PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
December 2017
809
BOOK
REVIEW
Boundary Retracement: Process and
Procedures
Donald A. Wilson
CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL. 2017. xxi and 474 pp. B/W pictures,
diagrams, plats, Table of Authorities, Index. Hardcover. $149.95.
ISBN 9781498727105.
Reviewed by:
D. Ian Wilson, PLS, Project Manager
BKF Engineers, Redwood City, California.
Donald Wilson’s book, Easements & Reversions (Landmark
Enterprises. 1991. ISBN 9780910845434) was one of the first
books I ever owned after being employed as a rodman nearly
thirty years ago. At only 107 pages, I read it cover to cover in
one sitting. I have enjoyed his writing and attended his semi-
nars since. I looked forward to reading this new book from the
time I first heard about it. It was worth the wait.
For the record, Donald Wilson and I do not share any com-
mon ancestors within the last few generations. We are not re-
lated, except by the love of our profession.
This book is very different from most previous works on
boundary retracement. It does not limit itself to a small geo-
graphical area of the country, bog down in recitations of prin-
ciples or comes across as a cookbook approach to boundaries.
Rather, this book tries to teach the reader how to think about
boundary retracement, resolving and reconciling discrepan-
cies, recognizing evidence and the like.
When all four corners of the surveyed property are clearly
marked, accurately documented and accepted and respected
by the owners, the surveyor’s job is trivial. It is when those
elements are in opposition to each other that the surveyor’s
work truly begins. It is incumbent on the surveyor to resolve
the issues to the satisfaction of all parties and in a manner
that will stand up to judicial scrutiny, if necessary. This book
is designed to guide the rookie, assist the more experienced
and still offer something to the veteran.
In each section, Wilson presents the basic concept, outlines the
issues and presents cases with chunks of appellate decisions. He
follows up with a discussion of the relevant issues and the sig-
nificant points from the cases. Even though the cases are from a
specific state, the cases presented are, for the most part, global in
scope. The cases can be used as the basis for searches for similar
cases in the reader’s jurisdictions. The reader should be able to
take away lessons on how to think about similar situations and
how to resolve issues within the context of judicial thinking.
The passages from the judicial decisions presented cover the
reasoning behind the decisions. In several cases, the passages
run to many pages of the book (one case covered six pages). The
excerpts could have been pared down without losing any of the
points of the decisions or the lessons Wilson makes from them.
The two appendices were particularly interesting. In each,
Wilson provides a breakdown, by state, of significant cases.
The first appendix covers cases on following footsteps of a pre-
vious surveyor. The second covers cases of lost corners. They
provide an interesting comparison of how these issues are
treated by each of the fifty states.
The Table of Authorities is a list of the cases found in the text
and the pages on which the case is cited. While not standard
practice in legal texts, it would have been a nice addition to pro-
vide a note with each case as to which state the case was from.
There are only 47 illustrations in the book. Unfortunately,
many are too pixilated or blurry to read or properly under-
stand. The quality of the copied pictorial exhibits really dis-
tracts from reading the book. Future editions should address
this significant shortcoming.
The book is a hardback, but the binding is a glue up of in-
dividual sheets stuck into a hard binding. This binding style
does not stand up to the user that this book will surely get
from its owners. At $150 per copy, I expected a better, more
durable binding style.
Even with its lengthy appellate decisions passages, fuzzy il-
lustrations, and glued binding, this book really does belong in
the library of anyone who considers themselves a practitioner
of the art of land surveying. It will not spend much time on the
shelf as it will become well used and often read. This book will
take some getting through because the material will challenge
the reader to think and recall similar surveys in the reader’s
past. For those who have had the privilege of attending one
of Wilson’s seminars, it will be very difficult to read the book
without “hearing” and enjoying every word in Don’s voice.
Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing
Vol. 83, No. 12, December 2017, pp. 809.
0099-1112/17/809
© 2017 American Society for Photogrammetry
and Remote Sensing
doi: 10.14358/PERS.83.12.809
