Thank you!

This class has been a fantastic experience! I have learned so much about sustainability, gained my sense of place, and gotten involved with an animal rescue. Sustainability is so much more than "going green", we need to respect wildlife, other people, and use resources responsibly. When I first moved here, I didn't think Fort Myers was all that great. But now I know it's full of history, with a lot of influential people living here. There are also a diverse and unique habitats here, and it's been a lot of fun to explore them. Shy Wolf Sanctuary has been one of the best things to happen in this class. I am going to continue volunteering, even though all my hours are done. I am glad I have taken this class, even though it's required. I feel like I learned a lot and I can have intelligent conversations with people about those topics. I just want to say thank you for teaching us so much! And, as I have said, I have changed my ways to become more sustainable so that we can have this environment for the next genertations.

Otter Crossing

(http://www.picable.com/Signs/Unusual-Road-Signs---Otters-Crossing.5098)

I was driving home last night and a otter crossed the road in a very busy area, right over Estero Parkway Bridge. It was around 1:30 AM and it was also dark, which made it difficult to see it. He was running from an area that used to be woods, but is now cleared for construction. It's going to be an extension of apartments, where a lot of FGCU students live. I've been watching this clearing happening and it made me wonder where all the animals that lived there were going to go, and I guess they are trying to cross the road where there is less than an acre of woods there, which will probably be cut down soon too. This is not the first time I've seen an otter cross this busy road, and it worries me. There is so much construction happening in Florida because of all the people who want to live here, and soon, there may not be a place where these animals can find refuge. It makes me really appreaciate how FGCU has land that they will absolutely not build on. FGCU students can appreciate wildlife and wilderness of Florida right on campus. I just hope the construction and building happening here at least starts to slow down before there are no wooded areas.

My Changes

This class has changed my views on how I live. I used to think being "green" was carpooling and recycling; now I know different. Mostly, the "Footprint" activity showed me, but the readings have also opened my eyes. So this is what I have changed in my lifestyle due to this class:

1. I don't drink from plastic water bottles anymore; I have gotten a reusable bottle.
2. I don't eat as much red meat.
3. I try to eat more locally grown vegetables.
4. I have attempted to grow a vegetable garden at my house.
5. I notice the wildlife and plants more. And I can now identify a lot of them.
6. I try to go on a hike at least once a week and I can't wait to keep exploring all the amazing places and parks in the area.

White-Tailed Deer

SO, for this journal entry I had drawn a picture of deer I had seen a couple days ago. However, my scanner has decided not to work and the scanned picture I have of it isn't able to be put on here. Instead, I'll just tell you what I saw.

I now work at a stable that is in East Fort Myers, a little past CREW if you know where that is. I have to be there at 7 am, which is also when a lot of wildlife is out. As I was driving, I saw a doe with her 2 fawns. They were just grazing on the side of the road where right behind them is a large, open field. I was inspired to draw them because they were just so beautiful and calming. One of the fawns was just laying down taking a nap while the other was exploring(I drove slow so I could watch them for a little bit). I just hope that with all the building going on in Florida, we don't loose the deer. Although there are a lot of them, they are very important to the habitats they live in because they provide food and they create fertilizer, which helps the plants grow. They are such an important part of the Florida wilderness and I always love it when I get to see even one of them.

Sense of Place

Through this class, I have established a sense of place here. I didn't realize how amazing and unique SW Florida is. I went to Ocala for the holidays and that's when I realized how much I appreciate the habitats here. Up North, there was only one habitat, and that was large large trees everywhere. Although beautiful, it was all the same. Down here, there are pine flatwoods, cypress hammocks, wetlands, and more. Plus, there is so much wildlife every you look here, up there I didn't see any animals...other than the occasional squirrel. SW Florida is a remarkable and beautiful place, and I feel lucky to live here.

Sustainability...To Me

From this class, I have learned what sustainability is and what I can do to become sustainable. My idea of sustainability is that we can get all we need from our natural environment. I think of ECHO Farm when I think of this topic. They showed how somebody could grow a garden in any type of environment. They also showed us how to get clean water, irrigation systems, what plants could be used for what, farming animals, and so much more. After visiting there is when I really understood what it means to be sustainable. It is working WITH the land instead of AGAINST it. I have actually started my own garden to try to be more sustainable.

The Florida Panther

(Courtesy of http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/animals/images/fl_panther_all.jpg)

The Florida Panther is a beloved and treasure animal to the state of Florida, as a matter of fact it is our state animal. Many people know that the panther is endangered but there are more reasons to it other than these animals ending up on the side of the road. In this article, http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/article1087962.ece, a scientist finds explains that the main reason are birth defects. "In his May 2008 report, Dr. Mark Cunningham listed three genetic defects — a badly kinked tail, an undescended testicle and, most troubling, a quarter-inch hole in the big cat's heart. Such defects were supposed to be gone from the panther population, vanquished by a bold experiment 15 years ago that involved crossbreeding with Texas cougars". I have never seen a Florida Panther in the wild, and this news is upsetting because I would love to see one. Also, as we learned in this class, that every animal in a habitat has a role to play. If that animal becomes extince, than the food chain becomes unbalanced. With this being such a large predator, this could become a huge problem in Florida if they ever did dissapear.

Water Bottles...or Brita?

I was watching television and a commercial came on explaining about how harmful plastic water bottles are to the environment. It reminded me of the powerpoint we read that was all about this topic, and it had an impact on me. This commercial explained how these bottles end up in oceans and pollute the environment. It also explained if we lined up all the water bottles that Americans use, it would circle around Earth 190 times. It then gave the option to use a Brita filter instead. I think it's fantastic that the Brita company is informing the general public about how water bottles can bring harm to the environment and the animals that live there. I hope it makes people think, like how I got to thinking after I read the powerpoint.

Collier Seminole State Park







(courtesy of chicagokayak.com)





(couresy of wahoohiker.com)



(courtesy of explorenaples.com)

(Courtesy of mappery.com)

This past weekend I went camping at Collier-Seminole State Park, unfortunately my camera died so the picture posted are from websites. It was beautiful there, with all sorts of plants, animals, and was also rich with history. There was an original dredge there that actually helped build I-75 from Tampa to Miami. There was also a monument to Mr. Collier where it explained his life and mission. He came to Florida because he loved the nature here and the state park is part of the original land he had bought. He bought over a million acres and didn't build on part of it so that it could be saved and turned into a park. In the park, there were activites like hiking and canoeing so that people could explore the nature. Animals that could be found in the park were panthers, bears, raccoons, and other natives. It was a fantastic trip and a beautiful area and I recommend to anybody that loves the great outdoors to visit here!

Fort Myers’ Mayor Henderson is “Taking it to the Streets”!

http://www.ugottagogreen.com/post/fort_myers_mayor_henderson_is_taking_it_to_the_streets/

At this website there is a letter written by the mayor of Fort Myers. It was a nine day project that asked people to walk, bike, and carpool to go green when it comes to transportation. And it wasn't long ago, this was in March of 2011. I think it's fantastic that the mayot proposed this idea. And the fact that this is happening in our area is starting to make me believe Fort Myers will become a green city.

Article Review

http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/26/magazines/fsb/green.fsb/

This article was written in 2007 and was about how buinsesses are turning "green". One buisness that is focused on in the article, was considered green and that's how they got so many customers. Their tips were to:
1. "Get Smart About Recycling"
2. "Review Your Energy Use"
3. "Think Outside the Gas Tank"
4. "Do Your Research"

They applied these tips to their own buisness and have made over $1 million in one year. If buisnesses just went green, especially the large chains, they could make even more than they are now...all while helping the environment!

Urban Fort Myers

              For this field trip we got to go somewhere that wasn’t so natural. Urban Fort Myers is much different than the natural settings we have been to. However, it still provided a lot of things to learn about, especially when it comes to the environment and the history of Fort Myers.

            As I was walking down the city, I was trying to think of how the city used to look like. When I walked down First Street I was trying to imagine the cows walking through, like how the city was when it was first built. I also thought it was funny how Thomas Edison tried to get the city lights but they didn’t want any because of how they would affect the cattle. Now, the city is filled with all kinds of lights.

            There were quite a few pieces of art in the city and I loved walking around and seeing these. In Centennial Park, there was a statue dedicated to three influential men that lived in Florida. It was the “Uncommon Friends Statue” and included Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and Henry Ford. Why were these 3 men so important? Thomas Edison, of course, invented the light bulb. Harvey Firestone, who made a big impact in the car industry by making tires for cars. And Henry Ford who is the founder of the Ford Motor Company. What’s more important is that all these men lived in Fort Myers. In this area are the Edison-Ford estates where people can go and visit. There was another piece of art in the city that I loved. It was the “Caloosahatchie Manuscripts” and it was 2 columns that had different plant species and the history of the Caloosahatchie. I’ve walked the city at night and the words are illuminated on the post office, and it’s really an amazing sight. The city has money just for these art projects and I definitely think it’s a good idea. The art adds character to the city and reminds people of the history of Fort Myers.
            Now, is downtown Fort Myers part of new urbanism? New urbanism is defined as “Giving people many choices for living an urban lifestyle in sustainable, convenient and enjoyable places, while providing the solutions to peak oil and climate change” (http://www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism.html). According to this site, there are 10 characteristics a city must have to be considered a part of new urbanism. It must have walkability, which means everything must be within a 10 minute walk from a person’s home. It must have connectivity, which means that is it easy to walk through streets to get to places. It must have mixed-use and diversity, which means there is not only a diversity of buildings, with different kinds of houses and shops, but also different kinds of people ranging in age, race, gender, and income levels. The others are mixed housing, quality architecture, traditional neighborhood structure, increased density, smart transportation, sustainability, and quality of life. Downtown Fort Myers doesn’t fit into all of those, but does work into some. Southwest Florida isn’t known for its diversity in people, and downtown Fort Myers was basically the same person. A lot of the people walking around were white, and a lot were white and elderly. While I was walking around, a lot of the cars were BMWs and expensive cars. In the PowerPoint, there was another characteristic, which was that a school is within walking distance. I looked online and it looked like there were some schools in the area, but not within walking distance. They were a couple miles away from the city and on the outskirts. It would be by some neighborhood, but not by the city’s center. As for walkability, it did have that. We could get from one end of the “city” to the other end quite easily. However, if the person’s apartment wasn’t in downtown then it would be quite a walk. The apartment would have to be in the downtown for it to be a short walk.

            Parking didn’t seem to be too bad. However, there was actually a boat show going on along the water so the main parking lots were blocked off. It was a bit of a problem finding one, but I think if those parking lots were open it wouldn’t have been an issue. I think the most it cost to park was by the park. It was also by where a lot of the big building and businesses were. I’m not sure how much the machines cost but there were a couple “Park All Day” parking lots and they were charging $10. There wasn’t much public transportation going around, and I only saw two people riding bikes. The actual downtown didn’t seem too bike friendly. There wasn’t a bike land and no bike racks, at least none that I saw. If there was public transportation, it would be helpful from getting to the park to the city and I would definitely take it.

            Although it didn’t have public transportation, it was a very clean city. I only saw graffiti on the building that was at the park. The statues were clean, the actual park was clean, along with the city. I didn’t see any homeless people walking around and there wasn’t trash or anything in the streets or in alleys. I would feel very comfortable walking around during the day and at night. Would I live in the city? No. Everything was so connected that I got lost so many times, and that was just trying to get from the park to the city. Then trying to find 41 was a nightmare. I also need greenery around me, not just at the local park. And I grew up in a rural town, where each house had a least an acre. So being in a crowded, small city isn’t my ideal living situation. To make it a better living situation, I think more housing needs to be added. I also think a trolley or some kind of transportation should be added for riding around the city. I think it the city could be changed to be more green. When I was there, a farmer’s market was going on which is a step towards that. So I think there are people who care and want the city to change. Will it happen anytime soon? Probably not because the majority of the people who live in the city are white, elderly and rich, and they aren’t too concerned about those issues.

            I walked around the city a lot, and there were a couple places I liked more than others. I loved walking through Centennial Park. I thought it was so relaxing and it was a nice atmosphere. There was a lot of greenery and art, and then the smell of the water made it a nice walk. The other place I loved was the top of the Indigo hotel. There were no sounds of cars, just birds and the wind. I could also see the whole city and the bridge, which made it a great view of the city. I didn’t like the edge of the pier, which I was surprised. I think it’s because the end f the pier was pretty much just a view of the underside of the bridge and all I could hear were cars going over it. I did like most of the actual city; just a few streets were a bit dirty and didn’t make me feel comfortable. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed walking through the city.

            Doing this field trip has opened up my eyes to how rich in history this city is. It also taught me about how greenery in a city can really influence how people feel. For example, I felt relaxed in the park with the trees around me but in the city where there wasn’t much green, I felt unsure. I’ve also learned that the city still needs a few changes to be a part new urbanism, but I feel like Fort Myers could become a part of it. Now, when I walk in Downtown Fort Myers, I will appreciate the city’s history, architecture, and nature.

Shy Wolf Santuary

I wanted to write about my volunteering experience. For this class I have decided to volunteer at Shy Wolf Sanctuary. It's an animal refuge in Naples that has rescued wolves, wolf-dogs, panthers, and foxes. I have already learned a lot about all of these animals just from the 2 times I have volunteered there. I'm already seeing big differences between my dogs and these wolves. Wolves do things in order to survive, while dogs don't really have to worry about survival so much as pleasing their owners. I've also learned that if it looks like the wolf has a curve in the tail, then it's a wolf hybrid. As I volunteer more, I hope to learn more about their behaviors. This is the first time I've ever seen a wolf and they are majestic animals. In the book "A Land Remembered" wolves were involved in it, not always in the best way. They usually chased the cows but that's because, like I said, they are driven by their instinct to survive. But the people in the book had respect for them, as do I.

The Sounds of Nature

The past couple weeks have been so nice, with the weather changing to the cool fall. So I have been spending a lot of time outside. When I was just sitting outside and relaxed, I got to hear so many sounds that I wouldn't have heard if I was rushing around. I heard:

Birds Chirping
Leaves Crinkling
Wind moving through the trees
Squirrels talking to each other and running around
Lizards running on the ground
Animals walking around, like rabbits and others
My own breathing


Everybody should take time out of their busy schedule and just sit outside. School and everything is stressful and after I did this I felt so relaxed.

ECHO Farm

ECHO stands for the “Education Concerns for Hunger Organization”. Our guide was Mike Sullivan and he was very knowledgeable about the farm and the plants that thrived on it. He first showed us a video and explained all about the farm. There are over 3000 groups in over 180 countries that work with ECHO. The farm also has one of the three top agricultural libraries in the world. They actually host an international conference that has delegates from over 40 countries. These delegates come together and share innovations on farming like better ways to fish farm or plant seeds. He also explained where the income for the farm comes from since it is such a big farm to run. 60% of their income comes from donations and the rest comes from plants sales, gift shop sales, and grants. That brings in about $2-3 million every year and 80% of that goes to organizations around the world. Mainly they want to teach people around the world about sustainable farming. There was a quote that explained their mission, “Give a mean a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and feed for a year”. There is also an intern program. They get interns from all around the world and they learn different farming techniques, and then travel to another country to teach them about what they have learned. ECHO was started 30 years ago, and North Fort Myers was chosen as the location so that they could imitate land conditions found all around the world.   

            On the farm, they have a seed bank. They store the various seeds here and put them in packets to send out all over the world. There are 6 steps in order to send out a seed. First, seeds are collected from plants are cleaned. Second, the new seeds are assigned numbers. Third, the seeds are stored. Fourth, is that each set is tested annually for germination. Fifth, the volunteers fill out sample packets. And lastly, the database keeps track of seeds worldwide. One of the main seeds they send out is called the Moringa Tree, along with the other 350 seeds that they send. The Moringa is very healthy and has a lot of vitamins in it. I got to taste and it didn’t taste that great ,just like a leaf but Mike swore it was the best thing for somebody. It can grow up to 16 feet a year and can also act as a fence or barrier against predators. It can also purify water. We learned that if one crushed the Moringa seed into powder, then let sit in dirty water for 15 minutes, it would purify and clean the water. Another important plant is called the Monstera deliciosa. It takes a year for the plant to grow and it has a lot of antioxidants, so much that it will actually make your lips tingle. We also learned about the Chaya tree. It is like spinach but more nutritious. It also fights against insects because it naturally has cyanide in it, but when cooked, it gets steamed out and makes it edible after that.  One of the techniques that they used on the plants was called air layering. They would go up a branch about 12-15 inches, clear the bark, wrap in moss, then wrap that in plastic, and then wrap in tin foil. It’s a way to propagate, and they cut the branch right below the tin foil and plant it in the ground as a whole new branch.

            There were six different climates at the farm. The first one we saw was the hot humid lowlands. They mostly worked with rice plants here and figured out there is a fern that releases nitrogen to the rice plants. This allows farmers to use 1/3 the seed and increase production by 50%. The next area we saw was the mountain area. Here they used the SALT technique which stands for sloping agricultural land technique. Here they would do a process where they cut trees in half and would then let them decompose for a year. Then they could plant a vegetable crop there and the decomposed plants acted as a fertilizer which let the crop grow 10 times better. We also learned about irrigation systems in the monsoon garden and the semi-arid desert. My favorite climate was the urban garden one. This is for people who don’t have a lot, or any, green space. They can grow it on top of their roof and fairly easy. At ECHO there were plants growing in tires, plastic pools, and plastic buckets. This showed that anybody can start a garden, even if they are in the middle of a city,

            Mike also taught us how we can have our own bio gas. It saves a lot of money for families that don’t make a lot of money. All they would need is a plastic barrel, water, and cow manure. The family could fill the plastic barrel with water and cow manure and in 3 weeks it will produce methane gas. It is smokeless and can provide gas for cooking as well as for light. 1 barrel will allow a family to cook 3 times a day for 3 months.

            While there, we also learned about different kinds of crops, animal crops. First we learned about goat crops. It is cheaper to buy goats than cows, and can provide more. The family could eat, breed, and get milk from the goats. Goats are also not picky eaters so they are very easy to keep. There were also chickens there that were called Naked Neck Chickens and they don’t have feathers on their neck. This enables them to take hotter and more humid weather. Also, if the family can’t afford a tiller, the chickens will do it for them. In 3 months they can dig 8 inches deep into the ground. These birds will also eat a lot of insects. The third crop was rabbits. One could sell or eat and their manure is also very good. Of course, you could use manure from the other animals and it’s very good for the plants. But rabbit manure could house worms, which could be used for catching fish or even for the worms manure which is “the best kind out there”, according to Mike.

            I learned a lot while at the ECHO farm. It has a fantastic mission and has definitely taught me the importance of sustainable farming. There are so many people out there who aren’t getting enough food, and ECHO is playing a huge part in helping those people to learn how to grow their own food.

Technique of air layering

Trying a Moringa leaf...not the tastiest but at least it's healthy

The Mountain garden

One of the  goats on the farm (SOO ADORABLE)

My favorite garden, the Urban garden

The Florida Trail

So since the book we are reading, "A Land Remembered", involves a lot of horse back riding in the wilderness, I thought I would share some of my trail riding photos. I have grown up riding horses and a lot of that time was riding in wilderness. There was a 1000 acre land reserve I spent a lot of time on, and to get to a lot of places we would have to use canals to get there. The whole time I was reading this book all I could think of was how I could relate to how beautiful the Florida wilderness, especially when by horse because the animals don't run away as if you were just walking on foot. All of these were taken in Jupiter, Fl.

My Footprint

(weblogs.pbspaces.com)

I was amazed at how much of an impact I make on the Earth! My results were:
1. To support my lifestyle it would take...4.9 Planet Earths to provide enough resources
2. To support my lifestyle it already takes...23.9 acres

I am so taken aback because I consider myself a "green person". I use cloth bags to go grocery shopping instead of having to use plastic. I reclcyle and use a composte so I don't waste a lot. I didn't realize how much of an impact it is to just eat animal products, or to just drive my car.

I clicked to see what I could do to lessen my footprint, and one of the things was to cut my the meat I eat in half. If every American did this, 645 million global acres less than we do now. AND if I pledged to take public transportation one day a week, along with every other American, than we would save another 352 global acres. Of course, there isn't much public transportation in this area so that would be a little difficult for me to work on.

There are somet things I am going to work on, like trying to carpool to work or school more often. I am also going to try to eat less meat than I do now. This quiz was a real eye opener and now I am going to try my best to lessen my ecologocal footprint.      (Photo at right courtesy of petroedge-sd.net)

(Photo courtesy of mapawatt.com)

Lovers Key

Lovers Key was where I went for this field trip and it was so relaxing! I really didn't mind going to the beach for school. I really enjoyed taking in all the sights, smells, and sounds. The shells here were so beautiful and there were so many different kindsI went out in the morning and there were a lot of people out looking at the shells. As I was walking up there was a  sign that had all the types of shells and how to identify them. Although, it did make it tough to walk barefoot on. When I closed my eyes, I heard the sounds of waves and birds and the smell of the salt water. The beach is always a great place to go to relax, but this one had a lot of unique characterisitics that was very interesting to learn about.



As I walking the boardwalk to get to the beach, I noticed a lot of birds were out feeding. In the picture to the left is the first one I saw, and this is the Great Egret. Other birds I saw included Brown Pelicans, Ibis, Laughing Gulls, and Willets. A lot of them were wading through the mud and the mangroves hunting for food. And, of course, the Pelicans, Willets, and Gulls were all over the beach.

What I think is so unique  about Lovers Key are the different habitats that you get to see in just the short walk on the boardwalk. I went from mudflats, to mangroves, to beach. The mangroves are so important to the wildlife here because they provide a nursery for the fish, as well as food for them. They also provide food and shelter for the birds. Mangroves are also important to us. This is because they are a natural barrier from the ocean and protect the mainland. This is very helpful during high tide and while there is a hurricane. There were a lot of different plants that I saw. The trees I saw included mangroves, Sea Grapes, Cabbage Palms, Royal Palms, and Wax Myrtle. For non-woody plants, I saw Sea Oxeye, Sea Purslane, Railroad Vine, Beach Panic Grass, and Sea Oats. There was also a lot of drift wood around.

The history of this area is also different than from other beaches. This is actually a barrier island. A barrier island is pretty much a piece of land that runs parallel to the main land. In 1965, a road was made to connect the island to the main land. Lovers Key is one of 4 other barrier islands that were all accessible at the park. In the 1960’s the islands were going to be developed for houses, however, the land was altered because of the dredging that was made. So in 1983, it became property of the state and became a park not too late after that. The land has also been eroded greatly due to hurricanes. However, in 2004 there was a restoration project where they added sand and native plants. I have to point out that I thought how the this island got it’s name was funny. In the pamphlet it explained that since this use to be only accessible by boat, the only ones that would make the trip over would be lovers at sunset. Hence the name Lovers Key.

This picture to the right is one of the reasons why I loved so much. I'm sorry but I don't know the technical term for this, but this was the "step" on the beach that everyone has to walk down. Well I sat in my spot and took a look behind me and saw this. I think it's so amazing that you can see the layers in the sand, and the layers are so well defined! Call me nerdy but I spent some time just looking at the sand here and looking at the differences in these layers. I've grown up on the beach, the one on the East Coast of Florida, but I've never gotten to see these layers. There has been massive erosion on this beach, as the picture shows. This is due to the hurricanes that have hit the area. In 2004, there was a restoration project where they added sand and native plants to the area.

Lovers Key is a beautiful area with so many things to learn about! I learned a lot by visiting this area and can't wait to go back!

Koreshan State Park

(picture courtesy of www.floridastateparks.org/koreshan/)

 

This past weekend, I went ot Koreshan State Park that is located right here in Estero. My boyfriend and I decided to go there to walk around for about 2 hours. It is a beautiful park with a lot of different plants and animals to see. We followed a path that had followed the Estero River. While we were walking, I observed the different kinds of plants along the river. I saw mangroves, some Cypress trees and other various plants I couldn't identify. We were also looking for American Alligators and Manatees since their main habitats are in rivers by Mangroves. We also saw a lot of bamboo as we were walking arund the path, which is a non-native plant.

                                                                                                  (picture courtesy of www.floridastateparks.org/koreshan/)

The path ended up leading to an area where a lot of old, abandoned buildings. We learned that this was the headquarters where a man wanted to start a culture called Korenshanity. We reach about the place and the ideas this man had, but once he died so did this culture. But he did start a garden and there were some remnants of it there still. The picture to the left is one of the trees we saw. It is called a Monkey Puzzle Tree and had to be shipped here from Australia. As we were walking back we ended up seeing a Gopher Tortoise. They are very endangered and it was amazing to see one. He was actually hanging right outsode of his hole, which on one of the signs there explained how they can be 9 feet deep and be 15 feet long.

(Picture courtesy of exinem.com)

If you want a nice place to walk around in the afternoon, definately check out this park. It is absolutely beautiful and right in our backyard. But make sure to bring some bug spray!!

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

I'm going to start off saying it was absolutely beautiful! I loved seeing nature without having to hear cars or the sounds of civilization. I also loved the fact it was on a boardwalk so I didn't have to worry about getting my shoes all filthy, even though myself and one of my other classmates who I went with almost stepped in scat quite a few times. The day we went, it was a bit rainy out and unfortunately didn't get to see (any) animals, but we did hear them.

We walked through three primary environments. First, we walked through the pine flat woods, as you can see behind me in the picture. Some plants we saw were Palmettos, Cabbage Palms, Air plants, Slash Pines, and Poisen Ivy. There were some paths through the area behind me that could have indicated deer, bears, or bobcats have been through there. We did see a butterfly in that area, but that was the best luck we had.

The second one we went through was the Hardwood Hammock. Here we spotted Button Bushes, Cypress Trees, Elderberry Bushes, Sawgrass, and Pepper Vines. I loved walking through here and listening to the trees and the sounds. We saw another animal here, the Pine Warbler and we would have liked to have seen the Blue Iris, it was listed on the boardwalk as an animal that could be spotted here. I thought the roots in the Cypress were so interesting. I could see how it would be helpful for them to be elevated during floods. The roots are also very helpful during draughts because they are long and spread out, so it's easier to find water in the soil.

The last and my favorite environment we saw were the Wetlands. I loved how diverse the plants and animals were, as well as all the sounds I could hear. It had just rained and since a lot of amphibeans inhabit that, it was quite noisy. We saw Cattails, Water Lilies, Common Duckweed, Ghost Orchid, and Alligator Leaf. I actually think I got a picture of the Ghost Orchid below. I would like to saw I saw a lot animal, but I didn't. I think we might have seen some areas in the mud where Alligators were. Other animals that live there are Otters, Blue Tree Frog, Marsh Rabbit, and Apple Snails. I noticed a lot of the plants in this environment had a waxy covering, and that's so during draught, plants keep more water from leaving due to evaporation. And during rainy season, it can keep rain out.

Again, very interesting field and it was such a great surprise for a trip! I'm looking forward to the next one!