Wetlands are the unheralded gems of the New Zealand landscape. Seriously endangered and taken for granted by New Zealanders, they are often stunning environments and harbour all manner of beautiful and rare flora and fauna. This beautiful, environmentally important book describes what wetlands do, what we find in wetlands - plants, aquatic life, birds and animals - and it also looks at the conservation and restoration of wetlands. Examining the different kinds of wetlands - peatlands, wetlands for waders, coastal wtlands, urban wetlands, upland and geothermal wetlands and rivers - it also focuses on the internationally renowned wetlands known as the Ramsar convention wetlands: Firth of Thames, Kopuatai Peat Dome, Whangamarino, Farewell Spit, Waituna Lagoon, and the Manawatu estuary. A substantial book featuring excellent natural history writing by award-winner Janet Hunt combined with excellent photography by Arno Gasteiger.

Winner of Montana New Zealand Book Awards: Environment Category 2008.

Janet Hunt is the author of A Bird in the Hand, winner of the non-fiction category and Book of the Year award at the 2004 NZ Post Children's and Young Adults Book Awards and From Weta to Kauri, shortlisted for the same awards in 2005.