Review by Choice Review
Australia, one of the driest landmasses in the world, is home to the Murray-Darling Basin, forming the continent's largest river system. This region in southeastern Australia encompasses one of the country's most important agricultural areas and also includes 16 of the Wetlands of International Importance as defined under the Ramsar Convention. Water from the basin is heavily used for agricultural purposes, although recent efforts have sought to return water to the system. As in other parts of the world, wetlands of this region were historically viewed as areas to be reclaimed for human use, but are now becoming increasingly recognized for their environmental value. O'Gorman (Macquarie Univ.) is an environmental and cultural historian whose work has thoroughly explored the interaction of nature and humans in this region over time. In this text, seven environmentally themed chapters emphasize the more-than-human socioecological relationships that have shaped and continue to shape this landscape. Chapter titles include "Weaving: Postcolonial and Multispecies Politics of Plants" (chapter 1); "Crossing: Wildlife in Agriculture" (chapter 4); "Rippling: Capitalism, Seals, and Baselines (chapter 7). The important role of Aboriginal peoples in the land's history and future is acknowledged throughout. While focused on a single region, this globally relevant work makes a good contribution to the literature concerning wetland ecosystems. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students and faculty. General readers. --Chad E. Buckley, Illinois State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
