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.