Campus Trails and Sustainability at FGCU

Visiting the FGCU campus, and walking around the academic buildings and the nature trails on Tuesday gave me a new perspective on the school itself and the way it was built with sustainability as a major priority. The tour introduced me to many small details I had never observed before, and how nearly every feature of the buildings' architecture or surrounding landscape had a purpose that supports healthy environmental conditions or a reduction of waste. Learning about the way FGCU was built 20 years ago helped me understand the main point made by J.B. MacKinnon in his passage on Knowledge Extinction. Our conversation with the naturalists, and the institution of the Colloquium course, is a good way of combating knowledge extinction. By teaching students the importance of sustainability, we are able to expand our worldview and in turn pass on the same perspective to other people and the generations that follow us. 

Prior to our walk through the nature trails, we stopped at the outdoor classroom, where we sat and discussed the importance and psychological significance of connecting to the natural world around us. During this time, I looked at the seemingly still woods around me, then I closed my eyes and listened to the loud sounds of the wildlife, which proved that the area was far from still. Then I looked up at the sky. Seeing the clear blue through the tops of the trees was very significant to me, and it made me feel relaxed. This two minutes of reflection and genuine connection to nature was the most valuable part of the trip to me. Some words that my professor said during that time stuck with me: "People are very good at preparing to live, but not living." It made me think of the dread I had felt that morning about waking up early and putting on old clothes and shoes, not wanting to sweat or get dirty outside. In that moment, everything I had feared was melting away as I looked at the sky and felt the heat of the sun on my skin. 

Though we hadn't left campus, it felt like we were in a whole other world during our walk through the nature trails. I wasn't really able to see any of the academic buildings or hear any sounds of cars or buses passing by, even though we had just come from main campus. This detachment was a bit shocking to me, but it allowed me to be more aware of the nature around me. So much of what we saw was gorgeous, and I really tried to connect with my sense of wonder and take in all the unique things around me on the trail. The tall palm trees, which had trunks that were scorched by fire, were still standing and very much alive. When we stopped in the middle of the cypress swamp to talk about the ecosystem, I noticed how the sunlight came through the trees, reflected off the water, and created a pretty cool light pattern on me and my classmates. All of these little observations added up in my mind to create a new image of FGCU's campus, and I feel like I have a better appreciation for my school and the natural environment of Southwest Florida.