Journal 2 (Campus Trip Review)

      Thursday January 29th, 2015 was our first field trip as a class and we went through the Nature Trails on campus. I had never been on those trails before even though my freshman year I had lived right next door to them in South Village. Now being a Junior it was my first experience exploring them. Overall I thought that it was a great experience. As you can tell from my previous post I have hiked through the woods in my hometown in Ohio so I am not new to the nature walk experience. I really did enjoy seeing a difference of walking through woods in Florida compared to the woods I am used to hiking in. The nature trail has such a variety of different ecosystems within it, such as the pine flat wood and the oak canopy.
        My favorite part of the trip was being able to hear an owl and other birds as we walked, as well as learning about our state tree, the Sabal Palm, which is actually considered a type of grass. I also liked the story the naturalist told us about why the parts that stick out of the Sabal Palm are called boots (because pioneers used to hang their boots on them to dry). I don't have a least favorite part of the trip because I really enjoyed the whole experience. Something that I learned from our naturalist as well was that woods in Florida need to be a part of a controlled burn every 3-5 years in order to burn away dead debris so that there can be room for new growth and less chance of a huge and hot forest fire spreading throughout the area. I never would have thought that fire was a good thing when it came to woods I only have considered the negative effects and with this experience I was able to understand that fire is actually good because it can help the forest flourish.
        I would recommend that my friends and family would walk the trail while visiting FGCU because it really is a interesting experience to be able to see how different ecosystems interact and that there can be a variety of different ones in just one area and you only have to walk a few feet to be in a different ecosystem than what you were just in. It also can help show them why it is important that these areas should be protected. Most of my family are not an outdoorsy type people, but who knows maybe walking through these trails and informing them of what I learned on this trip could change their mindset.


Below are some photos I took on the trip:

(Poison Ivy)

(Lily Pads)

(Holly on a tree)

(Paper trees)

(a tiny pine-cone that was on the trail)

(Random trees)

(Holes from a Woodpecker)

(Oak Canopy)

                                                                 

Journal 1 (Richard Louv)

As I read the excerpt from Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, there were two quotes that stood out to me.
The first quote being from Albert Einstein's office at Princeton University: "Not everything that counts can be counted, not everything that can be counted counts" (Pg. 12)  I think that this quote has a variety of different meanings. As for what Louv was probably trying to express in his book I believe it means that even though nature based therapy may not be something we would traditionally seek out in dealing with children that have ADHD, it should be viewed as a possible treatment in place of certain pharmaceuticals. Just because it is out of the ordinary, because lets face it when it comes to treatments for diseases doctors only want to write you a prescription for pills and send you on your way, it doesn't mean that natural treatments can't work just as well as the chemicals majority of people put into their bodies every day.
The second quote from the book that stood out to me was from the 4 year old boy that the young lady spoke to. He said, "You're weak! How do you know you can't touch the sky with a stick if you don't even try?" (Pg. 14). This quote, though seemingly meaningless, caught my attention because it makes sense when it comes to using nature as therapy and treatment. I believe that you can't say something is impossible if you don't at least try it first. It may not work for some but whats to say that it does help a few. I am not saying that spending time in nature is going to fix every child with ADHD but it should be used in the cases that it is tested to be effective.
I believe in the calming effects of nature and that a little fresh air is good for everyone, ADHD or not. I recently went on a hike with my boyfriend at the beginning of January and it did wonders for me. Not only did it get my lazy personality to subside for a few hours but it did calm the little anxiety that does tend to build up inside. The more I looked around and noticed the nature around me, the more peaceful and relaxed I felt. It was my second time hiking those woods and it was just as fun as the first time I did it. For someone like myself that prefers the comforts of the indoor lifestyle, getting to be outside in nature created a new perspective for me. I appreciated enjoying the company of my boyfriend and the view of the river we rested near instead of being in a house on my phone or watching TV. I believe that everyone can benefit from being in nature for a few hours a day.

               (Above are some photos I took from the hike. Location: Tod Park in Girard, Ohio)


  I also have a place in the park pictured above where as a child and even now as an adult I visit when I am in Ohio. I always go there to think about what is weighing on my mind. I find it peaceful to sit on the bridge and listen to the wind and the birds. I believe it works for me because it is something I find being in familiar surroundings at a place I would go to as a child is comforting.