The Saltmarsh Creation Handbook

Book excerpt: Excellent new RSPB handbook, jointly published with the CharteredInstitution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM).From the publisher's announcement:The handbook presents practical guidance on the restoration andcreation of coastal saltmarsh and associated intertidal mudflat tohelp those involved in the planning and delivery of such schemessuccessfully realise their goals. Following an introductoryoverview, the handbook covers issues arising in theproject-planning phase. Site selection, scheme design, formulationof management plans, funding considerations, the current legal andplanning context, the regulatory framework and the process ofenvironmental impact assessment are addressedThe handbook then describes the practical techniques availableto restore and create saltmarsh. It covers the engineeringoperations necessary to produce suitable site conditions and theestablishment techniques employed to optimise/enhance sitedevelopment. The case studies presented reflect the evolution ofthe approach from simple, small-scale, single function schemes tosophisticated, large-scale, multiple-function projects andillustrate how the practical techniques described have beenapplied to site-specific circumstances.Technical terminology has been kept to a minimum to make thetext accessible to the widest possible audience. Plates andfigures have been widely used to illustrate the subject matter andextensive reference has been made to other publications in thefield, relevant recent and on-going research projects and othersources of useful information.