Final Video

https://tcu0-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/styrling_murray_tcu_edu/IQCbEEPDAny-Rr9N45SFv85EAWvEHoehInd4R4xCheehgsQ

Final Video Justification

  At the beginning of this semester we came into the class as students who rarely spent time outside and thought we could make little impact on the environment as individuals. However, this class challenged us to think of nature in a different light. From our discussions on Edward Abbey to our days spent at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge, we discovered new insights and lessons on how to better contribute to and interact with the environment. Our first assignment in the class was to go on a walk and see what we could observe. Right from the start we learned the importance of taking breaks to be a part of nature and ground ourselves in the world around us. 

We decided to film our final video at the Trinity Trail by Clearfork. Clearfork is surrounded by pastures with cows and wild habitat, but has been transformed into a large apartment center with retail space. Visiting the area after taking Treks and Texts we saw it in a different light. Native animals and plants are completely surrounded by urban areas encroaching onto what was once wild. The river contained ducks, turtles, and birds that were surrounded by trash and concrete. This area is a great example of urban sprawl affecting the native lands. Care should be taken to ensure that the wildness is not lost forever as Fort Worth grows larger and larger in population. 

Our readings from Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey taught us about defending the wilderness and the importance of habitat conservation. Abbey was passionate about  standing up to the constant expansion of industry so that we do not lose all of our wilderness. These ideas were echoed in the presentation we did over A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. He witnessed the loss of a species that had been around for millions of years before humans were, due to the encroachment of industry on wild lands. Moreover, he developed the Land Ethic which teaches people to “think like a mountain,” basically to look at nature from the big picture, long-term perspective instead of just what seems good for humans right now. The story Leopold told about the murder of a mother wolf resonated with us. Wolves are keystone species and thinking like a mountain would allow you to see how vital they are for a stable ecosystem. Leopold was not thinking about the future impacts of this kill and it painted a great picture for humans to see how each decision they make regarding the environment can have long-term consequences. 

The class ended with the weeks we spent visiting the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge which gave us experiences unlike any other class at TCU. We got to make real, meaningful impacts at a place that works their hardest to conserve Fort Worth’s nature and give citizens the ability to reconnect with the land. We learned more about the invasive species that take space and nutrients away from native species and even got to help clear some out. Ultimately, Treks and Texts gave us first-hand insight into how to act as a component of nature instead of as conquerors. We hope to carry the lessons we learned this semester into the rest of our lives as leaders in our communities.