Historical accounts of Illinois described huge trees, vast grasslands and extensive wetlands. The seemingly endless prairies possessed a great of many-hued plants; a traveler could go from central Illinois to Wisconsin and encounter few trees. The prairies were teeming with life - passenger pigeons by the millions, snakes basking along the dusty trail, a myriad of grasshoppers darting through the air like arrows from a medieval army.
Even though the wilderness that was Illinois has long since departed, some wildness yet remains. Illinois' wilds may be as simple as a few violets growing in a lawn, a remnant of an ancient prairie grove, or as complex as hundreds of acres of cypress-tupelo swamp in southern Illinois.
The majority of photographs in this book are of plants and animals that can be used to determine a habitat or simply be seen by the casual visitor. It is the authors' wish that these images not only excite and emotionally involve the viewer, but that they also inspire movement towards a conservation ethic.
