Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was an eye opening event for me, as was the Florida Gulf Coast University Swamp walk. Upon arriving at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, I knew this was something very different, and awesome. It has an awesome wooden walkway that is made of a long lasting, fireproof, and swamp(water) proof wood from Brazil. The wood was also cut from a sustainable tree farm, and company that considers the environment, and resources when cutting down the trees. It is not like the wood was just bought from some organization that just ravaged the forest, and all the wildlife in it for the sake of profiting. Walking on the walkway through the different natural ecosystems of SouthWest Florida, I felt like I was witnessing God's work in real life. I had this realization that this is how this land has looked for millions and millions of years. This is probably what the land looked like when the earth was first created, before human beings. This is Florida in it's most natural form, how it is supposed to be; unaltered by mankind. It was amazing to see how important the wetlands are, and how every part of it contributes something to the functioning of the ecosystem. This gives a strong realization that every plant and animal has an important purpose, and job. Every plant and animal needs each other to make the ecosystem function properly. The plants and animals filter the water, that is drank by the animals, and used by the plants. All things must coexist in order to be successful. Although some animals might eat, and kill other animals; it is just part of nature. I spotted a small American Alligator among numerous other species of wildlife, and plants. It was a juvenile, and still had spots on it's body that made it recognizable as a young American Alligator (they lose their spots when they get to certain age).
The campus swamp walk on the Florida Gulf Coast University campus was awesome too. We got to experience first hand how the environment around the university is naturally, and most of all what it was like before Florida Gulf Coast University was built. We also got to see first hand how vital the wetlands are to our aquifer, and overall to filtering and holding water. It was a little difficult at certain points walking through the swamp since many times there were sunken logs, and branches that would almost trip you when you stepped on them. Since they were submerged in the swamp, they were almost impossible to detect unless you stepped on them, so sometimes you would find out too late as you stumbled across the swamp. It was really an eye opening experience to see how our environment, and ecosystem is naturally, and how vital it is to all animals, plants, and especially humans. Again, it was a great feeling to know this is probably what these lands have looked like since the beginning of time. Everything was in it's natural state, how it has been for millions, if not billions of years. I enjoyed everything probably because I have always been intrigued, and continue to be amazed by Mother Nature, and God's natural works of art.
Before attending University Colloquium, I had no idea how vital the wetlands, and swamps of Southwest Florida, and Florida in general were. I had some sense that they were important, but I did not have any idea before of the extent the wetlands, and swamps have in purifying and filtering our water, and our aquifer.
The walkway at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
Wetland at Florida Gulf Coast Univeristy
Deer in Swamp at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
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