Goodbye for Now, FWNC

When we showed up to the Fort Worth Nature Center for the first time at the beginning of this semester, I was unsure what to expect.  Each visit after, there was still a part of me that was unsure what to expect for the two hours (give or take) that we are at the FWNC. Sometimes we were cutting away privet with dangerous tools or pulling twisted thorny vines off the fence with our bare hands. Other times we were filling water-pooling holes with clay dirt.

Here are the memories I cherish most:

1.)  Twice being attacked by vicious fire ants. My mistake for wearing open-toed Birkenstocks…I had bites all over my feet and ankles for a solid week.

2.)  Destroying the privet with huge sheers. Who knows if I actually made any visible progress but either way I enjoyed doing it.

3.)  Removing the vines from the trees along the fence. I put my back into this. It took much more energy and strength than you’d expect. I definitely felt accomplished when we finished and could visibly see the difference.

4.)  Multiple armadillo spottings along our trail. I love armadillos.

5.)  Exploring our trail and the Buffalo Trail. The plant colors are beautiful.

My favorite visit was the last visit where we all worked together on the Buffalo Trail. It was nice to mingle and work with the other groups. I also enjoyed the nature walk that we went on around the FWNC.

            I wish we had more time/visits to just explore the trails of the Nature Center. I like learning about the flora and fauna of the land. The men who work there are so nice and knowledgeable. They were always willing to give us a lesson on the trees and bushes of our trails.

            It made me sad to hear about the plague that took out the prairie dogs in the Nature Center. This whole time I thought I would see a prairie dog while we were there but obviously that dream wasn’t going to be fulfilled. I hope that the prairie dogs will be able to inhabit the Center again without fear of the plague.

            Overall, I enjoyed my time at the FWNC. I think it was a rare and neat opportunity for us as students. Being outside is always a plus to me. I would definitely go back but I would want to hike the trails instead of maintain them. Goodbye for now, Fort Worth Nature Center.