Journal Five: Six Mile Cypress Slough
Our most recent field trip saw the class take a trip through Six Mile Cypress Slough, a beautiful preservation reserve not too far from Florida Gulf Coast University. A slough is generally referred to as a swamp, but it acts as a natural water drainage system that sustains life and beauty within it. The slough itself is divided into five main sections: The Amphitheater, Gator Lake, Wood Duck Pond, Otter Pond, and Pop Ash Pond. The amphitheater was a generally small area that overlooks gator lake.
At the front of the amphitheater is a quote from someone I have become quite familiar with in the class, Chief Seattle. The quote reads, "We don't inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." This quote echos the message conveyed by Chief Seattle in his letter to the people who tried to buy his land years ago. We do not own the land we live on, we are interconnected with it, and it is not to be mistaken with ownership.
This is the general structure of the amphitheater, but the real beauty is below. The gorgeous and refreshing view of Gator Lake is not only relaxing but full of wildlife.
A lonely turtle can be seen above in Gator Lake, basking in the sun. Showing off the biodiversity in the area, these and most reptiles bask to regulate body heat after swimming in the cool waters. A gator was also spotted in the lake, unfortunately it was too far off to get a clear picture. Gator Lake was home to some of the more active animals we saw on the trip, but the most exciting moment came on the walk to Wood Duck Pond. A family of hogs could be seen waddling through the brush, but what I did not know is that they are actually an invasive species to Florida. They prey on sea turtles in locations around the state, mostly hatchlings trying to make it to the ocean. At Wood Duck Pond, biodiversity was well recognizable once more. A few white ibis could be seen stalking the shallow waters for fish to spear with their long sharp beaks. This area was somewhat smaller than Gator Lake, but there were also more turtles basking in the sun as the areas are all interconnected. On our walk over to the next area of the slough, Otter Pond, another quote stood out to me.
Six Mile Cypress Amphitheater
Chief Seattle Quote
Turtle basking, in Gator Lake
A lonely turtle can be seen above in Gator Lake, basking in the sun. Showing off the biodiversity in the area, these and most reptiles bask to regulate body heat after swimming in the cool waters. A gator was also spotted in the lake, unfortunately it was too far off to get a clear picture. Gator Lake was home to some of the more active animals we saw on the trip, but the most exciting moment came on the walk to Wood Duck Pond. A family of hogs could be seen waddling through the brush, but what I did not know is that they are actually an invasive species to Florida. They prey on sea turtles in locations around the state, mostly hatchlings trying to make it to the ocean. At Wood Duck Pond, biodiversity was well recognizable once more. A few white ibis could be seen stalking the shallow waters for fish to spear with their long sharp beaks. This area was somewhat smaller than Gator Lake, but there were also more turtles basking in the sun as the areas are all interconnected. On our walk over to the next area of the slough, Otter Pond, another quote stood out to me.
Steve Van Matre Quote
The quote reads "Falling in love with the earth is one of life's greatest adventures." Biophilia can be seen here in this quote, as the love of the earth we live on is something of a choice we must all make. The choice in itself is an adventure, as it is a choice that is accompanied by a lifetime of experiences. After walking through the last ecotone within the slough, we were at the last section: Pop Ash Pond. Pop Ash Pond is full of, you guessed it, pop as! It is a Cuban native water plant that has made its way into the swamps of Florida. All in all, the stroll through Six Mile Cypress Slough was a riveting experience that opened my eyes to a self sustaining ecosystem in Florida. This park must be preserved at all costs, as I have previously mentioned the park acts as a natural water drainage system in the wet seasons. Unfortunately, its location could make for prime real estate and big corporations are pressuring the park to sell its land. This is just unacceptable, it would be a travesty I could not stand for. It speaks to just how disrespectful some people can be to the earth we live on, when the greatest threat to it is man himself.
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