A Day in Nature (NJ7)


A Day in Nature (NJ7)

Today in class we had the luxury of attending the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge to perform volunteer work. I believe the next few weeks are imperative for the service aspect of this class, given that doing something in practice truly reinforces class concepts. Immediately we were immersed in a natural environment with stunning scenery of a long main river, thousands of lilypads, and even an alligator. At first, the alligator was perched on a nearby shoreline, basking in the afternoon sun. I was amazed at the beauty of this animal in its natural habitat, and I continued to observe the alligator for some time. The scales were arranged on its body in a perfectly seamless fashion, with each scale coming in direct contact with the next. Soon later, the alligator showed signs of restlessness as it submerged half of its body in the water, leaving the other half exposed on the land. 

After the excitement with the alligator subsided, we began our volunteer work. We planted small plants along the eroded shoreline of the river and watered them immediately after. The service that we performed today truly demonstrates the positive effects that humans can have on the environment. It was an unforgettable experience doing work that directly has an impact on our local community, and this is something that I am looking forward to continuing as the semester progresses. 

By being fully immersed in nature today, I gained a newfound excitement for service-oriented work. I was an avid volunteer in high school, but sadly those days are limited since arriving at college. Today's experience reinforced my passion for philanthropic work, and I am hoping to continue similar services for the rest of my college career. 


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