Sunday, September 14, 2003		Books

Studying management of wetlands
Jayanti Roy

Sustainable Management of Wetlands: Biodiversity and Beyond
edited by Jyoti Parikh and Hemant Datye. Sage Publications, New Delhi. Pages 444. Rs 650.

WETLANDS, which represent the interface between land and water, are rich in biodiversity. They recharge groundwater, purify it, retain nutrients and control microclimates. They also provide innumerable products needed for life-support and livelihood. Yet, as it is with all gifts of nature, these are too priceless to put a value on or, in other words, their value is considered to be zero in the material world. Hence wetlands are under threat due to their filling up for developmental purposes, encroachment, pollution, poaching, and the list goes on. How to value these invaluable treasures in economic terms so that their benefits can be utilised and conserved successfully? This question has given rise to a whole new branch of environmental economics.

The book under review is an outcome of the Capacity-21 Project sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme and conducted by the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forests. It aims at translating environmental economics into economic decision-making. Eminent contributors from diverse backgrounds of zoology, botany, avian and marine biology, ornithology, economics and remote sensing worked as a team in this project and studied management of wetlands through diverse perspectives.

This multi-pronged approach is necessary to understand holistically the linkages between wetland, biodiversity and people, and to assess its economic value for its wise use, proper management and conservation. The integrated approach also makes the task a highly complex one. The editors have done a praiseworthy job in keeping the book user-friendly. A general reader keen to know about wetlands will also find the book interesting because of its simple and comprehensible format devoid of any technical jargon. All terms and basic concepts are explained in an efficient manner. Tables and figures are effectively designed to grasp complex issues quickly and easily. The chapters are grouped into four sections encompassing ecological approaches, managerial and economic approaches, a case-study approach and the larger picture that deal with the need for protected area networks of wetlands. Brief introduction of the editors and contributors at the end of the book and a faultless index add to the value of the book. The care and concern that the editors have shown in every aspect of compilation of the book is really appreciable.

The book will prove to be of immense use to researchers, ecologists, managers and policymakers, as it presents a comprehensive overview of the nation’s wetlands, their mapping through remote sensing, economic assessment, valuation and finally, a team effort in developing the national wetlands strategy and action plan. The price is quite reasonable for a plethora of innovative ideas. No doubt such studies have inspired projects such as the Assessment of Economic Potential of Eight Wetlands of Punjab taken up recently by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology. The book has taken a serious step towards the well-being of wetlands.