{"product_id":"illinois-wilds-9781886154049","title":"Illinois Wilds","description":"\u003cp\u003eIllinois 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67929749225525,"sku":"ByrdShop_188615404X","price":248.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781886154049.jpg?v=1794199758","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/illinois-wilds-9781886154049","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}