Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was by far my favorite field trip. It was quite a long drive in, however it was peaceful. I observed the reduction of biodiversity in my everyday life just by thinking about where I live. FGCU is a lovely campus, however, land had to be cleared to make it work. The impact of this reduction might not be as intense here at FGCU, but in other areas it might be more so. I think back to shopping malls and roads and infrastructure, and how much the land and biodiversity was uprooted to make those things happen.



The importance of private and public partnerships in maintaining biodiversity for places like Corkscrew Swap serve a great purpose. It provides balance and unity between nature and people. Through touring the trails and facility, I saw tons of examples of the unity between the two. The way the boardwalk trails were balanced above but still in the nature was wonderful. We were positioned perfectly to where we were even able to see a 13 foot gator!



The nature was amazing and I truly found myself reflecting on life and listening to the sounds instead of the hustle and bustle of life. When we took a moment of meditation it was such an eye opening experience and I really knew I was finding a sense of place in the sanctuary. Personally, I would like to spend more time like this in nature and have more time to reflect on everything. I loved this trip and will definitely be coming back!

Pine Manor Community Garden

A few weeks ago, we went to Pine Manor Community Garden in downtown Fort Myers area and it was quite an experience. Driving through the neighborhood in Lee High Acres before we got to the actual site was something else. Only being really exposed to the FGCU area, I did not think run down, poverty stricken areas were anywhere close to where I lived, but I was wrong. When we pulled up to Pine Manor, I immediately felt like we had just pulled into a gem in rock pile.

My overall impression of the challenges faced by the urban poor in Lee County was quite shocked. I know in class, Professor Mendes taught us about the idea of a food desert but I never imagined that one would be so close to home. This clearly relates to agricultural and land use issues because the fact that residents of this area are unable to get access to fresh food is astonishing. It really made me reflect and ponder on what exactly is the land being used for around us if people are having enough trouble as it is getting fresh foods. Thank goodness for Pine Manor and the efforts they do to fix that by having a community garden and cooking classes because without it, much of the community might suffer more than they already do.



The facilities were quite impressive and I was easily able to relate Pine Manor back to my life and even major. Chef Fraser actually donated much of the kitchen appliances that are used in the community kitchen, and he is my professor for a number of my classes. Often times Chef Fraser speaks on behalf of his community outreach and involvement and it really makes me think about how important it is to give back to those who don't have much. Pine Manor was a great eye opener to see all they offer to the community and I look forward to volunteering there potentially in the future.

Barefoot Beach Preserve

Going to Barefoot Beach this past week was truly an experience! I did not think my feet would hurt as much as they did at the end of it but oh my they did!

Driving into the beach preserve area was quite possibly my favorite part because Naples is one of the most beautiful nearby towns and the drive in was wonderful. When the bus drove into the large mansions neighborhood, I found myself start to daydream. I looked at these magnificent houses and wondered what life would be like if I had grown up in a place such as that. I tried to imagine myself in a sense of place and really found myself having a wanderlust for a big home.

Once we actually arrived to Barefoot Beach, I immediately noticed the mangroves surrounding the parking lot leading up to the beach. They are extremely important to this type of ecosystem because of the shade and shelter they provide to the wildlife and passersbys. I think estuaries are important for both the natural world and for people in numerous ways. They provide a sense of beauty people and an outlet for nature. I cannot imagine a place such as Barefoot Beach without it.

There can often times be a divide between preservation and development, but here that was not the case. I saw a beautiful blend and balance between the two. Go back a few hundred feet from the beach and you are upon mansions and condos, and a few hundred feet there is the beach and the natural beach forest surrounding the sandy beaches. I found this to be the most fascinating and it intrigued me the most. I would definitely go back to enjoy more of this! Loved this trip!

Downtown Fort Myers

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to go to Downtown Fort Myers and to say it was eye opening would be an understatement. Never before have I been truly emersed in the urban area of Fort Myers and it was wonderful to see a different side of the city I know and love. My overall impression of the area was very nice. It is very updated and kept clean, but it still has the look and style of older Fort Myers with cobble streets and brass light posts.

Most of the streets were what I would consider to be complete streets. The Main Street going down the center of Fort Myers is a two way cobble street lined with street lamps and sidewalks. I noticed pedestrians, cars, and bikes all managing to go on their way without issue or disturbing one another. There seemed to be a traffic pattern that worked and was unspoken amongst users. There were no limitations for anyone that I could visibly see; there were even dips in the sidewalks and cross paths made for those physically handicapped. Complete streets are a thing of the future and it is nice to see them being implemented in such an old city.

Considering where I live and all I encounter on the daily, I know it has an affect on my success and satisfaction. A city's design is merely that, a design for the people in it. Taking that into consideration, it must be made up for its residents to be successful and satisfied. What I mean by that is the fact that when a person is in a certain area, what they see and do will be closely related to where they live. Since I live at FGCU, the campus is designed for me to take classes and work, setting me up for success and satisfaction. Going in downtown Fort Myers I definitely saw this to be true. The local businesses lined the streets with street-side parking so town goers would be able to walk directly up to the stores to give business to causing them satisfaction and the businesses success.

FGCU Food Forest & Wet Walk

Last week when I had the opportunity to walk through the Food Forest, I did not truly comprehend what I would be seeing or encountering until I was physically in the forest. Impressed is an understatement, but that's what I was! Hearing that the area is completely self sustaining was quite interesting because especially in this modern day and age we expect things to be so advanced and needing the help of human interaction, but with plants like we saw, it's all on its own. I learned that it takes up to two years to grow your own pineapples, and while that is a long wait, it is something I want to pursue in my own backyard one day soon.

Once we moved on over to the FGCU Nature Trail where the Cypress Dome is located, the tone of the entire trip changed for myself. I was extremely nervous and anxious for what we would embark on and potentially see. I knew from past classmates that had taken colloquium that they all said "it's not that bad" and "don't worry". But I did nothing but worry and fret about the wet walk! However I can attest to my own emotions during the walk and I made it out alive! Honestly I worried for absolutely nothing and it really was not that bad!

Seeing the nature so up close and personal gave me a perspective that I had never been presented with. Once we were actually in the Cypress Dome, I felt myself start to calm down and relax in a new way. My mind became cleared and I felt fully present in the moment. Much like the nature deficit article we read in class, I felt the effects the nature had on my mind, body, and soul in that moment. Nature, no matter what it is, has this crazy effect on me where I am in my element mentally and it is amazing.

While going on these type of nature walks were definitely out of my normal, daily scheduled lifestyle, I felt at peace. Did I love it? Yes. Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY.

Sense of Place

This evening I took a stroll around South Village at FGCU and it was close to sunset so I was able to see a variety of the beauty our campus has to offer. I started out from the parking garage next to where I live in Osprey Hall and immediately when I looked to the sky, I could tell the rain was not far off so I had limited time. I wish my phone's battery had not died at the start of my walk so I could have taken some pictures of the sky because the way the clouds were rolling in was magical. I am someone who enjoys a good summer storm and tonight when I looked to the sky and saw the orange sunset mixing with the gray puffy clouds, I was literally on cloud 9.

SoVi is suburban industry mixed with that sustainable, naturalistic lifestyle that FGCU is all about and that is what makes me love it so much. I saw a ton of small lizards and even a tiny frog on the window of a bedroom when I passed by Eagle Hall! I took note of the trees that surround the SoVi loop and really took it to heart how fortunate I am to call a place such as this home. The wildlife is literally at my doorstep and no other school would give me this type of opportunity. During my walk, I tried to think and embody the statement "sense of place". I am a very in the moment type of person and I am known for my adaptability in any situation or place, and SoVi has really proved to put that to the test for me.

My sense of place during my walk meant that I was noticing every detail and not just physically present, but mentally as well. Making a place home and having that sense of place is where I live, and that continually changes in many different aspects. While walking I took notice of everything I saw, living and inanimate, I felt at peace and had a sense of home. I walked on the paved road for a portion of my walk and then a few steps into the nature path before I started to feel a few rain drops begin to come down, but I was so in the zone that I hadn't noticed the clouds position themselves above me.

Most of my sense of place reflection, to be honest, occurred after my time on my walk. While I did notice the trees surrounding SoVi and the clouds rolling in, and even the tiny wildlife, I was in a mental state where I felt very in touch with my thoughts and kept zoning into deep thoughts. My sense of place will always be where I am at. Like I stated before, I am adaptable and what I mean by that, is that life is what I make of it, and no matter where I am or who I am with, I will always have a place to call home. Home is where the heart is and as cliche as that sounds, it's 100% true. Home isn't a place, it's a feeling that gives you a sense of place.