Illinois Wilds [Hardcover]

Michael Jeffords (Author), Susan Post (Editor), Kenneth Robertson (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997

Illinois Wilds is a natural history of the wildlands found in Illinois. This book is a historical depiction of what Illinois was like before settlement by Europeans, and is also a showcase of the remaining natural heritage of the state. Historical accounts of Illinois described huge trees, vast grasslands, and extensive wetlands. The seemingly endless prairies possessed a great diversity 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. Although we no longer have the luxury of standing on a hillock or an old glacial moraine and viewing a limitless expanse of prairie or forest, we do have the opportunity to experience the essence of these places; that is what the authors have attempted to document in this work. They identify the most distinguishing feature of various Illinois habitats, whether the vegetation is predominantly trees, grasses or forbs, the soil a deep loess, sand or gravel, or the ground surface dry or covered by water. The majority of the 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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Jeffords is currently a professional scientist at the Natural History Survey in Champaign. A graduate of the University of Illinois with an M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology, he is also an associate professor of entomology in the UI College of Agriculture, and the public relations and education liaison for the Survey.

Susan Post is a research biologist with the Center of Economic Entomology at the Illinois Natural history Survey. Her photographs and writings have appeared in The Nature of Illinois and Illinois Steward Magazine, where she is a staff writer. Post is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Entomology.

Kenneth Robertson received his undergraduate and masters degrees from the University of Kansas and his Ph.D. from Washington University and the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. He is a botanist at the Illinois Natural History Survey. He serves as a consultant to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for Plants to the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 156 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Publishing (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188615404X
• ISBN-13: 978-1886154049
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 10.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,412,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Description of Illinois' Natural Beauty, November 9, 2002

By 

Frank Zimmerman (Danvers, IL USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Illinois Wilds (Hardcover)

This 1995 harcover describes Illinois' natural beauty beyond its highways, towns, and scattered villages. Sadly, Illinois ranks 49th of the states (Iowa is 50th) in the amount of land preserved in its virgin beauty before the arrival of European settlers, farmers, and lumberjacks. The authors catagorize the landscape of Illinois into 15 natural areas which include the following: unglaciated woods, gravel prairies, lake shore, marshes, bogs, seep springs, tallgrass prairie, prairie groves, sand prairies and savannas, hill prairies, easter n forests, rock ledges, southern ravines, southern swamps, and coastal plain forests. The photos are stunning and very beautiful. However, the location (e.g. state park, natural area, county) of where each photo was taken is rarely given! The text is short and easy to read for the layman, but long enough to give the hiker/outdoorsman/naturalist a basic understanding of the area described. A great book for anyone who wants to enjoy more of Illinois than can be seen from his or her car on I-55!