Saltmarsh: (British Wildlife Collection)

'Saltmarshes are often remote, inhospitable places, neither land nor sea, as hard to pin down as they are to navigate. In this saline odyssey, Clive Chatters has explored his favourite creeks, pools and mudflats to bring us an absorbing celebration of the ecology, biology, geology and history of this scarce and mysterious habitat. There are Tadpole Shrimps, and rare sedges, waders and Wild Celery – even inland saltmarshes – in this tour de force by a superb naturalist and writer.' - BRETT WESTWOOD, naturalist, author and radio presenter Saltmarshes are among Britain's most diverse and dynamic landscapes. They abound around our shores but may also be found inland and at altitude – wherever water, salt and vegetation combine. The species they support range from extreme rarities of specialised habitats to the less demanding denizens of coastal wetlands. Here is a landscape of international importance for migratory birds, endemic plants and an exceptional variety of invertebrates. Clive Chatters has a lifetime's affinity with saltmarshes. In this fifth volume of the British Wildlife Collection, he celebrates their natural history and diversity, from the highly distinctive marshes in the Scottish Highlands to the urban remnants of the Thames estuary now engulfed within the capital. By examining the past of these complex habitats, we can gain an insight into how they have developed, and an understanding of their relationship with people. In addition to their exceptionally diverse natural history, saltmarshes are sources of food and medicine, they play a pivotal role in flood defence and carbon sequestration, and have inspired artistic endeavour.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. Introduction 2. Far from the shore 3. On the wind 4. In the Highlands 5. Atlantic gateway 6. The merse of the Solway Firth 7. Bae Ceredigion 8. Genesis of the Humber 9. Seawalls and the Severn 10. Capital marsh country 11. The legacy of the Solent's artwork 12. Southampton's Spartinas 13. Conservation before conservationists 14. The advent of nature conservation 15. Modest proposals 16. The rise of regulation 17. International perspectives 18. Invasive and non-native species 19. Conservation in practice 20. Rejuvenation 21. Time and tide Appendix A: A provisional inventory of inland saltmarshes in Britain Appendix B: Special Areas of Conservation in Britain supporting saltmarsh habitats References and further reading Species names Illustration credits Index

About the Author :
Clive Chatters is a naturalist who has worked for over 35 years as a nature conservationist in the counties adjoining the Solent. He has held positions in both the statutory and voluntary conservation sectors, taking time off to assist in establishing the New Forest National Park. Author of a variety of publications from scientific reports to magazine articles, he has also written several books including Flowers of the Forest, an exploration of the botany of the New Forest through its history and rural economy, and Wild Hampshire and Isle of Wight, to commemorate the golden jubilee of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Review :
A detailed and wide-ranging look at the natural history and diversity of one of Britain's most ecologically important landscapes. A remarkable book ... Chatters writes with authority and eloquence on an enormous range of topics and draws from an impressive range of sources. Clive Chatters has maintained the standard in this excellent new book which deals with an often remote and slightly inhospitable habitat that attracts wildlife in droves. As the series names suggests, the focus is strongly on British examples but the author roams the country widely and brings the marshes he visits vividly to life. Splendid stuff. The stories Clive Chatters tells are based on decades of first-hand experience and extensive research, and he is to be congratulated on a superb read ... hard to put down. Well researched and well-illustrated throughout ... contains a wealth of information about its subject matter, focusing on the wildlife, history, development and past and future conservation of this marginal coastal habitat.