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Swamplands
Swamplands: Tundra Beavers, Quaking Bogs, and the Improbable World of Peat | Edward Struzik
6 posts | 2 read | 1 reading | 6 to read
In a world filled with breathtaking beauty, we have often overlooked the elusive magic of certain landscapes. A cloudy river flows into an Arctic wetland where sandhill cranes and muskoxen dwell. Further south, cypress branches hang low over dismal swamps. Places like these-collectively known as swamplands or peatlands-often go unnoticed for their ecological splendor. They are as globally significant as rainforests, yet, because of their reputation as wastelands, they are being systematically drained and degraded. Swamplands celebrates these wild places, as journalist Edward Struzik highlights the unappreciated struggle to save peatlands by scientists, conservationists, and landowners around the world. An ode to peaty landscapes in all their offbeat glory, the book is also a demand for awareness of the myriad threats they face. It inspires us to see the beauty and importance in these least likely of places. Our planet's survival might depend on it.
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Lindy
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Pickpick

Bogs, fens, muskeg & swamps: in addition to being fascinating places that support all kinds of rare species of plants, birds, animals & insects, these wet landscapes are vital to our survival on this planet. Science journalist Edward Struzik makes this amply clear, explaining the power of peat moss to sequester carbon as well as hold massive quantities of water, stop the spread of wildfires, mitigate flooding and more.

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Lindy
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Peatlands, which represent no more than 4% of the earth‘s terrestrial surface, store twice as much carbon as all of the world‘s forests.

DrexEdit 😳 3y
Lindy @DrexEdit I was surprised by this too. And when peatlands dry up, they accelerate forest fires and release a heck of an amount of carbon into the atmosphere. 3y
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Lindy
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… the Horse River fire (2016), the most costly wildfire in Canadian history, may well have been slowed or stopped, had fens not been drained as part of a forestry experiment along the lone highway that leads to Fort MacMurray, the oil sands capital of the world.
(Internet photo)

Lindy This image is of people fleeing the fire in Fort MacMurray. My heart goes out to the people of Colorado for the recent devastation by fire there. 3y
Smrloomis That picture is terrifying 😖😢 3y
Nebklvr I learned so much from this book. We are so arrogant. We always think because something isn‘t gorgeous or familiar that it must have no purpose. 3y
Lindy @Nebklvr I agree: I learned so much. It made me feel so sad at times that I had to take a break and listen to a different audiobook for awhile. 3y
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Nebklvr
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Pickpick

There was tons of info so I should have read it in print format. Still a great book. I was amazed by all of the diversity in different fens, swamps, peat fields, etc. The Swamplands have provided sanctuary not only to rare animals and plants but also to people fleeing slavery. Instead of being the wasteland decried by many landowners, it provides safety from flooding, storage of Carbon, and protection from fire.

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Lindy
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Hector Charlesworth, a Toronto-based art critic, was appalled when he took in a Group of Seven exhibit in 1921. In reviewing Lawren Harris‘s painting Beaver Swamp, Charlesworth noted, “A while ago I saw in an art gallery a picture of a swamp. A repulsive , forbidding thing. One felt like taking a dose of quinine every time one looked at it. If ugliness is real beauty, they have yet to prove it to a very large mass of the assembled public.”

KathyWheeler Interesting. I think that‘s a lovely picture. Of course, I live near swamp. 3y
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Lindy
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The luna moth is aptly named because it uses moonlight, as some other moths do, to guide it on its nocturnal flights. It is a giant so rare and elusive in Alberta that it has a Sasquatch-like reputation. If there are fashion plates in the plain world of moths, the luna is a showboat.
(Internet photo)

CBee I feel so lucky whenever I see one of these ♥️ 3y
Lindy @CBee I would love to see one! 3y
CBee @Lindy they‘re around here more often in the summer. They really are beautiful - my favorite kind of moth ♥️ Funny story - the first time my oldest son saw one, it was flying around and it scared him to death! They‘re so big and it was rather bat-like 😂😂 3y
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llwheeler I've only seen a Luna moth caterpillar, but even that was very exciting! Hopefully I'll see a grown one someday 3y
KathyWheeler I had no idea they were that big! I thought they were the size of most moths, but no, I looked it up and learned that they get up to 4 inches. I always thought they were beautiful. 3y
Lindy @KathyWheeler The author also talks about another big, beautiful moth he sees in wetland areas: the polyphemus, which has a 6-inch wingspan. @CBee (edited) 3y
Lindy @llwheeler I just googled the caterpillar image so I will know what to watch for. I didn‘t know until I read this book that luna moths live in my area. 3y
KathyWheeler @Lindy that‘s a beautiful moth too. 3y
JazzFeathers What a beautiful moth 😍 3y
CBee @Lindy oh, I‘ve heard of those! I‘ll have to look them up to refresh my memory. 3y
CBee @Lindy also look up Hercules and atlas moths - HUGE! 3y
Lindy @CBee I just looked at those two online. Wow! Now I want to read a whole book about moths. Any recommendations? 3y
CBee @Lindy I honestly don‘t have any good recs - most of what I read I get online. If you are also interested in butterflies, check out The Guardian‘s article about the purple emperor butterfly. Really fascinating and a little freaky 😂 3y
Lindy @CBee Purple emperor? Okay! I‘m intrigued. Thanks. 3y
CBee @Lindy anytime! Butterflies and moths are my favorites ♥️ 3y
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