Journal # 10

Over the course of this past semester I have learned many things in colloquium. Being an environmental studies major obviously made me somewhat biased to the course, but I felt it was very important to learn about the FGCU campus and the environment of southwest Florida. I also enjoyed the fact that the class is made up of a variety of majors who each have a different way of looking at environmental issues and sustainability. The combination of different majors, the different field trips, and hands on approach in this class created a very progressive feel. Instead of dreading this long class on Thursday, I always looked forward to it because it was not traditional and boring like some of the other classes I take full of busy work. I really had fun at the “side stop” field trip when we looked at the manatees. I did not realize the numbers of manatees that congregate at warm water discharge areas like power plants. Seeing the docile manatees lumbering around in the water made me realize how important it is to watch out for these animals while boating. Another trip I thoroughly enjoyed was visiting ECHO, they do so much work helping nations in need like Haiti, and I never even knew about the organization. The campus walks were also very informative and fun as well. Walking back in the cypress domes on campus was a great experience because a lot of the students never experienced anything like that before. The water was surprisingly clean, and the system appeared to be healthy and productive. Seeing this cypress dome right here on campus gave me a greater appreciation for FGCU. The unique cooling system that the school uses was also really “cool”. Going down to Mantanzas park was also very interesting hearing the lady speak of her heritage and the whole gill net fishing industry that her family was involved in. Overall I just enjoyed meeting some great people with different views on the environment and learning about the area I live in.

Journal # 9 Corksrew Swamp

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. In the club house I found in eye opening when I looked at the chart of Florida showing the historical flow of the everglades compared to the flow today. Some of the things that stood out to me was the fact that the Calossahatchee was never connected to Lake Okeechobee until the early 1900s. Historically the river had a system of waterfalls, but these were dynamited and replaced with levies and weirs to help with flood control. These unique systems of waterfalls would have been an amazing point of eco-tourism if they still existed today. The over all “sheet flow” of the Everglades ecosystem was also drastically altered with the creation of highways and canal systems that criss-cross the flowing river of grass. When we walked out to the boardwalk I enjoyed observing the transition of ecosystems as we moved from a slightly higher elevation to a lower one. We began walking in the pine flatwood where fire plays an important part in keeping the ecosystem healthy. The Slash Pine’s were so adapted to living in a fire prone area that they have actually developed fire retardant bark and pine cones that only burst to release their seeds when heated by flame. This system was dominated by an understory of saw palmetto and grasses and Slash Pines spread throughout. The next ecosystem type was an ecotone between the Flatwood and the Cypress Swamp, it was the wet marsh. This area was dominated by sawgrass and was wet for most parts of the year. There was not many birds because of the wet winter which prevented them from nesting in the area. The final ecosystem we came to was the Cypress Swamp. This was home to the extremely rare and valuable ghost orchid. The orchid is in bloom in only certain parts of the year for a short period of time. In the cypress dome we say lichens, epiphytes, Red Shouldered Hawks with their chicks, alligators, turtles, anhingas, and many other birds. It was a nice to see such a healthy environment so close to home. I look forward to visiting the area again this summer.

Journal # 8 recent news/ Environmental

A large oil spill off the coast of Louisiana has many people worried, and rightly so. In an effort to contain this oil slick authorities say they will start burning some of the thickest areas of the oil slick. Fire resistant containment booms will act as a corral system in an effort to control some of the fire on the gulf’s surface. The Deepwater Horizon, which was the name of the drill site, was located some 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, eleven workers are still missing from the giant blast and are presumed dead. Hotel owners and fishermen are not the only ones nervous about the sticky oil slick creeping towards shore. Louisiana is also home to delicate wetlands and extensive oyster bed systems which are both important economically and ecologically. Both of these extraordinary ecosystems serve as a buffer that protects the terrestrial environment from the harsh aquatic elements. They also provide a perfect nursery for young birds, especially waterfowl, and are extremely nutrient rich and productive areas. If the oil slick were to reach the coast, the loss of wildlife would be catastrophic. The effect that a burn like this has on marine life is unclear, and the burning of crude oil will also cause air pollution. But it is crucial to try every option we have in an effort to contain the oil spill in the gulf.

Journal # 7 Downtown Fort Myers

The trip to downtown Fort Myers was very informative. I really enjoyed stopping at the Edison Estate area. I had no idea how much of an impact people like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had on the this area of Fort Myers and Southwest Florida. Another aspect of Edison that I found quite intriguing was the fact that he came up with a new invention every year for nearly 60 years of his life. The Banyan tree was also something completely foreign to me. The way it the giant tree seems to spread across the earth reminded me of a tree you would find in Africa or some foreign place, not South West Florida. Fort Myers has an incredibly rich history and it was very nice to see a portion of that during our trip. When we visited the Olympian museum, started by Al Oerter , I was touched by how proud his late wife was of this truly unique museum her husband had begun before he passed. There was very talented art work in the museum, be it abstract colorful paintings or medal welded figures. The location of the museum was also amazing, sitting adjacent to the Coloosahatchee. The museum appears to have great potential for growth in the future. When we left the museum I liked the enormous mural on the side of the building that showed the African American soldiers who served in this area during the war. The environmentally friendly hotel was also very innovative and sustainable. From all of the small things they did like recycling of paper towels and using the energy saving in all of their lights. To finish the trip off we had some nice local flavor at a local ice cream shop, besides enjoying a good treat I was also able to sit down and enjoy the architecture of the buildings around me in the ally way.

Journal # 6 Historic Cottage

I really enjoyed our visit to the historic cottage on Fort Myers beach and Matanzas Pass preserve. I had no idea of the rich history of the Fort Myers area. As early as the Native American era the area was settled and large mounds were formed by the native’s waste which consisted primarily of shells from the seafood they ate. In more contemporary times I thought it was very interesting how knowledgeable the elderly woman was of the net fishing history. People were making a living practicing net fishing for generations and when it was declared illegal they had to find another way to live. Supposedly the net fishing was killing other fish which were not intended to be netted. Not to mention she made some amazing sea grape jam that was made from local plants on the island! I also found it incredible that before the bridge today going from Fort Myers to the mainland there was a “swing bridge” operated by one man. The mangrove ecosystem around the historic cottage was also very fascinating. It always amazes me how many adaptations mangroves have developed in order to live in these extreme environments. The red mangrove with their long prop roots growing in the deepest water. The black mangrove behind the red with its checkerboard bark and Pneumatophores poking out of the mud. Finally the white mangrove which is found farthest away from the water, usually at the highest elevation. After leaving the historic cottage I enjoyed seeing the shrimp fleet under next to the bridge. I did not realize just how big the local shrimping industry was right here in Fort Myers. Moreover I always thought shrimping at night was how people every where caught their shrimp, it turns out that on the east coast the boats actually go out at night.

Journal # 5 Leopold

Aldo Leopold has many genius ideas and conceptual philosophies dealing with the environment and life. One which stood out to me was the community concept and how it relates to the “Land Ethic”. He says all ethics rest upon a single premise that states an individual is a member of a community made up of interdependent parts. The individual follows his instincts and competes for his place in the community while the ethics developed over time tell him to co-operate. I agree that the idea of “land ethics” is simple; include the soils, water, plants, and animals into our community of ethics so we truly care about them as we do each other. We say we care about the land around us, but in reality do we truly care about the environment we are part of? Just as Leopold says, I certainly don’t think we do. Humans don’t care about the soils which they overuse for their own well good until it is totally depleted of nutrients. Humans don’t care about water which we use for transportation and carrying off our wastes. We definitely don’t care about forests that we clear out in a matter of days to lay down a shopping center. It is like we do not see ourselves as part of the world around us, when in fact we are no better or important than any other creature on this earth. “Ecological Conscience” is another topic Aldo talks about. I agree that conservation/ ecological education is important. Both the volume of education needs to be increased as well as the method in which we teach young generations. It seems to me that it is obvious we need to switch from traditional modes of education to a more progressive mode in an effort to create a more ecologically literate youth. His “land Pyramid” is also a very eye opening concept which shows just how interrelated and complex life is. When thinking of land for example one must remember that land is not just the soil. Native plants and animals are important to keep the natural cycle of life flowing while exotic ones may not. Lastly and most importantly man-made changes are different than evolutionary changes and therefore create changes that can be very dangerous and life altering.

Journal # 4 Campus

In class today I learned many new things that I have always taken for granted. While walking around campus it was interesting to see the cooling plants that are very unique to FGCU. We have the second largest cooling plant of this type out of any university in the country! I was also able to learn how the cooling system works; there are coiled pipes inside the large “barrels” that a very cold substance runs through, this substance cools the water in the barrel, and finally the cold water cools the air running next to the pipes. Another very simple yet effective aspect of the school was all of the covered pathways between each academic building. Living in an area like southwest Florida we are prone to blistering heat and random thunderstorms, it is very convenient to have these paths covered. On the side of the overhangs there are actually rocks which allow the rainwater to seep into the groundwater and aquifers. This is very important to have because there is already too much impermeable surfaces around campus that disrupts the hydrology of the area. The plants brought here to campus were also very carefully selected. All the different plants here on campus are native and usually drought resistant. This way we do not have to worry about introducing exotic species that could be potentially invasive taking over the surrounding plants. There are however some exotic invasive species found here on campus, the main one being the Melloluca tree. The tree was brought over by the first settlers of the area in an attempt to dry up the swamp lands, and make the area “livable”. While walking over the pond on the board walk with the class we saw a little blue heron, or possibly a juvenile white egret. It was amazing to actually observe the cypress trees and see how barren they were compared other times of the year like summer. Come summer time that pathway will be shaded by the thick green leaves of the Cypress trees.

Journal # 3 Consumption

Many activities affect my ecological footprint, if everyone on planet earth lived like me we would need 5.3 earths to support mankind. Services took up the majority of my ecological footprint. I must cut down my use of electricity usage in an effort to sustain a more earth friendly life style. Food also takes up a very large chunk of my footprint here on this planet. In order to live within my means I must eat more organic foods that are grown close by. Instead of eating packaged goods from more than 200 miles away, I could eat home grown vegetables out of a local garden. Eating non-packaged foods cuts down the use of plastics which would no longer be required for storing the processed foods. Another positive aspect of not eating shipped/packaged foods is fuels are not required for shipping. Mobility, shelter, and goods combined take up about the same amount of my footprint as services. I could also cut down on my water consumption as well. Many people think that living here in southwest Florida means there is ample water available. In fact we are limited to our water consumption because we get a large amount of our water from extensive underground aquifers. I could cut down on my water usage by doing simple things like taking shorter showers and not using warm water to save energy. When using the restroom I could flush the toilet one time after the whole day. Also the little things like shutting off the water while shaving or brushing my teeth as apposed to leaving the water running would save gallons of water a day. I must evaluate my lifestyle in an effort to live a more sustainable life for my sake; as well as for the future generations of this planet.

Journal # 2 ECHO

Robert Hill

Journal #2

ECHO Trip

ECHO stands for, "Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization", the organization was originally named "Educational Concerns for Haiti Organization". Two men first created the not for profit non-denominational Christian organization and focused on small scale agricultural production. ECHO's main emphasis is on problem solving, networking, and education. 60-70% of the organization's funding comes from donations by private entities, other sources of revenue include sale of plants and gift-shop retail. During our guided walk I learned a great deal about different types of plants and how we can use them. Bamboo for example can be used for scaffoling, construction, irragation, and the leaves from the tree are actually good to feed the cattle with. The Neem plant can be used as a type of pharmasudical, the shoots of the plant can be used to clean teeth, the oil is an effective insect repelant and disinfectant. The Moringa plant was by far the most amazing plant that I have ever heard of. Roots of the plants can be ground up into a paste similar to horseradish, bark can be woven into mats, and the leaves are EXTREMELY nutritious ( 4 times the calcium of milk, 3 times the Potassium of banana, and 5 times the vitamin-C of oranges). It is easy to see how this is ECHO's most important seed export. The plant is actually so beneficial to one's health that in poor third world countries where AIDS plague people's health it can actually strengthen their immune system allowing them to live a longer healthy life.

ECHO also uses a variety of sustainable practices while raising their crops. Wormiculture, which is using worms to break down organic matter, was one way in which they create fertilizer. The worm castings are very high in nitrogen and when diluted can be used as an excellent fertilizer. In one of the ponds on the property they used duck droppings and algae growth to support a stock of Tilapia. Another thing that really opened my eyes during the trip was when we walked through the "Shanty Town" area. It was amazing to see how people in countries like Haiti had to live in these tiny shacks. What was even more crazy was the the unique farming techniques that ECHO was experimenting with for these places to use.

The field trip over all was very enjoyable and it really gave me a greater understanding of sustainability, uses of plants for humans, and how much other parts of the world rely on these raising crops to survive.

Colloquium

Robert Hill
Nature Experiences

Growing up I had quite a bit of interactions with the "Natural" Environment. I was born and raised in St. Pete, Florida, which is not exactly the most forested area in Florida. But I was lucky enough to experience the environments that were around my home. My father taught me how to fish at a young age since we lived on the intra-coastal waterway. Many days after grade school all the way through high school I would take the kayak out and go fishing or simply lose myself among the mangroves as I observed the shorebirds and other animals around me. I was also lucky enough to have experiences with environments that are very different to Florida's. My father owns a time share in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. So one week out of every year we would go up there in winter and I could play in the snow and appreciate the vast mountain ranges along the horizon. I believe that some of these early interactions with the environment gave me a greater respect and awareness of the earth and ultimately led me to choose the Environmental Studies pathway that I am involved in today.