Wetland Drainage, Restoration, and Repair

Wetlands are a vital part of the landscape and ecology of the United States, providing critical habitat for fish and wildlife; yet they are being destroyed at an alarming rate. A detailed and comprehensive analysis of wetlands management, Wetland Drainage, Restoration, and Repair can help reverse this trend. The book begins with an historical overview of wetland destruction and repair over the past two hundred years and shows clearly how the effects on drained locations remain evident generations later. It also serves as a unique guide to aid anyone, from novice to engineer, engaged in the process of wetland restoration. Author Thomas R. Biebighauser draws from his own vast experience in building and repairing more than 900 wetlands across North America. Included are numerous photographs and case studies that highlight successes and failures of past projects. Detailed, step-by-step instructions guide the reader through each restoration project. Woven throughout are stories of people across the continent – in schools, on farms, and in national forests – who are restoring wet meadows, bogs, emergent wetlands, ephemeral wetlands, and forested wetlands, often using the same tools that destroyed them. Biebighauser also provides a number of effective strategies for initiating and improving funding for wetlands programs. Wetland Drainage, Restoration, and Repair is essential reading for all who care about these important ecosystems.