An Interview with Ann Johnson: Part 3

What advice would you give to beginning naturalists? What are the particular challenges of being a naturalist in the Midwest?
A beginning naturalist needs to feed on their natural curiosity. Usually the first step is finding some good books to assign a name to a critter, but before long the curious person begins to observe behavior, which only creates more questions and an opportunity to observe and find answers. The mysteries never end. I don’t consider being a naturalist in the Midwest a particular challenge but rather a unique opportunity. Although we might not have the environment for endemic species like one might find elsewhere, we have shown in the past few years that the Midwest is home to adventurers. What species are pushing the envelope to expand their populations our way? Is there a relationship between this expansion and climatic change? Are there species retractions related to these same issues?

What are your favorite natural areas in the Midwest? What areas do you return to constantly, and what's your favorite newly visited area?
Wow, that’s a tough question because my favorite is usually the last one I visited. We are lucky here in the Midwest to have such a variety of habitats within close driving distance no matter what your state of residence. I’ve always been somewhat partial to any area around the Mississippi River, although the boggy forests of northern Minnesota and the beautiful rivers of the Missouri Ozarks also have a lot of appeal. Some of my local favorites here in south central Iowa include many of the lesser-known county parks where few people visit and exciting discoveries await the adventurer.

Ann Johnson, Dragonflies and Damselflies in Your Pocket: A Guide to the Odonates of the Upper Midwest

Plant of the Week

False gromwell
Onosmodium occidentale Mackenz.
scientific name, 2008
Onosmodium molle Michx.
other common names: marbleseed
Onosmodium: named for its likeness to the genus Onosma—a word that means “smell of a donkey”
Occidentale: from the Latin occidentalis, meaning “western.” This refers to the fact that, unlike O. hispidissimum, which is also found in the area, this species does not range east of the tallgrass prairie.
Forget-me-not family: Boraginaceae

Photograph by Thomas Rosburg, Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie: The Upper Midwest, Second Edition

An Interview with Ann Johnson: Part 2

Tell us about the challenges of photographing dragonflies. How about the challenges of creating a laminated guide?
I really don’t consider myself a great photographer, so the images I have captured have been pure luck in getting good lighting and good composition. For the most part, success depends on just getting outdoors and making the most of your opportunities. With the advent of digital cameras, you can afford to just keep shooting and hope you have something when you get home. The greatest challenge in doing a laminated guide is to succinctly summarize the most important information. Those people I have managed to capture into the world of looking more seriously at dragonflies will no doubt find a need for more comprehensive information, but my intent in creating the laminated guide was to create an interest in these winged jewels.

What has changed in the outdoor world since your first days of enjoying and protecting it? What’s better, what’s worse?
Over the past twenty years or so, I have seen so much more activity in protecting natural areas for future generations by both the public and the private sectors. Wetlands have been restored, and grasslands and woodlands have been protected and managed for species diversity. Soil and water conservation has moved further forward in the general consciousness. But what has happened to the birds? When I was a kid, migration was a real natural phenomenon with trees full of warblers and vireos. Today the numbers of individuals seem to have dropped dramatically. Did we wait too long?

Ann Johnson, Dragonflies and Damselflies in Your Pocket: A Guide to the Odonates of the Upper Midwest