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!!!