University Colloquium Blogs 1-10: Field Trip #3-Marine Area-Gumbo Limbo-Conservation 20/20

During the course of the class, we will embark on off-campus field experiences. Each field trip has specific objectives, read through them before embarking on your self-guided trip and comment on what you learned. Provide a reflection of your experience for each field trip. This entry is a personal reflection that should capture how you felt, what you enjoyed, what you may not have enjoyed, etc. What were your impressions of this field trip? What did you think of the history lecture? What did you think of the boardwalk? Conservation 20/20 - Visit http://www.conservation2020.org/index.cfm and learn about this program. In your own words, provide an overview of this program and its purpose. Is this the first time you have heard of the program? Have you been to any of the preserves acquired through this program? Do you think you will visit any of these preserves in the future? Do you know of similar programs existing elsewhere? Find out if you have a program in your area if you are not in Southwest Florida. What are your thoughts on using tax dollars for land preservation?

Gumbo Limbo is a breath taking place, I highly recommend everyone to go there. This is an entire place full of awe and wonder. There are sections to the place that makes it worth while. On the ground are different animals which lead to a certain exhibit. Butterflies lead to an entire butterfly trail, which was filled with all types of butterflies and dragon flies. The butterfly garden lead to North Ashley Trail and towards the back was a Seminole Chiki Hut. The Chiki Hut overlooked the intercostals, it was breath taking. Florida Atlantic University research center was there, filled with numerous open tanks for sting rays and sea horses. The four outside tanks had amazing water animals. One tank had baby bonnet head sharks and nurse sharks, the other had a moray eel, one had full grown bonnet head sharks, and the last had a sand crab, and sting ray. There was a new addition to Gumbo Limbo, which was a turtle rehabilitation area. The researchers’ recovered hurt turtles, bring them back to Gumbo Limbo, and help them fully recover to go back into the ocean. Walking towards the turtle rehabilitation area was a timeline. The time line consisted of products that are not disposable in the water and how may years it takes to have these objects break down. It was amazing to think that fishing wire take 600 years, a diaper is 450 years, and a glass bottle is unknown. After the time line there was a boardwalk, the board walk had signs that explained the trees were seen and even wild life to be expected. There was a forty foot observation tower that overlooked the intercostals and the ocean, it was absolutely fantastic! A bench was up at the top to sit on and truly enjoy the view. There also was and intercostal over look, which was nice, but not as miraculous as the observation tower.

This is my first time hearing about the Conservation 20/20 land program. I think that the numbers are amazing, most south Florida counties put aside up to 85% of their land to conserve, and Lee County only puts aside 10%. That number was configured in 1994. Two years later a group called CLASAC (Conservation Lands Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee), which was formed to protect wildlife, water, the land, and resources. However, to do this they would need to be a rise in taxes, and they were unsure if the public would vote for it. They received the votes and no have forty-two preserves that are under the program. Now that I know there are this many preserves in the area, I would like to go and visit some of them. I have not heard of any similar programs, but since I read this I will want to look into this type of program for the future. I do not know how I feel about using taxes for land conservation. I feel that by conserving the land is part of our job of enjoying the land. I looked for places online for more conservation areas, and I found numerous websites. Such as, http://crocdoc.ifas.ufl.edu/project/reports/landsheet.pdf.

Entrance to Gumbo Limbo