Invasive species take over what not long ago was a paradise in southern Illinois

My heart began to sink just a little as I made my way to one of my favorite mushroom patches. All along the roadside and the fence rows, what was greening up and putting on a show was not the usual spring culprits. It seems as though I’ve been watching invasive species eat southern Illinois alive for years. Still, somehow, the spread seems so much more virulent this spring, with no spot left unaffected.