attitudes in an extremely important aspect of conservation, and new hope to those who are fighting for a more enlightened approach to wetlands.’ Sir Peter Scott

‘Written with passion and scholarship, Taming the Flood is not only about landscapes – ranging from the secret brooks of Shakespeare country to the windswept Norfolk marshes – but also combines ecology, history, literature and politics in order to explain why our rivers and wetlands matter and the ways in which they are under threat.’ Tony Soper

About the Author

Jeremy Purseglove helped to pioneer a new approach to the way we manage our rivers, having worked as an environmentalist in the water industry for over a decade. Taming the Flood, first published in 1988, is based on his personal experience and on the research he did for a television series, which he also presented. In 1989 he left the water industry to join an engineering consultancy. In this capacity he worked in the UK and throughout the world integrating civil engineering schemes with the environment. He lives in Cambridge.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
• Publication date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0192860917
• ISBN 13: 9780192860910
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 319