"Clare Howard captured the true spirit and the joy of the Montezuma family."—Michael J. Patane, president, Great Swamp Conservancy
"A lovely book inspiring a passion for wetlands and hope for their conservation. Howard’s stories of the people engaged in this effort illustrate how any of us can have a meaningful impact on our world and the ‘watery’ places in it."—Megan Garvey, stewardship director, The Wetlands Conservancy
"From Indigenous knowledge and ecological restoration to the deep personal bonds that draw people to care for the land, Wisdom of the Marsh is both an elegy and a call to honor the beauty, value, and wisdom that wetlands quietly hold as a climate solution. I will never look at Montezuma or any wetland the same way again."—John Pumilio, associate provost for sustainability, Colgate University
"Wisdom of the Marsh captures the full breadth of engagement required to protect and restore a wetland—the heavy equipment operators, biologists, managers, volunteers, and indigenous cultural historians, all of whom are essential to understanding why and how Montezuma Wetlands exists as it does today."—Georgie Geharty, executive director and midwest partner, The Nature Conservancy in Illinois
Description
Wisdom of the Marsh takes an in-depth look at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex through the overlapping lens of environmental and social justice. Exploring the history of the land and its relationship with the people who inhabited it, writer Clare Howard and photographer David Zalaznik present a complete portrait of the marsh’s exploitation and restoration, providing a hopeful perspective through which to view our future.
Through the ceaseless work of professionals and volunteers, the Montezuma wetlands are slowly healing. Bird species are returning to the area, plant life is beginning to thrive once more, and educational programs continue the work and care that had formed the heart of Indigenous communities’ stewardship of this land. By providing a new understanding of wetlands and promoting renewed ways to interact with them, Wisdom of the Marsh offers an optimistic vision of how we can continue to rehabilitate our environment.
About the Author
Clare Howard is a journalist formerly of the Journal Star in Peoria, IL, writing on environmental issues, and a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists. She is the author of In the Spirit of Wetlands.
David Zalaznik is a photojournalist formerly of the Lincoln Courier and the Journal Star in Peoria, IL. He is the author of the book Life along the Illinois River and the photographer for In the Spirit of the Wetlands.
Series: New York State and Regional studies
8 x 10, 136 pages, 53 color, 3 black and white illustrations, 1 maps
April 2026