Signals from the heartland

About this book

Like ripples in a pond, changes in the American Midwest affect the entire nation and give us a preview of our future. On the front lines of observing those changes, a native son of America's Heartland here provides a profile of a region through his portraits of some unique heroes: midwestern naturalists, farmers, and scientists who are deeply involved in saving and restoring our environment. Tony Fitzpatrick limits his canvas to just two states, Illinois and Missouri, the very heart of the Heartland, birthplace of American heroes in the past and now a crucible of a new kind of hero. Signals from the Heartland explores midwestern ecosystems, urban and suburban sprawl, the changing American farm, shrinking wetlands, and hidden swamps of portentous significance. The author's guides in these journeys are real people working on real problems, and their voices are loud and clear. These are essential Americans who cherish the land - trying to rescue it (and us) in some innovative ways. Along the way you will meet noted environmentalists Peter Raven of the Missouri Botanical Garden and Robert Mohlenbrock of Illinois, among other fascinating, authentic environmentalists whose crucial work it is to decode the environment's "signals"--Translating them into warnings we all must heed. This is a compelling Journey through forests and fields, linked by rivers and interstates, featuring many nuggets of our Heartland heritage.