Blog #14 - Debriefing

               I took University Colloquium because it was a requirement, but I learned things out of this class that took me by surprise and changed the way my family will be doing things on a continuous basis.  About 6 months prior to this class my family started to recycle our plastics, bottles, cans, and our newspapers.  We took this step because we realized that the things that could be recycled were just being thrown in the regular trash and it could be sitting in the landfills instead of being reused.  Also about 6 months ago instead of taking all the food items and placing them in the trash, I started taking putting them down a garbage disposal.  I live in an apartment so trying to make compost would not be practical.  We also got pepper and tomato plants and grew them to produce our own instead of buying them.  We got a few peppers and tomatoes so they were worth the time and effort it took to get them growing. 

                Academically I was surprised at all the things I’ve learned through the books and readings, the movies, the service learning and even the writings for the blogs and papers.  It is actually a scary prospect that researchers have stated over and over again at what we are doing to our earth and no one is really listening and doing anything concerning this gigantic issue.  I knew politics plays a large part of things, but until I read the article did I truly realize how drastic of a part it does play.  Until watching the movies, I really had no clue that we were fishing to the extent of extinction. 

                As for the future profession, I’m not sure how it would tie into criminal justice.  I’m currently working in a different field, HR/Payroll, that I can see how it would benefit the employees, the City, and the earth.  I have mentioned it to my boss and she agreed to look over the final presentation that I’m doing to see if we can use it in our place to promote recycling from within.  I believe this would be a great start. 

                I truly enjoyed exploring the new places and meeting interesting people.  I took hundreds of photos that are a joy to re-look at over and over.  I’ve enclosed a few of my favorites along with this posting…

Field Trip #5 - GTM - Guana Research Reserve

6/19/2011 – (GTM) Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve

                The GTM Educational Center had some amazing displays.  I participated in a Scavenger Hunt in which I had to find out how many birds were in the Estuary Diorama, what kinds of birds, are sharks teeth all the same, which animal hanging from the ceiling had the longest tail and strangest head, how many fish in the tanks, any animals in the Estuary Aquarium Tank that are not fish, different crabs and different types of sea beans.  The research center is filled with informational exhibits, aquariums, and an outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Guana River Marsh Aquatic Preserve.  The Guana Reserve is over 60,000 acres that have the ocean, beaches, coastal scrub, saltmarsh and mangrove estuary, freshwater marsh, maritime hammock and pine flatwoods. 

                There were a few things that were interesting in the Research Center.  The animal models hanging from the ceiling were so realistic and I learned that only 3 of them were mammals.  I found the sea beans to be fascinating.  They have a display with these sea beans and interestingly enough they are not found in the sea.  They are actual seeds from tropical plants.  Many of these sea beans actually wash up on the beach and come from Africa, Asia, and Australia.  The display of the shark teeth was interesting also.  They had a display of what they called the Extinct Mega-toothed Shark teeth.  They were gigantic.  The image of the shark compared to a human is really scary.  It would look like us compared to a dime.  In the vision they showed the shark would be us and we would be the dime!  This shark is thought to be about 80 feet long. 

Field Trip #4 - Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens

6/25/2011 – Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens

                As I have never been here before I was so surprised at how beautiful this area was.  The Arboretum is about 120 acres and has many different eco-systems.  During 1941 to 1961 this area was the property of Humphries Gold Mining Company.  They strip-mined the area of zircon and the minerals to make titanium.  Without these nutrients and the organic matter, the soil became white sand.   In 1970 the City of Jacksonville attained the property as a buffer to the water reclamation facility.  The property sat idle for over 30 years and during this time it was allowed to run rampant.  A group of individuals saw the potential and created what is now a beautiful piece of nature.

                There are 6 different trails in which there is such a diverse amount of things to see.  During the 30 years the land sat idle it was able to become what it is today.  The eco-system was allowed to become a home for different species of bugs, animals, and plants.

 The Lake Loop Trail has a 25 foot elevation compared to the other trails.  This area wound around the lake in which I was able to observe different species.  I wasn’t able to determine what type of animal was swimming in the lake; however there was something that bobbed itself across the water which had a very long neck.  My kids swear it was the loc ness monster.   In this area there was an information box explaining there were many Bald Cypress Trees in this area and they were flood-tolerant. 

 The Jones Creek Trail has a unique are that is considered a bottomland of hardwood hammock.  This area was filled with numerous plants.  The information box that was located in this area stated that it may be the oldest natural community type in Florida.  This area changes between being wet and dry and the types of species that live in the area have to be able to live in both types of environments. This was my favorite trail as it had beautiful creeks, bridges and step evaluations to climb. 

Throughout the trails the scariest was the Rosemary Ridge Trail because this trail is home of snakes that live in the palmettos.  I rushed thru this area due to the snakes but also because it was the 1 area in which was “plain”.  I was able to see some trees that looked as if they had been there for thousands of years, totally being draped with moss.  It was an incredible sight to think how long this tree has lived. 

The Upper and Lower Ravine Trails also had so much to observe.  We were able to observe the strangest looking bug as it was huge when its wings were open and it was flying around.  When it landing on my son’s walking stick it tucked its wings in and looked like a fat oblong crawling bug.  I couldn't get a good picture to our disappointment. 

Field Trip #3 - part 2 - Timucuan Spanish Pond

6/12/2011 – Spanish Pond – Timucuan

                In the Timucuan area I came across the Spanish Pond walking trails. Totally by accident when I was looking for the other part of the field trip. This connects/intertwines to the Theodore Roosevelt Area.  I walked the trails for about 3 ½ miles and came across some spectacular views and interesting areas.  In the Theodore Roosevelt Area the Browne family lived in a two-story house that overlooked the marsh.  I came across the area that the Browne house once sat.  The Browne family lived off the land and the water, farming, commercial fishing, running a sawmill, and selling the oyster shells taken from Timucua Indian shell mounds. 

                The trails along Spanish Pond and Theodore Roosevelt Area wind thru a variety of habitats, including maritime hammocks, scrub vegetation, a freshwater swamp, and salt marsh.  There is a small wooden bridge that follows the trail that will lead to mounds of oyster shells that were left over from the Timucua Indians.  There were so many oyster shells that it was a sight to see.  I was amazed at how many there were.  You can tell most of them have been there for a really long time. 

                Speaking with another individual who was walking the trails I found out that it came out to an observation platform overlooking Round Marsh.  It was low tide so the marsh wasn’t high with water, but the view was beautiful.  I was able to see many of the mini crabs along the muddy portion of the marsh and view long legged storks.  I can't wait to go back when the tide is high as I would think the animal life would be very active. 

                This area shows that at one time individuals lived such a simpler life; one that included living off the land and the waterway that was so close.  It is a truely spectacular site to see. 

Field Trip #3 - Timucuan, Fort & Monument

6/5/2011 – Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Fort & Monument

                This trip turned out to be in 2 different locations, but closely located near each other.  The Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center and Fort Caroline were in the same location.  The visitor center had information regarding the Timucua Indians and how they lived on this land.  I think the most interesting aspect was the showcase of the dugout boat.  The Timucua Indians cut the tree, burned it and scraped the tree trunks to make these dugout canoes.  It was created using handmade tools that were made from natural materials.  These tools were on display and each had a small description next to it.  The use of handmade tools being made from natural materials is truly amazing.  The Timucua Indians really used the land as they hunted and gathered in the surrounding forests and marshes.  They fished in the waterway and collected oysters and clams.  These oyster shells are clearly visible along the St. Johns Rivers piled in mounds which proves how important the waterway was to these people.  It is amazing at how inventive people were in these times and used what they could find from nature. 

                The fort exhibit represents the lives and the deaths of the French colonists during the 1500’s.  Again, showing how important the water, the transportation this water allowed and the food they were able to salvage from it.  This is the first planned French settlement.  They built this fort in a triangular shape.   There were a lot of oak trees on a side of the fort, marsh on a side and the waterway on the longest side.  The people also lived in circular dwellings in which had palm-thatched roofs and walls that were made with woven vines caulked with clay.  This was so amazing to think that even then they created such unique homes.  There are cannons situated on each of the sidesin the fort in which to protect the people. 

                The Monument is a replica of the stone column that was erected by Jean Ribault of France during 1562.  His men placed this stone marker on a sandy knoll near the river’s mouth.   This showed all that he was the one who found and explored the area.   The stone column displays the coat of arms of the French King Charles IX.  Interestingly enough this monument was originally located on the land that is now Mayport Naval Station.  It became inaccessible to the general public and was moved in 1941.  However, it wasn’t until 1958 that the monument found the permanent spot in the Timucuan National Park.  It would have been interesting to see where exactly it was on Mayport Naval Station, but in research I didn't find anything. 

               

Field Trip #2 - Kinglsey Plantation

6/4/2011 – Kingsley Plantation

                Kingsley Plantation is truly amazing.  While following a dirt road to reach the destination of the plantation it seems you are totally surrounded by marsh, water, and vegetation.  It feels like you are so far away from civilization. It was settled by Zephaniah Kingsley in 1814 but was already established into a plantation.  The Kingsley Plantation is about 1,000 acres and is almost like an island in the way it is situated.   The front of the plantation home faces the Fort George River.  The waterway is the easiest way to get the crops to the market or to bring in supplies so most plantations were situated near one. 

 The first items you see when you reach the plantation is the slave quarters.  During the time there were 60 – 80 enslaved men, women, and children.  Each of these “homes” had a fireplace which is considered the main room.  There is another room that is considered the sleeping area.  The homes were built with tabby which is cooked oyster shells mixed with water and sand to make a cement mixture.  From the slave quarters to the main house are the fields that the slaves worked the crops.  Sea Island cotton is the main crop for this plantation; however sugar cane, corn, beans, and potatoes were also being tended to.        

There is a garden on the plantation that is in use during the spring, summer and the fall.  This garden provides crops such as the Sea Island cotton, indigo, sugar cane, peanuts, peas, pumpkins, potatoes, and okra.  They were marked with posts in ¼ acres.  The plantation tasks were measured in ¼ acres for the field workers.  Sea Island cotton was the biggest crop for money.  It is picked daily from late in July to December.  The slaves had to remove the seeds from the Sea Island cotton by hand and packing bales for shipment.

                They have a barn on the property in which they used for multiple uses, such as storage, the animals, and a work place.  The kitchen is a separate building because the plantation owners didn’t want to have the heat, the noise, smells, and the possibility of fires.  Kingsley Plantation was such a learning experience as to how they used the land and the animals they kept. 

               

Field Trip #1 - Amelia Island Plantation

6/3/2011 – Amelia Island Nature Center

                It took me an hour to travel to the Amelia Island Nature Center.  I was able to see so much while driving-to include, the marsh, the ocean, vegetation, and even an owl I thought was going to fly right into the car it was so close!  I have to say that one made me a bit nervous.  Once I arrived at the Center I was disappointed as it was not all like it was described on the website.  The Nature Center is surrounded by water, vegetation, and other retail shops situated in a manner that you can walk from one to another under the trees, surrounded by discreetly placed nature.  When I entered the Nature Center the first thing I saw was that the front was indeed a retail shop.  Farther back, there was a room about 10 x 10 that held some tanks that contained some small, bugs, turtles and fish.  The demonstration that was going on was in deed the children’s discovery of these small parts of nature.  I listened to the demonstration; however, I couldn’t get into the room to see anything that they were talking about.  I did wait around for about 30 minutes and asked if they had a schedule of the tours described on the website.  It was on a sheet out front – that still had May.  I decided I would walk around looking at the plants surrounding the Center.  Again, there was a lot of vegetation surrounding the Center and the surrounding retail shops, but nothing I could “learn” from. 

                Since I was in the area I proceeded to visit Fort Cinch.  I was able to visit the museum which showed a lot of history on the tools used during this period.  I walked a couple of the trails surrounding the fort and it was interesting how “in the woods” it was.  They created a fishing area, a camping area, and plenty of picnic type areas.  Away from the fort, however, still on Fort Cinch was a really interesting nature trail…either a 20 minute or 45 minute trail to follow.  I was able to observe an alligator in the seriously scummy water.  I was praying he wouldn’t start moving towards the land.  Along the way, there were small plaques describing certain trees or vegetation that I found to be interesting.  I read about the “Magnolia grandiflora” also known as the Evergreen Magnolia.  I was really surprised because I thought Magnolias were flowers and didn’t know there was a tree with a similar name.  Since this wasn’t supposed to be part of the field trip I didn’t take any pictures except of the alligator and parts of the trail.

Blog # 14

I did 4 different service learning experiences.  My first experience was with the elementary school children in a school program – The Science Night – Nature and Science combined.  I worked with the St. Johns River Water Management as we demonstrated how we get the water we drink.  This was particularly interesting because there was a demonstration to watch and then once the children watched the demonstration they got their treat.  Their treat was a combination of ice, lime soda, chocolate ice cream, lime soda and then green sprinkles.  Included:  a straw to drink it all up!  Each represented a layer of the earth.  I learned that an aquifer is an underground layer of rock, such as gravel or sand, and groundwater is then extracted using what is called a water well.  We were having fun.

My second and third experience was with the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens.  A group of about 20-25 volunteers cleaned up the gardens by pulling large weeds, cutting down small trees,  clearing the trails up a bit and even learning a bit about specific plants.  This was a very sweaty, hot and labor intensive job.  I was totally amazed at the before and after.  Most of the works in these gardens are done by volunteers.  Later I went back to register the guests and help in what they called the Owl Hunt.  The Gardens had a bonfire and then 3 separate nature walks to look for owls and learn about the land.  I also helped with the keeping the kids that participate on the trails and not roaming in the wooded area.  I did learn what poison ivy looked like during this time.  This was one of the areas that we cleaned up. 

My fourth experience was with the St. Johns River Water Management team again doing a trash clean up.  We went to an area called Butcher Pen Creek that had homes, a church, and a day care surrounding it.  The results were in and they had 39 volunteers come out with a total of 100 hours.  The collection was 70 full trash bags, 13 grocery carts, 2 tires, 2 barricades, some chairs and buckets, an ice chest, a file box and a safe – which was empty.  In addition, my daughter found the most unusual item – a blue bowling ball.  Her reward for coming along and cleaning up with mom – she got to take it home with her.  I requested photos but didn't get any to post with this service learning project. 

I think my most rewarding learning experience had to be working with the elementary school children and showing them how we get our drinking water.  The question constantly asked to these juveniles was, “What can you do to conserve water?”  I did learn even more – the response a bunch of these kids gave was, “Put water in a jug.”  I had to think hard on this as to why that would be considered conserving water?  Well, if you put it in a jug, you are not running the water trying to get it cold and constantly turning the faucet on when you want to drink it!  You just pour it out of the jug!!  Instant conservation!

Blog #13

In the “Endgame” by Michael Grunwald it is a political nightmare for the Everglades, Florida and all those involved in politics. 

               When conservationists want to save the Everglades but the federal government wants to put a major airport at the edge of these Everglades, the political war began.  At the time vice president Al Gore refused to “take a stand.”  He stated that he would seek a balanced solution in which the environment would not be harmed and the economy would be helped.  During the political war of finding a balance between saving the Everglades by having taxpayers spending $8 billion or allowing the major airport to be built on the edge of the Everglades, Gore wasn’t convinced that the airport was the main problem. 

                Every political race and every politician raises the promise of a greater and healthier environment.  When the “issue” begins the politicians will gladly place the environment on the back burner for issues that are felt to be of more importance. 

                Florida state officials, economic interests and tribes fought to reduce the CERP’s importance on nature.  However, once again, they all came together to encourage a restoration plan for the Everglades.  During the Clinton administration, January 16, 2001, the announcement was to reject the airport.  The Everglades were once again saved from possible ruin. 

                Grunwald stated, “The twentieth century had been an era of mess-making; the twenty-first century could be a time to clean up the messes.” 

                Yes, the Everglades were saved time and time again through a maze of political warfare.  Will the next political wave of politicians bring environmental issues to the table?  If so, what will they feel is more important and place our earth’s environment off to the side to be reviewed yet again at a later date?

Blog #12

                “Love It or Lose It:  The Coming Biophilia Revolution” written by David W. Orr has a quote, “Compared with earlier cultures, our distinction lies in the fact that technology now allows us to move much further toward total domination of nature than ever before.”  Today we have iPods, cell phones, extreme video games, and we live in areas encrusted in freeways, shopping centers and condensed urban or suburban settings.  The only thing nature is used for is to tastefully decorate the surrounding areas.  Each day that passes more and more sophisticated technology becomes available.  Could the world survive without it?  Could the people be happy is the question?

                E. O. Wilson has described the word “biophilia” as “the urge to affiliate with other forms of life.”  The people of our earth have become attached to materials and not to nature.  Biophobia is what an individual feels when they are requiring all the things they want to be changed into mass consumption.   Our world and the individuals who live here have easily become biophobia because we have technology that allows us to have almost total power over nature.  

                Can the people of our earth become attached to nature again?  Interestingly, Stephen Jay Gould believes we have to in order to save our species and the environment.  Our people need to think of how we are using our supplies and how we use our earth.  Orr suggests if we were loved our nature more we would have more parks and less shopping centers, more small farms and less agri-businesses, more small towns and less large cities, more bicycle trails and less freeways, more readers and less tv watchers, more wilderness and less landfills, and more wildlife and less pets.    

Blog #11

Aldo Leopold wrote “There is as yet no ethic dealing with man’s relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it,” in The Land Ethic, an excerpt from A Sand County Almanac.  We have ethics in philosophical terms, however little is thought of extending it to ecological.  Our community includes the soils, the waters, the plants, the animal, and the land.  Most of the land takes on the characteristics of the people who have lived on it.  If we were to extend our ethics to land it wouldn’t prevent the changes, the managing, or the use of the resources found, however, it would ensure the continued existence of all that lived.  Wouldn’t you think everyone in the world would want to ensure life of our earth?

Leopold wrote, “The combined evidence of history and ecology seems to support one general deduction: the less violent the man-made changes, the greater the probability of successful readjustment in the pyramid.”  As I look around the area I have lived for 12 years I see the changes that has been made to the land.  There are new homes, apartments, stores, new roads, bridges and parking areas.  All the development has taken our soils, waters, plants and animals and displaced them.  Will the plants regrow when the buildings and cement are over the soil?  Will animals have anything to eat while there is no grass around?

For people to make a conscience effort to preserve the land, it will preserve our future of the earth. 

Blog #10

          In the 60 Minutes piece, “Re-Writing the Science” James Hansen has spoken up and spoken out.  James Hansen was the leading researcher on global warming as the head of NASA’s top Institution for 30 years.  He states that the White House does not want us to know the seriousness of the climate changes.  Hansen’s research finds that within 10 years if the people don’t do something to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, global warming will begin to rise above 1 degree Celsius and become unstoppable.  The fact that a leading researcher has spoken this and then states the White House is changing documentation as to the real facts is a scary prospect. 

During the Bush administration it was found that President Bush pulled out of the global treaty with revealing a lot of misleading information despite all the findings from James Hansen.   Hansen became disturbed and spoke out at a talk with the University of Iowa.  This resulted in NASA restricting his interviews. 

The climate reports, including “Our Changing Climate”, that were co-written with Rick Piltz, have been turned in to the White House Administration and have been edited to sound less threatening.  A large amount of changes have been written in by the Chief of Staff.  The edits he made were made into the final copy.  It is felt there is a political agenda for this to be happening.   Piltz felt that anyone who disagreed did not have a place and soon left his position. 

The White House is spending billions of dollars in researching climate controls but Hansen feels that research is great, but action is much more important. 

If the White House is aware of the research findings from respected researchers it is a wonder why more has not been done?  Why are the facts, that are written in black and white being edited to be less of an issue?  What does this mean for the future of climate control if the White House Administration is not being forthcoming with the issues presented for our world?

Blog #9

Global Dimming – This is the reduction in the amount of sunlight that is reaching the Earth’s surface.  In the serious of short videos by NOVA, called “Dimming the Sun”, this conclusion has been reached that we are experiencing Global Dimming.  During research between the 1950’s and 1990’s it was found that the level of solar energy that reached Earth dropped 9% in Antarctica, 10% in the USA, 16% in the British Isles, and a whopping 30% in parts of Russia.  This is a serious and troubling problem.  While billions of dollars is being spent on the research of why the sun is dimming, the people must take action because researches feel that in less of a decade there will be no turning back the negative impacts emissions are creating in our world.  According to the researchers anything we do to create energy generates pollution in our world.  The cars we use, the energy we create, the products we use all create pollution.  INDOX spend $25 billion dollars to determine if this is pollution is behind the global dimming.  They compared the northern and southern parts of the Maltese Islands.  Results confirmed these findings. 

3 million years ago temperatures rose due to the natural gasses that were created and the oceans rose 25 feet above what we see it today.  50 billion years ago the temperature was 13 degrees F. higher than it is today and life struggled to survive.  Plant life withered and dried up, agriculture was gone, drought was common and all this brought the famine.  Life would be a struggle and totally unlike anything we have to experience today.  If we can’t reverse the emissions that we create within the next decade we will be beyond help.  We must keep our temperature from rising the 1 degree.  If the oceans rose as they did before, Florida and Louisiana would disappear, and on the other side, the Amazon rainforest would be dry.  Is this what we really want to happen?  Global Dimming isn’t just a thought or a hypothesis, this is the real deal. 

Blog # 8

The article “As The World Burns, written by Ryan Lizza on October 11, 2010 for the New Yorker, was an eye opener.   Politics is a complex thing, however, add climate change to the mix and you have an issue that just doesn’t seem to have an easy answer for anyone.  Interestingly, Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joseph Lieberman all got together with environmentalists and industries to support a bill that would make environmentally sound sources of energy instead of the massive amounts of carbon consumption that is currently being done.

  Unfortunately, as easy as that sounded to put together a group of people with the same goals, the ultimate goal of passing a bill wasn’t.  Back and forth, back and forth it went.  The politicians couldn’t pass any important changes without gaining permission from the largest commercial interests who will be affected by the possible changes.  Politicians tried to develop a workable plan to slow down the emission of gases that is warming our earth, however, others were not happy to lose or to pay more for the opportunity to help change the emissions.  They would go on and on to attempt to come to an agreement for all involved.  Politics came in because it wasn’t going to be a good seller at election time, whereas the health care issue and taxes would be considered number 1.  When the possibility of a bill would come to light, there was always a new issue that would take precedent and yet again it would be pushed away. 

Gloomily, when Americans were asked to rank the importance of 21 issues, climate change came in last.  Ultimately, even with the backing of the President of the United States for the change in emissions, the economic interests always took over.  So, where does this really leave the issue of climate changes that are desperately needed for our earth?  Sadly, it seems like it is a continuous battle of wars to even come to the smallest agreement so it will take a massive shake up to get things moving in a quicker motion.