Diane Wasson photographed these wildflowers in Allerton Park, near Monticello, as a participant in the Allerton Corps of Discovery, one of several groups organized under the Corps of Discovery program to teach a new generation to communicate both the joys and concerns of the natural world.

Wasson, of Mahomet, is a hospital administrator at the Carle Clinic in Champaign. She writes that she “grew up with mud between her toes, leading to a childlike awe and love of the wonders in nature.”

Corps of Discovery is under the supervision of Illinois Natural History Survey staff members Susan L. Post, Michael R. Jeffords and Carie Nixon. They ask members of the program to:

• Analyze with the mind of a scientist — that is, get the facts right and learn to ask appropriate questions,

• Portray the natural world by seeing with the eyes of an artist, and

• Speak with the words of a poet. Diane Wasson’s photos were featured in the winter issue of The Illinois Steward. They are reprinted with permission. For more information about Corps of Discovery programs contact Susan L. Post ([email protected]) or call 217-333-4322.