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.