The First of Many

On February 13th, my class and I embarked on our first field trip to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Reserve. I had been excitedly anticipating this excursion and was ready to get my hands dirty to learn more about the wilderness. My first impression of the Nature Center is that they run a boots on the ground type operation and all the people who we met seem passionate and knowledgeable about nature protection and restoration. Previously, my knowledge of what habitat restoration was limited, and I thought it consisted of planting trees and keeping animal safe from poachers. However, at the Nature Center I learned that seemingly insignificant things could make a substantial impact on a habitat’s prosperity. I learned how invasive species of plants have so much control over habitats and how imperative it is to remove them through manually cutting them out, mulching them, or using a prescribed burn. The methods of removing invasive species require strategic planning and can take many years to complete. When hearing about the plans the Nature Center staff have for habitat improvements and restoration, I thought they were fighting an uphill battle. I am excited to help the Nature Center with their restoration projects this semester, with our physical removal efforts and by helping them restore the publics appreciation of this urban wilderness through media.

Overall, I had so much fun on my first outing to the Nature Center. We did many memorable things like play with a baby alligator named Dog, feed a close to a herd of bison, feed the prairie dogs, and help prepare the site for the Nature Center's incoming coterie of prairie dogs they are saving from their home that is being demolished. Being able to see these animals in their natural habitat, which had previously been made uninhabitable to them, was an incredibly remarkable sight. I am eagerly looking forward to learning more and the Nature Center and general wilderness restoration.