This Thursday evening Carl Kurtz will appear at Big Table Books to discuss his new book, “Iowa’s Wild Places.”

Kurtz is a photographer, naturalist and prairie reconstructionist who lives in rural Marshall County, and is restoring 80 acres of farmland to tall grass prairie.

“These photographs span 25 years,” Kurtz said. “They were selected for the book because they tell the best story.”

One of Kurtz’s goals for his book is to spark people’s interest of wild areas in Iowa. “This will excite people about what’s out there,” Kurtz said.

Kurtz also wants to dispel the myth that there are no wild areas left in Iowa. Although most of the native areas of the state have been consumed by agriculture, Kurtz wants the public to know that these wild areas do exist. “There are hundreds of areas that County Conservation Boards control, you just have to know where to look,” Kurtz said. “Hardin County has many good areas.”

Preservation of these areas is a great concern to Kurtz. “Protection of these areas are important,” he said. “The Loess Hills have great potential for preservation and restoration.”

He is trying to help restore Iowa’s prairie heritage by growing and making available native grasses and wildflowers to the public.

“He is the number one wildlife and natural photographer in Iowa,” Donald Farrar, professor of botany, said. “He has the ability to see the minute and grand in the landscape and he is a genius at capturing it with a camera.”

Farrar says Kurtz’s ability as a photographer is well known, but the fact that he wrote all of the text will surprise people. “This book shows what an excellent writer he is,” he said. “He creates wonderful pictures with words in the book.”

Kurtz is also an outdoor advocate.”There is no one who speaks better to the value of natural areas,” Farrar said. “Not just from a scientific point, but the social as well.”

Anyone who is interested in the present condition and future of Iowa’s wild areas should see Carl Kurtz, who will be reading on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Big Table Books. The program is free and open to the public. For more information call Big Table Books at 232-8976.