Planting Wetlands and Dams: A Practical Guide to Wetland Design, Construction and Propagation, Second Edition

Since it was first published in 1998, Planting Wetlands and Dams has been used widely as a readable, plain-English guide which demystifies the processes and practices of wetland and dam planting and has also successfully exposed some of the more dubious myths which had been propagated in the 1980s and 1990s. It has been widely accepted by professionals working in the field, and is also found in the libraries of many colleges and universities. After a decade in print, the book has been comprehensively rewritten. The introductory chapter on wetlands is expanded and includes photographs of each major type of wetland, including those in the Northern Territory. The planning chapter includes updated information on regulations and permits and also examines the pros and cons of establishing new wetlands in otherwise dry climates. The construction chapter includes information on new materials that have recently become available for lining wetlands and dams. The plant selection chapter elaborates on provenance issues to show the diverse spreading mechanisms found in wetland and saltmarsh plants, and has new information on the important habitat plant Cotula coronopifolia. It will also provide up-to-date information on declared aquatic weeds. Planting Wetlands and Dams will be a useful guide for professionals working in the field, and will also be useful for students and academics at tertiary level whose studies include wetlands, water treatment, habitat restoration, aquaculture and aquatic ecology intersects Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 4 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1 Wetlands......Page 12 Plants and wetlands......Page 14 Ephemeral wetlands......Page 15 Marshes and swamps......Page 16 Floodplains and billabongs......Page 17 Saltmarshes, estuaries and mangroves......Page 18 Artificial and created wetlands......Page 19 2 Planning a dam or wetland......Page 22 What are your goals?......Page 23 Regulations and permits......Page 24 Choosing sites......Page 26 Other considerations......Page 28 Wind, erosion and surrounding vegetation......Page 31 Habitat......Page 33 Modifying existing dams......Page 35 Water treatment wetlands......Page 37 3 Construction and layout......Page 40 Soils and construction......Page 41 Construction with limited material......Page 42 Alternative materials......Page 43 Machinery......Page 44 Scrapers......Page 45 Water control......Page 46 The underwater landscape......Page 48 Colour Plates......Page 50 Provenance and wetland plants......Page 82 Native or exotic?......Page 86 Plant selection – choosing suitable combinations......Page 90 ‘No net loss’ wetlands......Page 91 Edible wetland plants......Page 92 Natural seed banks or planting?......Page 94 Collecting and cleaning seed......Page 95 Seed production in nurseries......Page 97 Growing from seed......Page 98 Other types of propagating material......Page 101 Soil, fertilisers and water......Page 103 Why only a limited range of plants succeeds in new wetlands......Page 106 Plant interactions......Page 107 Soil texture and cost-effective additives......Page 108 Staggered plantings......Page 109 Planting methods......Page 110 Vermin and waterbirds ......Page 111 Some common wetland weeds......Page 113 Sedges (Cyperaceae)......Page 118 Cordrushes (Restionaceae)......Page 119 Annual plants (diverse families)......Page 120 Mangroves (diverse families)......Page 121 Propagation guidelines......Page 122 Plant lists by genera......Page 123 Glossary......Page 158 Further reading......Page 161 Index......Page 166 Wetland planting can bring back biodiversity, reduce the impact of drought and flood, improve water quality and conserve beauty in a mismanaged landscape. Planting Wetlands and Dams is a step-by-step, plain language guide to the creation of conditions in which wetland plants will thrive, from design and construction to collecting plants, seeds and propagation. Completely revised and expanded, this new edition includes comprehensive information for around 200 genera of wetland plants from Tasmania to the tropics, complemented by more than 60 new colour photographs. It discusses the modification and improvement of existing dams, new lining materials available, and planning for plant and animal habitat needs. It provides updated information on legal requirements as well as significant exotic weeds, and examines the pros and cons of establishing new wetlands in dry climates. This book is a complete manual for planting wetlands and dams, from design and construction to collecting plants, seeds and propagation, and with comprehensive generic information lists for all Australian aquatic and wetland plants used in re-vegetation.