Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

        Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was one of the best field trips we took this year. Not only was is incredibly beautiful, but we saw so much wildlife. I so enjoyed the diverse ecosystems that all existed together in this sanctuary (figure A). There were prairie lands (figures B and C) and wetlands (figures D and E) for land and freshwater animals to inhabit. A wooden walkway winds itself through the sanctuary, making it safe for explorers while they observe nature, and along the walkway there are benches so that guests can take a break while they walk through the large preservation (figure F). The preserve has many walkways that lead to different areas, and in order to protect the animals that breed there some walkways are shut down temporarily. Corkscrew wants to ensure that the safety of its non-human inhabitants it their first priority.

Figure A: Map of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary 

Figure B: Southwest Fl Prairie Lands 

Figure C: Overgrown Prairie Bush

Figure D: Wetlands

Figure E: Swamp/ Wetlands

Figure F: Bench along Walkway

       Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary also features signs that give visitors some background information about the history of the preserve and some that inform guests about the wildlife they are observing (figures G, H, I, J, and K). The signs are located along the walkway, and help guests identify the plant species housed in the sanctuary. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary aims to redirect the flow of water to the Everglades once more, and the restoration project is costing around 9 billion dollars. 

Figure G: "World's Best Boardwalk"

Figure H: Bird Sign

Figure I: Historical Context 

Figure J: Historical Context

Figure K: Informative Sign

         The first place my class and I visited when we got to Corkscrew was the Waste Treatment Center (figure L). The waste treatment naturally breaks down human waste and filters out the bad stuff to produce sanitary water once more (figure M). Large basins filled with plants receive the contaminated water, filter it, and then send it back to be used over and over again (figure N).

Figure L: Waste Treatment Center

Figure M: Sign Explaining Waste Treatment Process

Figure N: Plant Basins

        In Florida most wildlife is controlled with prescribed burns. The burns clear away the dead and dry plants that if naturally caught on fire could move into urban areas. Unfortunately Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is unable to use prescribed burns due to the surrounding neighborhoods. The people in the area do not like the smell that comes along with the burns, so Corkscrew must clear away the dead bush by themselves. Accidents do still happen and fires can start so personnel must be ready to put random fires out (figure O). 

Figure O: Accidental Burn Put Out

          Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary tried to tend to its inhabitants as best as possible. The area is protected so obviously no body can hunt or fish there. They also do as mush as possible to make sure that the plant life and wildlife are thriving. I was impressed to see that rather than cut down a single tree to build the boardwalk, Corkscrew instead built the boardwalk around the tree (figure P). They also have wildlife corridors that allow larger animals to easily travel through the preserve (figure Q). 

Figure P: Tree in Center of Boardwalk 

Figure Q: Wildlife Corridor

        Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary hosts many field trips on every level. While we were there, there was an elementary class on a field trip there as well, and a girl in my group actually mentioned that when she was in elementary school she came to Corkscrew Swamp. Due to it's popularity as a field trip spot Corkscrew refurbished an area in the main building for children on field trips to use. The room allows the children to sit and get some background information about Corkscrew and even complete some activities. The room is decorated to reflect the outdoors with trees, and animal statues like a bear (figure R). 

Figure R: Bear Statue 

          Throughout our walk at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary we were exposed to many diverse plant species. SUCH AS: 

Slash Pines 

Cypress Strand (usually in a straight line and the water always flows South, never standing still)

Alligator Flag

Strangler Fig (wrapped around larger tree; grow from the top down)

Duck Weed (too much blocks out sunlight and harms wildlife in water)

Liken (Old Mans Beard; means the air quality is pure)

Pickerel Weed (often confused with alligator flag) 

Rabbits Foot Fern

Trunk of Cypress Tree (takes up water)

          Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary also housed many types of wildlife. SUCH AS:

Bird: Name Unknown by Me

Great Egret (has yellow legs versus an Egret that has black legs)

Red Shouldered Hawk (in the tree)

Limpkin (only eats Mollusks) 

Bird: Name Unknown by Me

Poisonous Caterpillar 

Small Frog (on lily pad)

Hidden Pig Frog

Pig Frog (close up)

Alligator (resting on a log)

Alligator (close up)

Fun Fact: The sex of baby alligators depends on the weather when the eggs are laid, and turtles are the same way. Turtles have a rhyme for remembering the sex: cool dudes and hot chicks. So if it is hot when the eggs are laid they will be female and if it is cold they will be male. Alligators are the opposite: boys in hot weather and girls in cold! 

            Biodiversity is vital in nature. By having many plants spread out it limits the risk of disease spreading and killing off an entire species. If a single species is planted too close together and one gets infected it is too easy for the infection to spread to the rest of the species and eventually kill it off. I have noticed in my own life a decrease of biodiversity in urban areas. As trees are removed to make way for buildings, contractors only keep the pretty tress. This course taught me that biodiversity also encourages pollinators to come to the area and ensures the longevity of nature. Also that it is valuable to have a balance between progress and nature. There is a better understanding that nature is more than just appeasing to the eye, and in fact needed for a healthy and thriving society. Balance comes from corporate people not cutting corners to save money but instead implementing energy saving devices (hydro/ wind energy) and plant life. We need to stop tearing down forests to build when many buildings are abandoned and could be refurbished for new purposes. Plants aid in better water and air quality, making them vital for a successful and safe living environment.  

  

Pine Manor Community Garden

     

       The Pine Manor Community Garden and Center aids impoverished families in Fort Myers, located in Southwest Florida. Pine Manor provides local families with many vital resources thanks to its financial backing from local Goodwill stores. Many of the people in this area are primarily Spanish speaking only, making it challenging for them to obtain employment. Also being a poor area many families do not have computers or steady internet access. Pine Manor has computers available for families to use for job applications, food stamp applications, unemployment, and other well fare programs needed to survive. The employees also offer assistance if people need help filling out any applications; there is a bilingual (English and Spanish) employee to assist people who can only speak Spanish. Pine Manor also offers a GED course, and it only costs 20 dollars to take. The 20 dollars serves as initiative for people to complete the course, and if they do finish the course the money is returned to them, so the GED course is actually free as long as you complete it. Many poor communities do not have a center that offers all these much needed resources, and that is only some!

      Pine Manor also has a Food Bank that provides the impoverished families in the neighborhood with free food (Figures A, B, and C)! This is so important when so many people are struggling to feed their families in low income communities. Pine Manor offers what food they can to their patrons when they can because programs like these are frequently running out of funding and/ or resources. Pine Manor is also equipped with a full kitchen located in its own building (Figures D, E, F and G). The kitchen was built from 2012 through 2014, and Pine Manor had to apply for a grant to begin culinary classes. The culinary program has been highly successful and was even ran by a chef from FGCU up until recently. 

Figure A: Food Bank

Figure B: Food Bank and Mrs. Sheri (director)

Figure C: Food Bank

Figure D: Kitchen Supplies

Figure E: Kitchen Sink

Figure F: Kitchen Stove

Figure G: Kitchen Fridge

             Pine Manor also has an after school program for elementary aged children from 2:30 pm when the kids get out of school till 5 pm when parents begin to get out of work or big siblings out of school. They also offer a teen program that runs from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The after school and teen program aim to keep local poor kids out of trouble and off the streets, while simultaneously providing them with positive role models. The teen program is held four days a week: Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Thursday the teen program director Greg (Figure H) teaches a moral lesson or a valued skill, and on Sunday he takes the kids to church, and the other days are free days for the kids to hang out and have positive social interactions (Figure I). The after school program also allows the younger kids to play together in a safe and accepting environment (Figure J). In previous years, before Mrs. Sheri became the main director of all programs at Pine Manor about five or six years ago, there were around thirty reported crimes a month compared to the eight to ten reported now. This is due to the police presence in the Pine Manor neighborhood at all times because of the Community Center. 

Figure H: Greg the Teen Program Director

Figure I: Teen Program; Positive Social Interaction

Figure J: Playground for After School Program

      Pine Manor is also home to a Food Forest and a thriving garden! They are also in the process of planting a larger Food Forest across the street due to the success of the first one planted only three years ago! Pine Manor is located in a Food Desert, meaning there is no access to fresh organic produce. There is also little in the way of reliable public transportation options, and some Pine Manor families do not own vehicles making it difficult for them to make trips to the grocery store. The Food Forest and Garden supply community members with healthy food within walking distance. There is a separate area dedicated to small "box gardens" that locals can rent out (Figures K, L and M). There are 25 private box gardens available to locals. If renting a box garden the renter must only care for their own plants and pay a small fee for using the space, then when the time comes they will have their own plants and food available! 

Figure K: Private Box Gardens

Figure L: Private Box Gardens

Figure M: FGCU Class Among the Box Gardens

        In order for the gardens to be fruitful in the Florida heat they must be Perennial. Perennial gardens require little maintenance (watering) and have long life spans, as opposed to annual gardens which require year around maintenance and can be very hard to manage. The gardens, or at least the main garden, must also contain flowering plants to attract pollinators like bees (Figure N). The permaculture must also be a poly-culture, or contain many diverse plant species, over a mono-culture that contains only one plant species. This is important because if a single plant species gets infected it will spread quickly among that species, so if there are many plant species it can stop the spread of disease. Pine Manor relies on volunteers to keep their Food Forest and Garden thriving and many volunteers come from Florida Gulf Coast University (Figure O). Pine Manor also works with students for school projects and with local scouts for their projects in order to earn badges (Figures P and Q). 

Figure N: Marigolds- pollinators; prevent nematodes in soil

Figure O: FGCU Students Working in Pine Manor Garden

Figure P: Student Project: Recycled Tire Gardens

Figure Q: Boy Scout Project (Benches)

Some Plants in the Pine Manor Garden:

Malabar Spinach 

Malabar Spinach

Okra

Eggplant

Not Photoed- Mint (keeps pests away), squash, winged bean (roots and leaves edible), plus others I was unable to catch the names of or who' names have escaped me.

Some Plants in the Pine Manor Food Forest:

Example of Biodiversity in Food Forest

Jamaican Red (small) Bananas- about 40-60 bananas per clutch; planted in half circle with compost in the center for nutrients 

Papaya's- belongs to both the fruit and vegetable family

Lemon Grass

Moringa 

Fun Facts:

 Miranda Seeds filter water and are extremely healthy. 

Legumes are incorporated into gardens and food forests for nitrogen.