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Wild Ones: Hidden Natural Treasures of Illinois

Online Program

Botanist Chris Benda tours the unique natural areas and rare plants found in the 14 different natural divisions in Illinois, with an emphasis on our plants and animals. Registration required.

The public is invited to the monthly meetings of the Lake-to-Prairie chapter of the Wild Ones, a national not-for-profit organization that promotes the use of native plants in landscapes.

Hidden Natural Treasures of Illinois 

Illinois is large and biologically diverse with many pristine natural areas located across the state.  Join botanist Chris Benda for a tour of the unique natural areas and rare plants that can be found in the 14 different natural divisions in Illinois. This program will highlight places you never knew existed, with emphasis on the plants and animals of Illinois.

Chris Benda is a botanist and past president of the Illinois Native Plant Society. Currently, he works as a Researcher at Southern Illinois University, where he coordinates the Plants of Concern Southern Illinois Program and teaches The Flora of Southern Illinois. A native of Minnesota, Chris moved to Illinois from California in 2004 and received a Master's Degree in Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign in 2007.  Besides working at SIU, he conducts botanical fieldwork around the world, teaches a variety of classes at The Morton Arboretum, and leads nature tours for Camp Ondessonk.  He has research appointments with the University of Illinois and Argonne National Laboratory, and is an accomplished photographer and author of several publications about natural areas in Illinois.  He is also known as Illinois Botanizer 

Registration is required. To register, click on the REGISTER button on this page.

This program will take place online; you will receive an email confirmation with the link when you register. Click that link at the start time to join us.
 

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