Despite being poured on, I really enjoyed the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Preserve tour. My mother and I had tried unsuccessfully to locate it once several years ago and after several hours of driving around were forced to return home. It is so beautiful to get to be outside and away for the "created-ness" of the city. We spotted deer, a baby alligator, turtles, and several species of bird. Considering I am not from Florida, I consider myself relatively lacking knowledge of the indigenous plants and animals here versus my native home of Wisconsin where I can name almost every plant and animal species. Which is why I was so surprised that I was one of the only students to answer questions of "what is this?" and "does anyone know?" I figure it was probably that most of the students knew and just didn't care to answer. Maybe some didn't know at all. Either way, I expect people should be more aware of their surroundings than what the class was expressing. Maybe its just that I am a little bit older than most of the students and that I am not concerned with looking cool by not answering the questions. What a silly premise anyway.
I was interested to learn about the birds that were at one point nearly extinct due to over hunting to gather their plumes to make fancy hats. A sad example of both how people are willing to make any sacrifices to be fashionable and also how many years ago we lacked the insight to see we impact populations. I don't think today we would go out and blast and entire population of anything, whether endangered or not. It's just not in good taste.
I have read several books about the Everglades and Florida swamps, mostly when I first moved to Florida in lived in Naples in the estates WAYYYY out in the woods. Actually sharing a border with whatever the wildlife preserve is out there. We had a bear in our garage once! Anyway, I have read several books mostly focused on Florida lore, ghost tales, and old Native American stories. Very interesting good reads. One book entitled "The Ghost Orchid Ghost" was written by a local author and focused on the Everglades. There is a rare flower called the ghost orchid that is so elusive it is considered like a ghost. I BELIEVE that I saw one when we were on the field trip! I felt a rather uneasy, creepy feeling. Like I had seen a ghost!
I feel even today the swamps have an unknown enchantment that they still may hold many secrets that have not yet been exploited. Something pretty rare in this day. When I ever I am on a board walk my mind always wanders to early settlers who packed through the swamps to try to find land that they could make claim on. Walking through the thick swamp with knee deep water, trees everywhere, what seems like thousands of snakes and alligators and other things that just want to kill you, I am not envious of them. Let alone the workers who installed the boardwalks!
So for the most part, I remain a land dweller. As much as I love the beach and even take a canoe through the estuaries a few times a year, I am not envious of the swamp life. Yet, there is an importance and a need to preserve what is left of an ever decreasing swampland. The mystery and intrigue of the swamp will hopefully be there for generations. Due impart to conservation efforts like the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.
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