The stories great rivers tell: ACES professor emeritus Kenneth R. Olson completes 11-book journey
The great rivers of the world function not only as physical landscapes, but also as complex systems shaped by human intervention, warfare, and climate change as explored in a series of books by emeritus soil scientist and environmental researcher Kennenth R. Olson.
Olson, retired since 2014 from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES), part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has recently published his eleventh book to complete a series on the environmental, historical, and political dimensions of the world’s great river landscapes and deltas.
“Each great river I have researched has a story to tell. They serve as pathways for immigration and invasions, and because of sediment deposition they provide the most productive soils in a region with regards to food production. Human decisions and interventions have caused long term damage to these environments and the health of humans who live nearby. Through this book series, I have highlighted the importance of field-based research, documentation, and interdisciplinary collaborations to understand the long-term impacts of these interventions on river systems and the need for environmental stewardship,” Olson said.
While still working in ACES, Olson began documenting extensive soil damage after the 2008 flooding of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, but as a U.S. Army Vietnam Era veteran, he was drawn to study the Mekong River after retiring and subsequently wrote several journal articles and two books about this landscape, specifically the collateral damage from Agent Blue herbicide used to destroy rice crops and other food supplies.
Although his initial institutional research on flooding in North America was supported by the USDA and the U. of I. , he has self-funded and coordinated most of his retirement research.
In total, Olson has published 82 papers on the world’s great river landscapes. He wrote the Great Rivers of the World and Warfare-Soils book series to reach a wider audience.
“This is probably my last book to wrap up this topic. I hoped to complete my great river landscapes book mission by my 80th birthday, which will be in 2027. Mission accomplished. However, my family and friends are skeptical that I will be able to give up my adventures based around these topics because I have enjoyed it so much,” Olson said.
Olson was interviewed about his book series by Pollution and Diseases. Read the interview here: https://pollution-diseases-ojs.org/index.php/pd/article/view/18