Final Impressions

My final impressions of University Colloquium are that I really enjoyed it. When looking at the syllabus at the beginning of the semester, I have to admit that I felt a little intimidated. It seemed like there was going to be so much work to do. I was not wrong. It was a lot of work but it was not repetitive boring work. I enjoyed the readings and the videos. I especially enjoyed the reading about the Everglades and my favorite video was Food Inc. I learned a lot from that video that I will never forget. I would keep all the field trips except for the Matanzas Pass Preserve. The only reason why I did not like that field trip is there is no one to show you around and the signs are not helpful. I would suggest that Rookery Bay be considered for a field trip. I went there once for a field trip in high school and it was a lot of fun and very educational. Honestly, I thought this class was going to be difficult and frustrating judging from what I heard from other students but I was proven wrong. I really enjoyed myself in this class and I learned so much about the environment around me.

picture: http://www.burbanksportnets.com/burbank%20sportnets.data/compo nents/FGCU1.jpg

Sense of Place Interview

My grandmother does not live close to me so I emailed her the following questions and below is her repsonse.

What is your philosophy on sustainability, ecological perspective and sense of place? How did your upbringing differ from mine? From what I have told you about the class I am taking, what is your perspective on what I have been learning about this semester?


"I feel that we, in the world, are not being smart about our future. Most of us seem to only worry about the here and now. We want cheap energy sources and don't necessarily concern ourselves with the consequences. At the turn of the century we had few cars or other means of polluting the earth. In a relatively short amount of time we have developed conveniences that put a strain on natural resources. Take the gulf oil leak for example. The repercussions of a company trying to take a few shortcuts will have an effect on the ecosystem for an undetermined amount of time. I don't think we can live in this world anymore without doing damage, whether large or small. We can try to do our best to make choices that have the least harmful impact. I think that we owe it to the planet we were given to take care of it as best we can and do the things we know are right. It is a shame that thirty years ago there was hardly any emphasis on recycling and things like there is today. If we had been more aware as a people maybe less damage could have been done. When I was younger there wasn't the awareness by most people of the need to be responsible with our resources. It seemed to be assumed that resources were never ending. There was less talk of saving the planet because we didn't realize what danger the planet might be in. I don't think the average person was as informed as we are today. There was less media coverage. Today there is media coverage 24/7. You can find out anything, anytime. Had this been the same, say in ww2, I wonder what the thoughts on the war would have been. Today, things are much more in your face."

I think that my grandmother is very in touch with the problems that we have in society today. She has a different attitude than I thought she would. I kind of thought she was going to say that children should stop playing so many video games and that people should spend less time on the computer. She really suprised me by how much she knows and pays attention to. I think her generation was a lot different than ours is today. Like she said, there is so many more resources for news and information about the world around us. We know the damage that we cause yet we still do wrong things. I wish that younger people had the same attitude as my grandmother and maybe we all would be a little better at helping the planet.


Bird picture: http://geography6.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/oil_spill.jpg

News stand picture: http://www.thetechherald.com/media/images/200852/papers_1.jpg

Field Trip #5: Southwest Florida Museum of History

Even though I do not live very far from Ft. Myers I have not really been there very much. I have driven up the coast but I have not seen historical Ft. Myers. I have always associated Ft. Myers with office buildings and legal offices. There seems to be many state and county office buildings that, in my experience, have overshadowed the historical side of Ft. Myers. I never really thought about the history of Ft. Myers and how Calusa indians used to live in this area. Giant sloths walking around and mammoths roaming the land never crossed my mind when I thought about Ft. Myers. I did not know that Caloosahatchee River means river of the Calusa. It make a lot of sense I just never realized it before. The cattle industry in this area I did know about because of reading A Land Remembered. There is so much history in this area. I really enjoyed the museum. It was the first historical museum that I have ever been to and it made me want to go to more. By far, my favorite part was the very beginning where the bones were. The first picture is of a giant sloth and it is kind of scary because it is so big when you are standing right next to it. I am pretty sure that the second picture is a mammoth skull or something like that because of the size of the head and tusks. I liked how the museum provided devices that told you all about things in the museum. Whenever you came across a picture of a sound symbol and a number you just typed the number in the device and listened. My cousin enjoyed the firefighter section the most. She thought it was cool that there was a old fire truck in there and all of the tools they used to use were hanging on the walls. It was an interesting exhibit. The King Tut exhibit was very interesting but it does not really have much to do with historical Ft. Myers. I think the museum depicted Ft. Myers well and there was a lot to learn. The city has changed a lot over the years. The courthouse has been renovated and now holds the office of county commissioners. The downtown area has went from the hot spot to shop and party to an area concerned with sustainability. More places are within walking distance so the amount of toxins that cars release are lessened. The downtown area is a place where all types of people can come together. It has came along way from the Calusa indians and cattle industry days.

Field Trip #4: ECHO

ECHO was an amazing place. I had never been there before and I am very glad that I went because I learned so much. My little cousin, Jessica, learned a lot too and she liked seeing the goats and chickens. ECHO travels the world teaching third world farmers appropriate techniques for their area so that they can have the most success with their farms. ECHO provides farmers with sample seed packets. I think this is interesting because I would have assumed that they just give the farmers tons of seeds but they don't. They encourage the farmers to experiment and find what works for them. Everywhere is different and not all crops grow in all places so it is important to understand the land know what crops are goingto survive and become the most profitable. Third world farmers face many challenges, some they can control and some they cannot. The main thing they need is education because they need to be taught techniques that can help sovle their problems. For example, some farmers face the problem of sloped piece of land where they need to plant crops. ECHO teaches these farmers how to make the land work in their favor. The tour guide showed us a very basic piece of equipment made of wood that is shaped like an A and has a rock that hangs from a piece of string from the top of the A. You put one leg of the A in the ground and turn it until the rock is perfectly in the middle and that is where you plant the crops. Another problem faced by third world farmers is predators. Many animals can destroy crops easily and the all the farmers' hard work is ruined. ECHO suggests live fencing. Live fencing is a fence made from live tree limbs. When the limbs are planted in the ground they will sort of grow together and it makes a barrier that is difficult for animals to see through and if an animal can't see it then it doesn't exist so they don't mess with it. The biggest problem in these third world countries is hunger. One of the main things that ECHO concentrates on is keeping the people fed. They do this by having them plant food that is a "belly filler". These are foods high in carbohydrates like rice. The problem of hunger sometimes results from the fact that the people have to work so physically hard every day that they use up their energy. One of the ways that ECHO solves this problem is by the technology they have people

use. One piece of tehcnology that is a low energy burner waters crops. You step on two platforms and pump your legs up and down which pumps water through tubes that leads to you crops. This is something everyone in the family can take turns doing so it does not use a lot of energy.

One of the most interesting things I learned was that plants do not need soil because all they need is air, water, and nutrients. I learned that you can plant plants in almost anything. An old tire can be a perfect pot. You cut the "top" off and line the hole on the bottom with the rubber and put plastic over it. Then you can fill it with soil and plant your plants. Another way to plant plants is to build a wooden frame around a piece of carpet and cover the carpet with empty soda cans inside socks. The seeds can be plants right into the carpet and the socks give the roots something to cling to. So, you don't need soil and everyone has items lying around their house that can be used to plant plants.

I was most intrigued by what I learned about the Neem tree and the Moringa tree. It has been discovered that the Neem tree can prevent and help cure gum disease and other mouth problems. A long time ago, a group of people chewed on twigs from the Neem tree and they had no mouth diseases. Today, they make toothpaste from the Neem tree that is one of the most succesful in helping to prevent mouth diseases. Picture to the left is a Neem tree. The Moringa tree has so many amazing properties. Each gram of the leaves contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges, four times the vitamin A of carrots, three times the potassium in bananas, and four times the calcium in milk. This tree can be a lifesaver. When children are malnourished and on the brink of death, they are fed one crushed up seed three times a day and are well nourished and in good health within two weeks. Mothers who have lost the ability to produce breast milk due to malnutrition can

regain their milk within three days just from ingesting one crushed up seed three times a day. This tree can be very important in many third world countries. Picture to the right is a Moringa tree.

ECHO taught me so much about farming that I never knew and they have inspired me to be more conscious of what I consume and how I consume it. I am imspired to start a garden with no soil using their rooftop gardening techniques. I hope that ECHO can reach as many third world countries as possible so that millions can benefit from their knowledge.

Link to ECHO's website: http://www.echonet.org/

Neem tree picture: http://addins.kwwl.com/blogs/thedirt/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/neem-tree.jpg

Moringa tree picture: http://images.stltoday.com/blogzone/off-the%20menu/files/2010/04/Moringa-Tree.jpg

Field Trip #3: Matanzas Pass Preserve

Matanzas Pass Preserve was interesting because you got to explore on your own which was also difficult because I do not think you learn as much that way. What I liked most about this field trip was the mangrove section by the water. It was cooler there and seeing the water through the mangroves provided a calming feeling. Unfortunately, the rest of the field trip was hot and sticky and the sun was brutal. I think I would go back but only in the winter when it is not so hot. Florida is famous for the amount of mangroves that line our waters. Florida has so many mangroves because of the warm climate. Mangroves are tropical plants that will die in freezing temperatures so they are perfect for Florida since we rarely see freezing temperatures. There are three types of mangroves including: red, black , and white. Red mangroves grow closest to open water, white mangroves grow closest to shore, and black mangroves are seen in the northern parts of Florida. Mangrove systems are very important because they provide protection for smaller species of animals. Below the water, animals like sponges, oysters, and mussels make the mangrove roots their home, whereas, above the water the mangroves provide shelter for snails, crabs, and spiders. Another variety of the mangrove is called the buttonwood. The buttonwood is only considered an associate of the mangrove and it is shrubby by the shore and turns into more of a tree form as it grows further inland. The first picture is of a red mangrove, the second picture is of a white mangrove, the third is a black mangrove, and the fourth is a buttonwood. Estuaries are important for many species because they provide protection for endangered and small animals. The mangroves help the estuaries provide this important protection. Lee County's Conservation 20/20 program was started by a group of citizens who were concerned about the amount of land set aside for conservation. They were displeased that only ten precent of land was set aside for conservation and they wanted to do something to change that. They started chaning this by buying undeverloped land and turning them into preserves and all of the preserves are open to the public. A few preserves include Matanzas Pass Preserve, Flag Pond Preserve, and Gator Hole Preserve. I think that what this program is trying to do is great for South Florida. If these concerned citizens had not stepped in to change things it is possible that Lee County would have had very little conservation land. I am not aware of any other programs like this but I certaintly hope there are programs like this in every state. With the rate at which America is using resources, we need to conserve as much land as possible. Matanzas Pass Preserve was acquired on January 20, 2006 and it cost $1,400,000.00. It is sixty acres filled with a variety of species that need the preserve. The preserve is broken into three natural communites including maritime hammock, mangrove swamp, and coastal grassland. The preserve is open to anyone wanting to take a look at these natural communities. It was an interesting and beautiful place to visit.

red mangrove: http://sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/images/photos/ecos%20ystems/ak_redmangrovee.jpg

white mangrove:http://www.butbn.cas.cz/hajek/africa/Photo%20Gallery/KwaZulu%20Natal/Kosi%20Bay/White%20Mangrove.jpg

black mangrove: http://www.finexpeditions.com/images/bestblackmangrove.JPG

buttonwood:http://sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/images/photos/blowingrocks/br_buttonwood.jpg

conservation 20/20: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAs2VJnzPgN4Bv3kS4r9z2NaRpHI394Wiz3xG6Fl1G0YGPw5uL3m80wO5hP79dOFRIPXly4PjuJNOimXMm8Tlnazy7Y2vsxRSvlr8MZHCj45oZmFx0cmtdzEe9Q2D2VeDKE7c7iTmGdQ/s320/2020

Field Trip #2: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has always been one of my favorite places to visit. I went there a few times when I was a child and last year I took my cousin Jessica there for her first time. A few weeks ago I took her and my boyfriend there with me for this field trip. We had a lot of fun. We took the normal boardwalk pathway and saw several species of insects, birds, amphibians, and plants. The first insect we saw was a Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper and it was beautiful. The colors were so rich and he was huge. We saw several more after that and one of them is pictures on the right.

Next, we saw a Barred Owl. It was very large and it dove down underneath the boardwalk. When we saw it next it was flying away with a little snake in it's mouth. The owl we saw is up in the tree in the picture on the left. He is hard to see but he is sitting on the second branch up from the bottom of the tree right in the middle of the picture. A little later we saw a very large spider web. I could

not identify the type of spider that spun the web because I could not find the spider but I decided to take a picture and just hope that the picture turned out well and it did. The web is pictured on the right. It had just rained and was about to start raining again and we noticed that there was water droplets that seemed like they were sowed to

the leaves of trees and plants because they were so still. The picture to the left is water droplets on a giant leaf. In the early 1900s, plume hunting was very popular and it rapidly started killing off the species. People wanted their long white feathers. Thankfully, a group of people came together and put a stop to plume hunting. There is a sign at Corkscrew that teaches visitors all about the story of plume hunting and how it was stopped. The Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed begins in Immokalee and flows down through Corkscrew and out into the Gulf of Mexico eventually. Water is important at Corkscrew because the wet and dry seasons mean different things for the species that are around during those times. A major sustainable initiative at Corkscrew is the boardwalk itself. The boardwalk is estimated to survive for about fifty years and is made out of recyclable wood. I enjoyed the field trip to Corkscrew even though it did rain for half the time we were there and we got very wet. It was interesting though because we got to see everything like it was night outside because it was raining and the clouds and trees were blocking the sunlight. Everything seemed so much different once it got darker and it was kind of spooky in some areas but overall it was a lot of fun and I would definitely go back.

The following link is to a youtube.com video that tells the history of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XPQ5r_PO8s

Environment in the News

There was an article in the New York Times called "From Trees and Grass, Bacteria That Cause Snow and Rain" written by Jim Robbins. It is about a bacteria that has been found on plants, clouds, streams and in snow as well as several other places. It is called Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. The bacteria is thought to cause freezing at higher temperatures than normal. It does this to create water and ice that will damage plants so the bacteria can get nutrients. Scientists say that it is well known that the bateria helps to cause snow to form but a closer look is being taken at the role of the bacteria in precipitation. The ending conclusion is that it is difficult to pinpoint the effect of the bacterium. It could have less or more of an effect than scientists currently think.

I think this article is so interesting. I did not know that bacteria can create snow and maybe precipitation. One question that came to my mind is that if some plants have more of this bacteria on them would they aid in causing more rain? Could these plants be planted in places with drought problems? That way when the wind swept the bacteria up into the air and into the clouds maybe that area would see more rain. This is a good example of how everything in our environment relies on so many other things. Could it be possible that this bacteria is the key to rain? Would we have rain without this bacteria? We probably would, but maybe not so much of it. It is amazing how everything in our environment is connected and if one thing changes then thousands of things change that no one even notices.

Pictures and article taken from: Robbins, Jim. (2010, May 24). From Trees and grass, bacteria that cause snow and rain. New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/science/25snow.html?ref=science