Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary was awesome. The two mile trail took us through the pine flatwoods, the wet prarie (which was not very wet at the moment), the ponds and the grass ponds, cypress forests, and a marsh ecosystem. I saw several different animals, from birds to spiders to lizards to alligators. The "ecosystem services" that they provide are sheltering and providing food for the animals who inhabit the area. Birds nest high in the trees, where they can catch bugs and build nests. Alligators stay near the wet, marshy area where larger, more nourishing food resides.
Conservation and stewardship aren't the same thing, but they do share a lot of commonalities. Conservation is the active maintenance of an ecosystem or an environment by the whole community effort whereas stewardship involves individuals or groups investing in a cause, and acting as stewards (paving the way) for other conservation efforts. Like minded people can instigate change because they can combine "forces" and strengthen their individual voices. Civic engagement factors into this because without active community participation, conservation and stewardship is a futile effort. If communities can band together to create a cleaner, more environmentally conscious society. The purpose for preserving Corkscrew Swamp was initially to save birds that were being slaughtered.
The Audobon society continues to maintain the area not only for the preservation of these birds, but also for the preservation and conservation of other species, like the alligators and other animals in the different ecosystems. From an ecological perspective, bulldozing and building condos would not only cost a fortune in the short run, but would be an ongoing cost to the environment (increased waste & pollution), and to the Audobon society (they would lose one of their most precious sites). Government's role in environmental protection should be as limited as possible, but still fit the needs of the environment. Private investment and non-profits will drive the real productivity when it comes to conservation of natural resources. We need to stray from our wasteful ways, and the only way to do that is to cut final costs by increased investment into new, innovative technologies.
From my discussion forum post:
Preserving places like this are vital to the environment. With the increase of rapid development of residential neighborhoods and commercial buildings, more of these places are falling by the wayside. It not only provides a safehaven for the many species of birds, reptiles, and other animals from the dangers of the world (humans in their case), it also provides jobs (for the people working for places like the Audobon society) and creates a great place to relax and show younger generations what the rest of the world looked like before asphalt and smokestacks.
See all the pictures here
Conservation and stewardship aren't the same thing, but they do share a lot of commonalities. Conservation is the active maintenance of an ecosystem or an environment by the whole community effort whereas stewardship involves individuals or groups investing in a cause, and acting as stewards (paving the way) for other conservation efforts. Like minded people can instigate change because they can combine "forces" and strengthen their individual voices. Civic engagement factors into this because without active community participation, conservation and stewardship is a futile effort. If communities can band together to create a cleaner, more environmentally conscious society. The purpose for preserving Corkscrew Swamp was initially to save birds that were being slaughtered.
The Audobon society continues to maintain the area not only for the preservation of these birds, but also for the preservation and conservation of other species, like the alligators and other animals in the different ecosystems. From an ecological perspective, bulldozing and building condos would not only cost a fortune in the short run, but would be an ongoing cost to the environment (increased waste & pollution), and to the Audobon society (they would lose one of their most precious sites). Government's role in environmental protection should be as limited as possible, but still fit the needs of the environment. Private investment and non-profits will drive the real productivity when it comes to conservation of natural resources. We need to stray from our wasteful ways, and the only way to do that is to cut final costs by increased investment into new, innovative technologies.
From my discussion forum post:
Preserving places like this are vital to the environment. With the increase of rapid development of residential neighborhoods and commercial buildings, more of these places are falling by the wayside. It not only provides a safehaven for the many species of birds, reptiles, and other animals from the dangers of the world (humans in their case), it also provides jobs (for the people working for places like the Audobon society) and creates a great place to relax and show younger generations what the rest of the world looked like before asphalt and smokestacks.
See all the pictures here
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