Final Exercise - Bea, Colleen, Teresa

 

Final Video

Final Reflection

This semester, we learned about environmental issues, movements, and writers, and got familiar with the Fort Worth Nature Center. One particular excerpt that stuck out to us was Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac. We learned the hidden meaning of thinking like a mountain is prioritizing long-term sustainability over short-term gains and comfort. We also gained a hands-on understanding of habitat restoration by helping the FWNCR team cut back privet, later to be burned and mulched. 

We learned more about environmental issues from the documentary Before the Flood. In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio visited locations where the effects of climate change are evident, from melting ice caps in the Arctic to deforestation in Indonesia. The film connected climate change to human activities, showing how industries that rely on fossil fuels, deforestation, and unsustainable consumption accelerate the planet’s destruction. It also offered potential solutions, like calling for individuals to be mindful of the environmental impact of their purchases. 

In the second half of the semester, we focused on helping the center with trail videos and social media clips. Our group was able to hike the Canyon Ridge, Oak Motte, and Greer Island Trails. The views were unmatched, and each of these hikes helped us to disconnect from the noise of daily life and get some fresh air. Our class also observed the FWNCR team catch and measure an 11-foot gator. We learned that keeping track of alligator numbers is important to monitor population health and manage the ecosystem. 

Over this past semester, cutting back invasive privet, gator hunting, spotting bison and prairie dogs, hiking, and kayaking, we have come to appreciate what a hidden gem the Fort Worth Nature Center truly is. We hope the YouTube videos and short clips we put together spread the word so more people can come out and experience everything the reserve has to offer.