Step into the Wild Buttons – an Annual Tradition

The Step into the Wild button series was initiated in 1981 based on a button from Wisconsin with a similar slogan.  At the time, a series of education packets were being prepared in Illinois and it was decided to incorporate the button in the packet.  Every teacher who used the education packet in their class could request a button for each of their students.  The button became a means to measure the number of students who received instruction from the education packets.

The first Step into the Wild button was designed by Robert Eschenfeldt, who also did artwork on several habitat posters.  Subsequent buttons were done via a contest for several years and the winner was announced at the Illinois State Fair.  In 1998, a sticker was produced in lieu of the button due to a decreased budget and the assumption that the sticker would have wider appeal.  The ensuing outcry from staff and the public was enormous, so the button was reinstated the following year.  Over the years, the button has been designed by a variety of artists including Patti Reilly, former IDNR Natural Areas Project Manager, whose artwork graces the 2003-2010 buttons.

Each year, the species selected to appear on the button is determined by staff vote.  Generally staff nominated one of their favorite species, but occasionally there was a deeper meaning behind the winner. 

Along the way, the Step into the Wild button has developed a loyal following of collectors.  Many collectors anxiously await the start of the Illinois State Fair, where the new buttons make their debut.  Following the Fair, the buttons are distributed to the public throughout the year at educational events.
With each year’s button, we renew our invitation to the citizens to “Step into the Wild” and enjoy the natural resources of Illinois.  Our state offers a diverse array of forests, prairies, wetlands, lakes, rivers and streams.  Whether you enjoy the rocky canyons and cypress swamps of southern Illinois, the play of the wind across a central Illinois prairie or the view from a forested river bluff in northwest Illinois, a “Step into the Wild” is a step we hope you will take at every opportunity!

Note:
Starting in 2010, the Step into the Wild button was not offered in physical form. Instead, it was released as a digital image only. This is due to several efforts to reduce state government spending: