One of the largest freshwater wetlands in South America, comprising more than 2.5 million acres, the Iberá was forged from ancient geological forces and the long-ago wanderings of the mighty Paraná River. Today the landscape is a locus of conservation activity--including a campaign to create a new national park to protect the biodiversity of this striking region. Increasingly a destination for nature lovers, the marshlands attract birdwatchers from across the Earth, who come to see some 360 avian species that are found here.

A native son of Corrientes, world-class nature photographer Juan Ramón Díaz Colodrero has spent years documenting the region's birdlife and other wild creatures. In Esteros del Iberá, his dazzling images put the reader into the heart of the Iberá's life-affirming beauty. Supporting essays by leading regional conservationists and other experts illuminate the Iberá's diverse natural communities and distinctive human culture. While the area is remarkably unspoiled, innovative conservation projects are augmenting wildlife populations and returning missing native species--such as the giant anteater and the jaguar--to their rightful homes in the landscape of shining waters. The Iberá presents a stark contrast to the modern world, a place where the trajectory of land health is moving toward integrity and wildness.