Summary

“The English Fens” begins with an examination of Alexander Pope’s concept of genius loci, which is the central theme of the chapter. Genius loci is the idea that natural places possess a genius or a spirit, and the author holds that this spirit has been largely ignored by humans. The ecological reality is that nothing is fixed, all ecosystems are in a constant state of transition. Fens, bogs, and swamps are not immutable designations, but interrelated phases of transformation.

Focusing on the fenlands of England, the author offers a concise history of that region’s decimation of fens, which accompanied a growing interest in entomology. Because wetlands provide habitat for an unthinkable diversity of insects, animals, and plants, their destruction has contributed to a worldwide loss in biodiversity. As fens were converted to agricultural use, the only protesters were the poorest members...