Six Mile Cypress Slough

   



Beautiful Shot of the Boardwalk

      Of all of the Colloquium field trips, visiting Six Mile Cypress Slough was definitely one of my favorites. Although we only walked the board walk section of the Slough, it was still amazing with lots of great views and animal sightings. Within a minute of walking the path, we saw a baby alligator in the water. The board walk was about a mile long loop, cutting though very diverse areas of the single ecosystem. We saw retention ponds, natural ponds, swamps, dry lands, and some dense green areas.

Approximately 5 ft Gator

Luckily, we were able to see a variety of different species while we were there. Here's just a few: alligators, a rat snake, a water moccasin, a pileated woodpecker, a great spotted wood pecker, ibis',  softshell turtles, red eared sliders, squirrels, large moths, lizards(including a green anole), butterflies, anhingas, cardinals, a hawk, a variety of different fish, and we even spotted an armadillo burrow. Clearly, we had a good day of animal sightings. There was also plenty of beautiful  and interesting plant species to observe, including air plants, cypress trees(bald and pond), pond lilies, slash pines, duckweeds, plenty of different palm trees and ferns, and even a few different flower species that I was not familiar with.

Yellow Rat Snake

     What makes Six Mile Cypress Slough so unique is the fact that is serves as a filter for rainwater as it travels towards the Estero Bay. The Slough is a 3,500 acre wetland ecosystem preserve, supporting a community of hundreds of species. It was different from the other trips we went on because on the boardwalk, we were able to get a perfect perspective of the area, while remaining a safe and comfortable distance from any sort of poisonous plants/bugs, or venomous snakes. The boardwalk, being raised off the ground, provided the wildlife with an under passage so that they would not have to exposed themselves from predators (or get stepped on!). Not only is this much more sustainable for the wildlife than a paved path, but it provides a perfect access point to be able to experience the ecosystem. 

Green Anole

      Biodiversity is defined as "the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem." Given the list of wildlife species I had mentioned, it is clear that this area can be considered biologically diverse. The ecosystem was clearly healthy to be able to support all of these different animals. The fact that so many species were choosing to live in this ecosystem is good evidence that land, air, and water are clean and healthy! There was also plenty of lichen on the trees, further proving the air quality.

Air Plant with a flower blossom

       In order to fully experience this ecosystem and disconnect ourselves from civilization and the outside world, the class participated in a meditation activity in which everyone found a nice place to sit where we could be completely quiet and just listen to the environment around us. In silence, you are able to really hear the sounds of the wind, animals, and the interactions. With the sound of alligator toads burbling, birds singing, and fish splashing, I was able to completely relax and clear my mind. Sound ecology studies the interactions and relationships in the natural world through sound. By being very still and very quiet, you really can hear the diversity.

 

 

      If you tried to sit and count the sounds, you'd be amazed how many different animals you can hear. This can actually be extremely therapeutic. This also ties into our lesson on Nature Deficit Disorder, and how the environment can effect your mood, perspective, and even your sanity! I believe it is very healthy to spend a least a little bit of time out in nature daily, if possible!

 

Swampy Area with Cypress Trees

      My absolute favorite part of this fieldtrip was actually being surrounded by my classmates. I feel very fortunate to be in this class with a great professor and a group of amazing individuals. I enjoyed the entirety of this semester, being surrounded by positive attitudes and friendly personalities. In this class, I felt as if everyone had opened up and became comfortable with one another. We had a great bunch this semester, and I believe that we all enjoyed each others' company. Personally, I don't believe that there was even one person in that class that I didn't have some sort of friendship (or at least acquaintanceship!) with. The students did not change the class, or the assignments we had to do, but they (along with Professor Mendes, of course) sure made it a very enjoyable semester. Professor Mendes did a wonderful job of bringing the class together, peaking our interest in sustainability, and always serving as an amazing resource and instructor! I am very pleased with the outcome of my Colloquium experience.

 

 

 

Thanks for everything, Professor!!!

 



ECHO

     "For the 925 million people who are hungry today, the world is a challenging place, both in the cities and in the countryside. The urban poor face high prices and low incomes, making nutritious food unattainable. Rural families are often malnourished because of a lack of diverse nutrients in their diets, if they have enough to eat at all. In both cases, children suffer the most." (echonet.org)

Entrance of ECHO

      ECHO is an organization with ample amounts of knowledge and information, and shares that with development practitioners across the globe. They gather successful solutions to hunger problems from around the world and disseminate them to their active network. Well tested and proven to be successful, they "promote sustainable farming techniques, nutritional plants, and appropriate technologies." These development practitioners then take this knowledge to impoverished countries and teach those in poverty how to farm effectively and sustainably in order to be able to feed families. Those new farmers can then teach other, hence widening the ECHO network.

Cool turtle we saw on our tour!

       I really enjoyed visiting ECHO, and I thought it was great that they put so much effort into helping those who cannot help themselves. It is also great that they teach the most sustainable methods in order to keep the environment protected. Our tour was given by a man named Vic Estoye, who seemed very passionate about what they do at ECHO. My only complaint was that he was very hard to understand at times, and our class did not quite seems to get a lot of his jokes; but he was a wonderful man and provides us with lots of information! 

        Helping the families in urban and rural low income countries by teaching them how to grow food on their own is a great way to benefit the entire earth community. Instead of spending the money to give food to impoverished countries, it is a much more beneficial learning experience. By teaching them these methods, they are able to feed themselves and their families. This teaches responsibility, and it is very rewarding to be able to help their families and other learning farmers. Plants such as the moringa tree, that we learned about from the Food Forest, can greatly benefit these areas by providing high amounts of vitamins, nutrients, and proteins to help them maintain a nutritious diet.  

        The facilities were beautiful, and me planning on growing some of my own food in the future, it was nice to see how many kind of fruits and vegetables can grow in the South Florida climate. And learning the most sustainable methods of farming will always be most beneficial to the environment. 

Kale: One of the many common foods that can be grown in your own garden.

       One interesting sustainable farming method that Vic showed us was how they use animal waste to create a very green form of energy. They use large blue barrels, where the waste ferments and can be used as an alternative form of energy. The technology they used was even very sustainable, including using "working pigs" to plow up land. Vic also mentioned that none of the plants on their property were invasive, assuring that no plants or animals get taken over by other plants.

Barrels used to turn animal waste into sustainable fuel



"Working" Pigs

        We can incorporate some of the practices individually by planting our own foods in a sustainable way, and locally by teaching other around us. Teaching how to farm sustainably is important because even if people think growing their own food is sustainable, maybe some of their methods are damaging to the environment. As we get ready to volunteer with Lakes Park for the Garden Gala, we can take this knowledge and pass it on to the children that attend the event. Given what I am doing for my service learning project, this was a great field trip to attend prior to the event. This helped me to have a better grasp on what they will be teaching at the event.

Instead of creating waste by throwing out tires, ECHO used these tires as recycled planter pots.

How Sustainable is my Diet?

24 Hour Food Intake:

First thing in the morning: Large glass of water, clementine (Cuties®).
Source:
-Cuties® come from San Joaquin Valley, California. (2445 miles) Comes in a net bag, in a cardboard box.

10AM: 2 scrambled eggs with 1/2 cup of spinach and two pieces of wheat toast and a glass of water.
Source:
-Eggland's Best, Cage Free Eggs are produced locally throughout the United States and are typically delivered to stores typically within 72 hours of laying. Comes in a cardboard box. 
-Fresh Express baby spinach comes from Belle Glade, FL. (75 miles) Comes in a plastic bag.
-Natures Own wheat toast is baked locally. Comes in a plastic bag with a plastic and metal twist-tie.

1PM: Sandwich (Wheat bread, ham, chicken, swiss cheese, spinach, mustard) with white cheddar popcorn, and a glass of water.
Source: 
-Natures Own wheat toast is baked locally. Comes in a plastic bag with a plastic and metal twist-tie.
-Publix brand deli meats come from Lakeland, Florida, and come in zip sealed plastic bags. (100 miles away)
-Cracker Barrel Cheese comes from Northfield, IL, and come in zip sealed plastic bags. (1,123 miles away)
-Fresh Express baby spinach comes from Belle Glade, FL. (75 miles away) Comes in a plastic bag.
-French's Mustard comes from Heinz, PT. (940 miles away) and comes in a plastic bottle.
 -Smart Food popcorn comes from Plano, TX (990 miles away) and comes in a bag made from aluminum laminated with polypropylene.

2-3PM: Granola bar and a refillable bottle of water.
Source:
-Kashi Granola Bars come from La Joya, CA (2160 miles away) and comes in a bag made from aluminum laminated with polypropylene.

5PM: Refillable bottle of water, single serving bag of Doritos.
Source:
-Doritos comes from Plano, TX and comes in a bag made from aluminum laminated with polypropylene. (990 miles away)

6:30PM: Avocado stuffed chicken with a side of garlic alfredo pasta shells, and a large glass of water.
Source:
-Avocados come from California (2350 miles away).
-I surprisingly could not find the source of the Chicken breasts, but I will assume that it comes from Lakeland, FL with the deli meats that Publix sells.
-Knor's Pasta Sides comes from Eagle Wood Cliffs, NJ (1085 miles away) and comes in a bag made from aluminum laminated with polypropylene.

8PM: Snack sized bag of mini Oreos.
Source:
-Oreos comes from Mexico (1287miles away) and comes in a bag made from aluminum laminated with polypropylene.

8-10PM Refillable bottle of water.

      Before looking at what I eat on a day to day basis, I had considered myself to be moderately sustainable. I use a refillable water bottle, use tupperware as opposed to plastic or foil, and I bought a lot of produce that I had assumed was sustainable.

    After examining where all of my foods come from, I realize that my diet is not as sustainable as I though. Some of the sources of my food are much further distances than I realized, meaning it took more energy to get it all the way to my plate. I had looked at eat of that prepackaged foods that I eat and realized that many of these foods come from across the country. The fresher foods like meats and produce were harder to find sources on, but with some research I was able to find out that even produce can travel long distances. Seeing that Florida is famous for growing oranges, I assumed we also produced clementines. To my surprise, I found out that my clementines had traveled all the way from California.

    Prior to this activity, I didn't think much about the packaging my food came in. This alone can make food less sustainable. Materials such as chip bags, granola bar wrappers, and plastic bags used to hold produce cannot be recycled. Cardboard boxes, paper bags, and even plastic bottles can be recycled (but not entirely). The distance traveled, the amount of resources used, and even the man power it took to put food on my plate began to seem ridiculous. So over all, my diet does not appear to be very sustainable. One aspect of my diet that I found most sustainable was the fact that I only drink water from reusable cups or bottles, greatly reducing my need for plastic.

     After visiting ECHO on our field trip, I looked around and saw how many foods I eat daily can be grown in a Florida climate. Once I move off campus, I would like to grow some of my own food not only to be more sustainable, but to save money and eat some of the freshest food possible. There are many way to improve the sustainability of your diet: Eat produce grown/raised locally, grow your own food, minimize the amount of prepackaged/processed food you eat, and reduce your use of disposable supplies like paper plates, water bottles, napkins, etc. Although I am not taking all precautions to manage a sustainable diet, there are many things I would like to do in order to change that.  

Info Received from:

http://sunpacific.com/cuties.html

http://www.egglandsbest.com/product/cage-free-eggs/

http://www.naturesownbread.com/our-story/about-our-breads

Food Packaging  

Apple Maps (to determine distance)

FGCU Food Forest

       I had always heard of the food forest, but I had never actually been there (hell, I didn't even know where it was located on campus). Immediately after arriving, I realized what I had been missing out on. I was extremely impressed with the entire set up, especially knowing that it is entirely student grown and managed. What was also very helpful was knowing that the students who work and volunteer there were so willing to help and teach each other about the food forest and all of it's plants. Our Naturalist Tour Guide (I believe his name was Matt) was very knowledgeable and was able to teach us a lot and answer most of the questions asked.



Inside the Food Forest

      The fact that these plants are strategically planted to be able to help one another and keep the ecosystem strong is a very cool concept. For example, the pigeon pea removed nitrogen from the atmosphere to help balance the soils nutrients. Other plants will even have chemicals within the leaves to act as naturally occurring pesticides. I found this all very interesting, seeing the plants work as a team to be able to host a beautiful ecosystem.

      I learned a lot about edible plants that I didn't know before. For example, the Firebush is edible and makes a great tea for women because it is loaded with Estrogen. Also, the Moringa tree is one of the most nutritious and beneficially plants to eat. Loaded with Vitamin C&D, antioxidants, protein, and calcium, this plant provides nourishment to many impoverished countries. By eating the leaves raw, cooking them like spinach, or drying them into a powder, this plant can provide the human body with loads of essential nutrients. When talking about the Banana tree, Matt actually informed us that it is not a tree, but the largest herb on the planet. If you squeezed the trunk you would realize that it was much softer than wood and easier to break and squeeze. We also looked at a lot of other edible plants such as pineapples, jack fruit, mulberries, and many more.

Banana "Trees"

Moringa Tree

Pineapple Plant

     I now have am even greater appreciation for the foods I eat. Going on this field trip and talking to my professor about gardening, I am very excited to grow my own foods when I leave campus housing. I would one day like to create my own self sustainable garden and be able to benefit from natures kitchen.

       The food forest is a PERFECT representation of FGCU's aspiration to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. Not only do the plants help one another, but even the wood that goes into the fences was considered prior to installation. Every aspect of the Food Forest was very strategic and planned to help the sustainability.

Koreshan State Park

      Prior to our field trip, I had never heard of the Koreshan State Park. Covering about 200 acres right off of the highway and Estero River, the Koreshan State Park has a variety of beautiful plants and animal species. After receiving our tour around the facility, I had learned about Cyrus Reed Teed and his journey in 1894 to bring his followers down to Florida and create a "New Jerusalem" in his "Koreshanity"religion. With very peculiar beliefs such as saying that we live within the earth, the Koreshan people were very interesting to learn about. It is hard to understand their ideas and theories because they are so atypical, but it was very intriguing.

Doctor T's Model of Living within the Earth

     Another interesting aspect of the park is the mass amount of plant life, including exotic and invasive plants. There were many types of plants such as the Monkey Puzzle Tree, the Mother-in-law's Tongue, Chinese bamboo, and Japanese bamboo(See following pictures) that did not originate in Florida. The Koreshans  brought plants from up north and from other parts of the world because they were found aesthetically appealing.



Monkey Puzzle Tree (Right)



Mother-In-Law's Tongue



Chinese Bamboo

      Although these plants may have been seen as décor, it can be very dangerous to introduce new species of plants to any environment. Some plants, such as the Mother-in-laws Tongue, are invasive and will grow out of control. Another species of plant we learned about is the Air Potato, which is know to grow out of control and suffocate the growth of other plants. It is important to do your research before planting new species to see the effects it will have on the plant and animal life around it. 

Air Potato Plant

     Another species of plant we observed was the red mangrove trees. Mangrove trees, native to Florida, greatly help in providing shelter to small animal species and aiding against land erosion. This is just one example of why it would be important to conserve the natural environment of not only the park, but our earth. By preserving our natural resources and existing species, we are able to keep the ecosystems balanced. Each link is the food chain can create significant value in an environment over all.  

     At the same time, I believe it is important to preserve the historic environment. Without Dr. T and his pilgrimage, Lee, Fort Myers, and Estero may have never became what it is. Having historic sites like this help people to learn while remaining interested. These types of sites preserve stories and lessons from the past and give the new generations an opportunity to learn.  

      In relation to the course, the Koreshan's were very self sustainable. They grew their own food, collected their own water, and functioned completely independently. Although they mixed some plant breeds that don't necessarily cooperate with one another, the Koreshans were very sustainable.

Water Collection Tank

      The Koreshans created their own sense of place and built a true home. They even created an urban type of society with commerce along the highway and Estero River. The community thrived until Dr. T died and shook up the belief system.

      Over all, this was a great experience and a very interesting fieldtrip. I would like to go back soon to kayak and walk the nature tails. This was a very enjoyable class activity, especially given the beautiful weather, and should be repeated for semesters to come.

Downtown Adventure

Prior to our fieldtrip, I had only been to Downtown Fort Myers once in my life. When I when, it was night time and a completely different experience. During the day (especially in the weather we had), Downtown is a beautiful place. The city has a very relaxing balance of nature, and beautifully maintained streets and store fronts. The area was clean, and very aesthetically appealing. There was art on nearly every street corner, and all of the building were in good condition. Downtown Fort Myers is a beautiful area filled with food, fun, culture, and history. The pizza was great, too(ha!).

The area it self was very pedestrian-friendly, with plenty of crosswalks, sidewalks, store fronts, and restaurants. Friday and Saturday nights are much different than the week days, so the traffic will greatly vary. Given that the areas we were in had very narrow streets with pedestrians everywhere, it is not the most settling place to drive around. But when you are on foot, this area is differently a fun place to spend an afternoon. With the option to go out on a dock and look at the boats, parks and fountains to hang out around, and plenty of places to shop and eat, Downtown is a perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Transportation also varied in Downtown: There were plenty of people on foot and biking, a steady flow of cars, and an option of Lee Transit busses. Given that the streets were small and the parking spots were scares, it was much easier to navigate through the city on foot. Not only did the set up of this city make pedestrians comfortable, but it also made the more environmentally-friendly option of transportation the most appealing one.

Florida Gulf Coast University's urban environment was a little different than the Downtown urban environment. When living on campus, you need to drive ANYWHERE that is not a part of campus. If you want to grocery shop, retail shop, or go out to eat, you will have to drive at least 5 minutes to any destination. When we were exploring the downtown area, I noticed that everything was in walking distance. When trying to evaluate my surroundings, I sat on the stairs of the courthouse and looked up the nearest grocery store just to find that I was currently 4 minutes of a walking distance away from a Publix. This type of set up is very convenient and enjoyable. When I buy a home one day, I would like to live near areas such as this. There are always things to do Downtown, and you can walk nearly everywhere.

The following are some of my favorite pictures from my experience Downtown: