“The Essence of Place: The Story of Jay C. Hormel Nature Center,” photographed by Austin native John Duren, will remain a finalist for the 2016 Midwest Book Award.

The winner in the nature category was “The Last Wild Places of Kansas: Journeys into Hidden Landscapes,” by Kansas author George Frazier. Awards were announced on May 12.

The other finalist was “North Dakota’s Geologic Legacy: Our Land and How It was Formed,” by John P. Bluemle.