Freshwater Systems Field Trip

Last Thursday our class went on the very first field trip. Although I came home late, exhausted and bitten by mosquitoes, it was the most memorable event of this month. We went to Corkscrew Sanctuary.  I’ve never heard of this place before. We learned about watershed, drainage basin, surface water flow, hydro-period, aquifer, run-off, and so on. For the first time in my life I saw a real living machine. Our professor walked us though pine uplands, ecotones, wet prairies, and cypress swamp. After this trip I was able to recognize many trees and plants. That day I learned that bald cypress, the swamp and the wood storks make this sanctuary special. Also Corkscrew Swamp is a part of a freshwater swamp system that covers 315 square miles of southwest Florida. The system is fed solely by rain that falls though the watershed.

Our FGCU naturalist told us about beautiful birds called Wood Stork. Back in the day, women liked to use their fathers in the hats. But today they are protected in this Sanctuary. 

Even though we were not lucky to meet them, our Floridian nature has a great variety of animals and birds.

  On our way we encountered a huge alligator. I didn't get a good picture of it, but this is the best one:

The first tree we saw was Slash Pine tree. Our professor mentioned that it is green at the top to protect it from the fire. People would live next to pine trees because land is dry there. 

On the next picture you can see a Cabbage Palm tree. On this trip I learned that this is our state tree.

Next, there is a Wax Myrtle tree. It smells like spices. Our professor told us that people used to make candles out of it. 

I was glad I went with pr.Coventry's group, she thought us many interesting things and facts.

There are tons if Cypress trees. There are plants that grow on them, but feed from the air. They are called Airplants

. There is a fungus that grows on the Cypress called Liken. It is everywhere. It shows that the air is fresh.

 To me the most fascinating tree was a Pond Apple. There are real apples that grow on them!!!

Alligator flags is the plant that indicates where alligator gather. It shows then that it is deep enough for them.

Next picture shows Cypress Knee, they say it is needed for the gas exchange.

Nursery Log is pretty amazing too. Even though the tree is dead. It provides a home for thousands of plants. 

  I enjoyed walking that board walk, breathing the fresh air, and connecting with the nature. I did not know that there are so many interesting places in our area. It was just magnificent to sit there, in the woods, for 5 minutes, just thinking and listening that’s nature telling us though the winds, plants, insects. If it wouldn’t for this class, I would never knew, that such place existed and that it could be so interesting learning about our water system.