Illinois Natural History Survey
sesquicentennial
In the Far East, each and every year has a designation—the Year of the Dragon, the Year of the Tiger . . . they conjure up vivid images of dancing dragons, cavorting tigers, and more. Well, hold on to your hats, because 2008 is the Year of the Survey! The Illinois Natural History Survey is officially 150 years old and we are celebrating this milestone. Everyone is invited and we’ve planned a series of special events to commemorate natural history, natural resources, and the underlying science for which the survey is noted.
Our official celebration will be on Friday and Saturday, September 26–27, at the survey’s South Research Park location in Champaign. We’ve planned our events to reach the entire range of our clientele—natural resource managers, politicians and government officials, fellow scientists, and, especially, that most valued of Illinois resources, it’s citizens. All are invited to attend each and every event, or pick and choose those that have individual appeal.
We begin with an event suitable for those who would like to know the status of Illinois’ natural resources—a scientific symposium entitled Conservation of Natural Resources in the 21st Century: The View From Illinois that will run all day Friday, Sept. 26 at the new I-Hotel and Conference Center, 1800 South First Street, Champaign. We will feature a variety of speakers from Illinois and beyond, and conclude with our distinguished guest, Dr. Peter Raven, Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden and world authority on biodiversity issues. The scientific symposium is free, but on-line registration is requested.
Two events designed for families and a more general audience are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27. We have invited British author, TV personality, and renowned herpetologist Mark O’Shea to present "Serpents, Sorcery and Snakebite in Papua New Guinea, the Land of the Unexpected" at the I-Hotel in the morning. This should be a great event for all ages. Following the O’Shea presentation, INHS will have a Natural History Expo for families on the Survey’s new campus (1816 South Oak) that will feature numerous interactive exhibits and displays that showcase the science of the Survey. Our centerpiece will be the world-renowned insect collection of Dan Capps, an insect collector extraordinaire, fresh from his most recent visit where he was featured at Walt Disney World/Epcot Center, Florida. The event will run from noon until 6 p.m. and is free.
Biologists have been traversing the state from north to south and east to west for only 40 years less than it has been a state—since 1858! As permanent momentos of our 150th Celebration, we are producing two new books that will be for sale during the celebration.
Biologists in the Field is a collection of anecdotes, essays, short stories, and perceptions from 150 years of field biology in Illinois, all written by INHS biologists. The stories feature everything from Stephen Forbes’ early letters to his wife Clara, to misadventures in Illinois and around the world. We have invited UI entomologist May Berenbaum to write the foreword and nature writer Stephen Lyons to conclude with an epilogue.
The second book, Canaries in the Catbird Seat: The Past, Present, and Future of Biological Resources in a Changing Environment, is a compendium of articles that give the current status of many of the living resources of Illinois, including its forests, prairies, wetlands, and selected groups of plants and animals. The coffee table style book will feature color photos, charts, and other materials to provide an up-to-date look at natural resources in Illinois.
We invite you to share our birthday celebration with us and look forward to seeing all of you at the various events designed to showcase 150 years of scientific effort at INHS.