Trip to C.R.E.W!
Our field trip to CREW was great, to say the least, and it was a fun experience too, since it was our first field trip off campus. Throughout the field trip, we made plenty of stops to take in the scenic nature around us and discuss a little bit about environmental factors that sustain life in the natural world. Throughout the field trip, not only did we discuss the environmental factors we were observing, but also about some Sustainable Development Goals that play into the natural everyday world. At the start of our trip, we were given a total of five sustainable development goals to keep in mind when before we start discussing all the aspects of CREW. Those SDG’s were #11 sustainable cities and communities, #12 responsible consumption and production, #13 climate action, #14 life below water, and #15 life on land.
On our first stop, we remained towards the front of CREW, where I initially learned that it stands for Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. I learned that this place is a non-profit conservation organization that focuses on the preservation of water resources and natural communities around the CREW area. We talked a little bit about what watersheds were and their purpose of collecting and storing water. I learned that these watersheds provide the environment with natural flood protection. During this stop, I thought about SDG #14, which was life below water, since we were discussing the importance of watersheds and water conservation. The topics we discussed and the things I learned formed a connection with SDG 14 because we were focusing on sustainable marine resources and protecting life and ecosystems underwater.
On our second stop, the first fun fact I learned was that ecosystems are typically named after the dominant plant within it. I thought this was a really interesting fact, especially when our tour guide connected that back to our stop, Flat Pinewoods. This ecosystem was given it’s name because of the dominant pine plant, but also because it’s the highest and driest of the ecosystems in CREW. I saw and learned about many different types of trees in the area, like the saw palmetto, and the sabal palm or cabbage palm, which I learned is actually our state tree. I also learned that cabbage palms are not actually considered trees because they don’t produce wood. I also got to see a snake and where the gopher tortoises live within the Pine Flatwoods.
Stop three was the seasonal marsh, which I learned is called a seasonal marsh because the amount of water in it depends on the season. At this stop, we got to walk onto a wooden bridge that overlooks a huge marsh of trees and plants. The water levels were pretty low, and it was mostly dry. I learned about the importance of these seasonal marshes to maintain sustainable breeding habitats for amphibians and other aquatic life. We saw some birds fly by, and I learned that this marsh is actually important for wading birds, like egrets and herons, to feed.
Stop four was a kind of branch off from stop two, and at this stop we discussed the utilization of fire in nature. More specifically, how the CREW workers use a land management technique called prescribed burns. I had never heard of this process before this field trip, and I learned that this process purposely applies fire to a specific area to achieve the desired land management goal. Writing a prescription for a burn takes a lot of complicated aspects that all need to align for this to work, including the weather conditions, the equipment and manpower, and the goal being wished to accomplish with the land. I also learned that this process is necessary to mimic natural fire regime that may happen in an ecosystem naturally. On this stop, I started thinking about the fact that this stop especially connects with SDG #13, climate action, since we were discussing land management techniques that demonstrate proactive climate action, as well as sustainable practices that help mitigate real climate-related risks.
Stop five was the Ecotone (or Oak Hammock), which was shadier than the other areas, and the soil was moister. At this stop, I learned that an ecotone is a point of transition from one ecosystem to another, which is why it was so narrow and different in terms of the land area to our previous stops. Ecotones can be either very narrow, like the first one we saw, or they can be wider and less distinct. Because an ecotone is essentially where two ecosystems mix, they get the plant and animals of both ecosystems, which makes them areas of high biodiversity. I also learned that the wetlands give the soil here extra moisture, which works at preventing fire from spreading to this area, allowing the oak trees to grow. SDG #15 really connected with me on this stop since we were talking about Ecotone, and both are aimed at protecting and promoting high biodiversity.
When we made it to stop six, we were looking at 5,000 acres of Sawgrass Marsh. I learned that this marsh is the headwater of the Imperial River. In terms of geography, I learned that to the left is Immokalee, straight ahead is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Naples, and to the right is Bonita Springs. On the far right, is Estero and FGCU. I learned that because wetlands preserve a great amount of water during the rainy season, which works to provide floor protection for the surrounding area. I also learned that this prevents all that extra water from ending up in the streets of Bonita Springs. I also learned about aquifers, which I found out is a layer of rock underneath the ground that holds water. We discussed different demands of water, and the fact that this demand is highest during the winter. We discussed the concept of recharging the aquifers, as well as the differences between exotic, invasive and native species. SDG #11, sustainable cities & communities, correlates to what we were talking about on this stop because it focused on sustainable urban planning and ensuring the safety of both cities and communities remain resilient against natural disasters.
Stop seven was at the airboat ramp, which I learned was constructed out of Ipe wood, or Pao Lope. This was interesting because not only was this ramp made from Ipe wood, but every boardwalk and observation platform at CREW is as well. This was actually pretty interesting to learn about because I found out that the Ipe wood used is extremely hard, rot resistant and fire resistant, and is overall made to withstand the harsh climate conditions of south Florida. From the airboat ramp, you can see an entire ecosystem thriving, and it includes animals like alligators, fish, frogs, and even otters that tend to swim in the water here. We talked about some plants that were in the area, including bladderwort, pickerelweed, and arrowhead or duck potato, which fun fact: was the plant Katniss Everdeen was named after in the Hunger Games. This stop made me think of SDG #12, responsible consumption & production, because our discussion was based on promoting the use of environmentally friendly materials, as well as sustainable consumption patterns. Stop eight was at the Pop ash Slough, which was essentially a swamp or a shallow forested river. I learned that pop ash trees are deciduous, which means the opposite of evergreen. This means that during the fall and winter seasons, the treetops will drop all their leaves at the same time. I learned that the closed canopy traps humidity in the air. I thought this was interesting because the humidity attracts epiphytes, which are plants that grow on other plants. I thought this was an interesting fact because although they live on other plants, they are not parasitic, since they don’t actually take nutrients from the host plant. Until this, I never realized that resurrection ferns are epiphytes, which I also thought was super interesting. I also learned about yellow bellied sapsucker birds, which are small, black and white, and make tiny holes in trees. These sapsuckers are kind of like woodpeckers, in the sense that they peck the trees for sap to feed.
At stop nine, we walked over to Oak Hammock, which was a lot shadier thanks to the more closed canopy. Oak trees were dominant in this area, which makes sense since the ecosystem is called Oak Hammock. Oak Hammocks tend to be lower in elevation in comparison to Pine Flatwoods but are also higher in elevation than the wetlands that surround them. Oak Hammocks, in comparison to Pine Flatwoods, don’t burn as often, only actually burning every 18-20 years. I learned that sometimes barred owls can be found in oak hammocks, and the most interesting thing I learned about them is the fact that their call is so distinct, it sounds like “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” I thought this was such a hilarious, amazing fact because after that, I watched a video of a barred owl call, and it sounded so similar, I was amazed.
Stop ten, and our final stop, was at Suzanne’s Pavilion, which was a great place to sit, rest, and discuss as a whole about our experience and take aways. At the pavilion, each group discussed how the SDG we were each assigned correlated to our trip. Team One was assigned sustainable cities & communities. And from their presentation, I learned that this SDG is important because not every piece of land is meant to be built on, but some are meant to be preserved for the sake of the ecosystems and wildlife living there. It is important to leave and preserve some land for the natural environment, and in doing so we need to keep industrial land separate from sustainable areas. Team Two was assigned to responsible consumption & production. From this group’s presentation, I learned that some of the areas we visited like the walking trails, the designated hunting and camping grounds, the man-made hiking trails, the picnic area, and the pavilion, are all great examples of sustainable human production. Team Three’s SDG was climate action, and I learned that this connected to our trip because part of climate action includes prescribing burns to achieve well-maintained land management. This process allows the mix of ash and soil to bring in new life, and the fire allows pinecones to open, drop their seeds, and reproduce. Team Four’s SDG was life below water, which was relevant to the aquifers and the preservation of water, as well as the life below it. Water lives all around us, and so we must protect the water used by animals and humans. We must keep watersheds, and make sure not to industrially build over certain water lands. My team’s, Team Five, SDG was life on land, and this one essentially connected to most aspects of the trip, simply because life on land encapsulates all biodiversity and ecosystems. I really enjoyed this field trip because I was able to learn new things about our environment while also having a fun time.
