Barefoot Beach

So, I think it’s safe to say that my last beach day was pretty unlike any beach day that I’ve had before in the past 18 years I've spent living in Florida. Thanks to a little something called the notorious “red tide”, instead of enjoying the crystal blue waters, white sand, and fresh air that we’re normally graced with at the beaches of Naples, I instead was greeted by thousands of dead fish littering the shoreline, murky water, and the horrid smell that came along with the massacre. Fortunately for me, I’ve been to Barefoot Beach before and have seen it in all of its true glory; but I had to feel a little for the participants on the field trip who had never seen it in any other way than the way it was presented to us on this given day. But anyways, other than the issues caused by the red tide, the other parts of the field trip were a new and exciting learning experience for me. From the relaxing shaded walk on the dirt/sand path, learning about new trees, mangroves, plants, etc… to the walk along the inner shore line spotting armadillos, snakes, and a few guest appearances from some adult gopher tortoises, Barefoot Beach really is one of a kind. 

One thing that I find pretty interesting about this particular beach is the way it's surrounded by various types of mangroves in certain parts. Mangroves are especially important to the sustainment of this type of ecosystem because they provide vital shelter and habitat for countless different species of flora and fauna. Mangroves also greatly aid in the prevention of erosion, which is very important for ecosystems such as the one of Barefoot Beach. Barefoot Beach is also home to an estuary which serves great importance to both society and to the environment. Estuaries are natural water filtration systems that filter all kinda of man-made pollutants, as well as provide habitat protection from man-made and natural causes. As said before, mangroves especially play a huge role in all of this. Without the mangroves, erosion from tropical storms, hurricanes, etc. would be severe, and tons of habitat would be destroyed, resulting in the loss of a vast abundance of flora and fauna, as well as land.

Due to the relatively short lifespan of barrier islands, I personally don’t believe we should be building upon them. Much like estuaries, barrier islands also provide habitats and fight erosion, and are vital components to the maintenance and sustainability of the environment and their ecosystems. Developing on barrier islands can not only pose a threat to these habitats, but also increases the risk of property damage from natural causes due to the tendency for them to constantly shift as a result from wind and waves. Thanks to recent advancements in what we call “urban forestry”, we have come to realize that there can definitely be a balance between preservation and development… if done right. Building condominiums, resorts, hotels, etc., on barrier reefs strictly for profit however, does not fall under this balance. In order to maintain the health of our planet and its environments, we must make a lot of changes in the future regarding development and preservation, and the advancement and implication of urban forestry is a huge step in the right direction. In the readings we have learned about many ways in which we, the consumer class, can rapidly destroy our planet relatively easily without even realizing it. Fortunately, some major companies, such as Home Depot, (which refuses to buy lumber from suppliers that destroy orangutang habitats), have made positive steps towards the sustainment of our planet and its inhabitants. Unfortunately, although it’s nice to see some companies taking the planet into consideration rather than strictly for money and personal benefit, this small contribution simply just isn’t enough to fully make a substantial difference. In order to actually save our planet, there is a lot more that needs to be done. Hopefully more major companies will follow in the paths of companies like Home Depot, and we can really start to see positive changes being made. Until then, all I can do is challenge myself to be better and to encourage others around me to do the same!

One of the many gopher tortoises we saw on the field trip!

Hundreds of dead fish littering the shore due to the red tide

Downtown Fort Myers

Reflection

Although I’ve been to downtown Fort Myers plenty of times in the past, my most recent trip there, for the colloquium field trip, was unlike any of my prior experiences in the area. Before the field trip I had only been downtown for two reasons: going out drinking, and visiting the courthouse (possibly as a result of occurrences that took place while on said drinking outings). With that being said, in the past I really hadn’t actually seen too much of what downtown fully had to offer, and I never really stopped and took the time to observe and analyze the purpose and design of the area in a deeper way; in that respect, this time was different. 

The first thing I noticed when I really started looking was the structure and layout of the area. It was immediately apparent that there was more than just the aesthetics that meet the eye, and that everything was engineered the way it was for a reason. I started to realize how pedestrian oriented the flow of traffic was. Wide side walks, low speed limits, one-way streets, etc. indicated a safe, inviting environment for an efficient flow pedestrians. All of these accommodations aid in the encouragement of walking and biking, and thus benefit the shops, restaurants, bars, etc. that make up the majority of the local businesses downtown. I also noticed an abundance of law enforcement officers in the vicinity, traveling by bike, car, and even on foot; this too gave myself and others on the field trip additional comfort and sense of safety. 

While the inner parts of downtown are heavily shopping, eating, and drinking oriented, the outer skirts have some interesting attractions that until my field trip, I had never seen before. One of the most notable of them was the stormwater runoff basin. I had never seen a stormwater basin in person before and I thought it was really cool and unique; it was also nice to see our local city promoting environmentally green/sustainable practices. Another notable feature on the outskirts of downtown is the beautiful “Centennial Park”. The park is a great place to relax with friends and family, or to spend some alone time and enjoy the surrounding views. The park is also home to some cool pieces of history including a statue of a Union soldier that I learned represents the victory of a small battle that took place in Fort Myers during the Civil War! 

Long story short, the design and infrastructure of downtown Fort Myers is much more than meets the eye, and by taking a field trip down there I learned way more than I ever would've imagined going into it!

Analysis

While downtown may have a few notable examples of efficient land use and urban environment, they definitely could be doing a whole lot more. Besides the stormwater basin, as impressive as it may be, I can’t really think of any other self sustaining practices that are implemented into the area down there. Due to the age of the city, it’s not surprising that it lacks proficient “urban forestry”; however, in this day and age, it is important to update our industrial environments to fit the needs of the biological environment. Fortunately, we learned in class that this can all be done while not only maintaining an aesthetic look, but also benefiting the economy, as well as society. 

One example of a simple, but effective, way of benefiting the environment, society, and business in downtown all at the same time, is to simply just plant more trees. Trees benefit the environment for obvious reasons, but amazingly enough they also benefit society by providing shade and aesthetic attention grabbers for pedestrians, and can even cool down businesses enough to lower a/c costs! During our guest speakers in-class presentation, we also learned that having a tree planted at your store front has actually been proven to increase business by an impressive percent! as for more intricate urban forestry practices that could be implemented into downtown Fort Myers, things like better sewage and runoff systems, possible solar panel structures, etc. could all be possible additions in the future. 

Whether you realize it or not, the design of where one lives can completely change the way one goes about their lives. From general (yet completely relied upon) measures such as the infrastructure of roads that make transit possible, and food sources that make it easier to sustain life, down to the smallest details like a nice tree next to a store front that attracts a new customer, without these designs, everything would be different. I personally know I won’t be satisfied unless I live in an environment that is highly industrialized, but still accommodates both society and the environment very well… not just the economy. However, as humans rapidly develop and industrialize the planet more and more, we also have been quickly killing it. Fortunately, we’re finally learning how important it is to not tear down the natural environment to build upon, but to build around it and use millions of years of evolution to our advantage; and beginning to realize that if done right, it can save money while saving the planet. I just hope we can take these positive steps towards sustainability and run with them before it’s too late.

Our field trip group in front of the old courthouse

The stormwater basin downtown