Week 4 - Sense of Place

In week 4, we had our first class in the actual classroom (not including the first day of class). In this class session we discussed the meaning of the term "sense of place". Sense of place is defined by different ecologists in different ways. The way I see it is that it is a love or a reverence for a particular aspect of nature. This aspect of nature can exist in everything from swamplands of the Everglades, to a particular tree in your backyard, to even a place within an urban setting (such as listening to an mp3 player or using a computer, surprisingly enough). I did much thinking and I came to the conclusion that I have a sense of place in both rural and urban settings.

My first is the environment of the northwestern states (such as Illinois). I am originally from Chicago, Illinois , now presently living in Florida. Although people may not find the experiencing the change of seasons that remarkable, it is not present in Florida. Seeing the leaves fall off of the trees in autumn and snow fall in winter is a feat that one can only see with their own eyes. However, I am not particularly fond of the winters up north. My optimal times of the year for this climate are late spring through early autumn. I had fond memories of this growing up in the suburbs of Chicago and I go back every summer.

Week 3 - Matanzas Pass Preserve Field Trip (Pictures)

Week 3 - Matanzas Pass Preserve Field Trip

For this class session, we went to Matanzas Pass. When we arrived, we went into the Matanzas Pass Historic College, where we learned of the history of Matanzas Pass. The lecture was given by a very kind elderly woman who had lived out there her entire life. She had watched the environment transform rapidly around her over just a few years. The area became a very popular spot for fishing, so its population rapidly increased. After the lecture, we went out and followed a trail which circled around the area. Overall, the path was less remarkable than the previous field trip. The only thing of notable importance (in my opinion) were the mangroves and the dock which overlooked the water. Overall, this was my least favorite of the field trips we went on. Someone who was studying the ecology of Floridian mangroves would have been much more fascinated than I was. I will post the pictures I took in my next post.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Pictures (Wildlife) Continued

The bird pictured in the previous post is a Grey Heron. There were many other birds at the Corkscrew Sanctuary, but their nests were stationed in areas that I could not get pictures of. On the path we walked, there was a list of the observable birds for that day. I saw the heron pictured, and some egret.

The family of tortoises was a very surprising find. The area they were in was very close to the area that the alligator was resting in. The alligator pictured looked to be between 9 and 12 feet long. It was resting on a ledge next to a small pond.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Pictures (Wildlife)

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Pictures (Trees & Plants)

Week 2 - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Field Trip

In the second week of class, we went to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to witness wildlife in its natural habitat. When we arrived, a student who was volunteering there explained how the sanctuary preserves the wildlife. She also went into great detail about the many species of birds that nested there. Our class split into two groups: one went with our professor and one went with the student guide. I was in the group with the student guide.

The beginning of the walk looked like the typical Floridian environment i was used to: many palm trees with brush accompanying it. Some of the other plants I saw will be posted later. Later on in the walk, we encountered bird nesting grounds, which included ibises, egrets, and many other types of birds. While observing these birds i was surprised to see a family of tortoises and even an alligator! Overall, it was an interesting trip, and I learned about certain species of plants and birds I had not known of before.