'It Tore My Heart Out': Environmental Heroism and the Conservation of Wetlands

Abstract

This article proposes the concepts of swamp-philia and paludal heroism through a case study of a prominent Western Australian wetlands activist, David James, in relation to global activism in defense of swamp environments. James has been the champion and unsung hero of bushland and wetland conservation in the Forrestdale area near Perth where he has lived for more than sixty years. Positioning James as a kind of Thoreau of the antipodes, the article draws from audio and video interviews conducted with the passionate conservationist since 2009 to develop an oral history-based approach to documenting wetlands heroism. In many ways, the story of James is exemplary of a life spent devoted to wetland conservation. Yet, his story is not an isolated one but parallels the work of swamp conservationists such as Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Luc Hoffmann, Anselmo de Barros, and Anu Muhammad. Drawing from theories of biophilia and eco-heroism, the article concludes that paludal heroism is essential to the integrity of swamp ecosystems around the world.