New Nature Books Highlight Chicago Region's Wildlife and Landscapes
Nov 28, 2025 ● By Sheryl DeVore
Lindsay Welbers. Photo courtesy Lindsay Welbers
Local author Lindsay Welbers believes there is far more nature to explore in the Chicago area than many people realize, even within the city limits and suburbs. She is one of several writers that released new Chicago-area nature books this year, offering fresh ways to discover local parks, forest preserves, wildlife and trails during the holiday gift-giving season.
Exploring Chicago Area Nature Without a Car
“When people think of Chicago, they think skyscrapers. They think steel and glass,” says Welbers, author of Chicago Transit Hikes: A Guide to Getting Out in Nature Without a Car, Second Edition, published by the University of Illinois Press. “But we have one of the largest forest preserve districts in the country, and it’s stunning,” Welbers continues. “There’s such a huge variety and diversity of landscapes here,” she says, adding that many of them can be accessed via Chicago’s transit system.
Her book, published in 2016 and released in a second edition in October, was inspired by her move to Chicago from a small Illinois town near Starved Rock State Park. There she had easy access to trees to climb, creeks to wade and forests to explore. When she moved to Logan Square, in Chicago, she imagined she might not have as easy access to green spaces. But she was wrong. “At no point did I feel disconnected from nature. I could walk from the blue line to my apartment and be under the tree canopy the whole time,” she recalls. “Then I moved to Jefferson Park and I wanted to figure out where I could go from my new place to feel connected with nature.” She discovered, she says, that “Jefferson Park is such a hub with two Metra lines and a blue line close to my house.”
Those experiences compelled her to write the book.
“The goal was that the maximum you would spend was on taking the train or the bus to get to a natural area,” she says, adding, “Taking the train is the easiest way that I have found to maintain that calm, collected feeling that comes from time spent out in nature for as long as possible after I leave the trail. Sitting in my car, stuck in traffic… ruins the vibes I just cultivated from being out in nature.”
Field Guide Highlights Fishes of the Chicago Region
Fishes of the Chicago Region. Photo courtesy Francis M. Veraldi, Stephen M. Pescitelli, and Philip W. Willink
Enjoying nature on land and in water is accessible throughout the region, and those interested in fish have a new book to peruse called Fishes of the Chicago Region: A Field Guide, by Francis M. Veraldi, Stephen M. Pescitelli and Philip W. Willink, recently published by the University of Chicago Press.
All three have worked with Friends of the Chicago River on fish habitat improvement projects. Readers will learn about fish with such interesting names as mudminnows, mooneyes and pirate perches and where they might find them. The book includes photos, descriptions and the status of 164 fishes that live in the region.
Readers “can easily flip through the book to see what they (the fish) look like, where they live, and their habits and habitats,” says co-author Willink, a former senior research biologist at the John G. Shedd Aquarium and assistant collections manager for the Fish Division at the Field Museum of Natural History.
The first book about fishes of the Chicago region was written by famous naturalist Robert Kennicott in 1855, followed by a 1910 book written by Seth E. Meek and Samuel F. Hildebrand called A Synoptic List of the Fishes Known to Occur Within Fifty Miles of Chicago.
“It was definitely time for a comprehensive update,” says Willink, now an academic researcher for the Illinois Natural History Survey. He says he and the other authors know how important fishes are to understanding and conserving aquatic ecosystems. “Yet many people are unaware of how much is going on beneath the waves of our region,” he says. “Hopefully, this book will increase appreciation for our local fishes and enhance protections of Chicago’s waters.”
New Book Celebrates Birding In The Chicago Region
Jeff Reiter. Photo courtesy Eckhartz Press.
Also published this year were essays about birds, birders and birding in the Chicago region. Glen Ellyn resident Jeff Reiter has compiled some of his columns published in suburban Chicago newspapers since 2004. The book, The Best of Words on Birds, was published by Eckhartz Press Reiter says his book appeals to beginning and advanced birders alike. “I try to address all kinds of birding, including backyard birding and birding away from home,” he relays, adding his columns “also feature individual birders with good stories to tell, expertise to share or who have a unique approach to watching birds.”
Botanists Highlight Orchid Recovery, Including Work In Chicago
Saving Orchids. Photo courtesy Philip Seaton and Lawrence W. Zettler
Among the most beloved and mysterious flowers in the world are orchids, and some can even be found near Chicago. A new book, Saving Orchids—Stories of Species Survival in a Changing World, published by the University of Chicago Press , tells tales of some of the world’s rarest species and how they are being saved in the wild as well as at places like the Chicago Botanic Garden, in Glencoe. Co-author Lawrence W. Zettler is a research associate at the Chicago Botanic Garden and professor of biology at Illinois College, in Jacksonville. Co-author Philip Seaton is a retired manager for an orchid seed-banking network for Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in England.
Both have traveled the world studying orchids and explain in the book ways we can protect what they call “flagship species of plant conservation.” The illustrated book features historic stories of early botanists that worked with orchids as well as people in the 21st century that are working to keep certain orchids from becoming extinct.
On the book’s back cover, Tom Mirenda, author of The Book of Orchids, says, “I believe positive change is possible if Saving Orchids is widely read by the upcoming generation of conservationists, botanists and orchid enthusiasts.”
Local Sisters Publish Picture Book Inspired By Chicago Seasons
Leaf Town Forever. Photo courtesy Betsy Bowen
A new children’s picture book focusing on the outdoors written by local authors is also out this year. Leaf Town Forever, written by sisters Beth and Kathleen Rooney, was published by University of Minnesota Press.
The book is based on real-life experiences, telling the story written in haiku style about children that create an imaginary town using leaves. The seasons and changing leaves have always fascinated the sisters. Kathleen lives in Chicago and teaches at DePaul University. Beth lives in Oak Park and is a writer and photographer. Beth’s favorite trees include red oak and horse chestnut, while Kathleen loves the tulip tree and honey locust.
The sisters have written a craft and activity guide for young people related to their book and the changing seasons.
Welbers says she believes local authors write about local natural treasures, from changing leaf colors to rare orchids, to inspire others to learn more and protect the environment. “I am passionate about our natural environment and working to ensure that our native landscape is protected for all future generations,” she says.
Sheryl DeVore has written six books on science, health and nature, as well as nature, health and environment stories for national and regional publications. Read more at SherylDeVore.WordPress.com.
