Journal #1: Welcome to the Fort Worth Nature Center

Journal #1: Welcome to the Fort Worth Nature Center 

It is currently week four of the semester, marking the completion of almost one full month of school. Even though it still seems like summer just ended, fall is officially upon us. Class is in full swing and the weather has begun to shift. Texts and Treks has allowed me to experience the outdoors more than usual in the last month. As part of Texts and Treks, we have completed two days at the Fort Worth Nature Center. Prior to this class, I had never heard of the Nature Center. Located about 20 minutes from TCU, the Nature Center is an isolated spot of wilderness and preservation among the sprawling Fort Worth city. The Nature Center offers a variety of walking trails, as well as the chance to view indigenous plants and wildlife, including a herd of buffalo. Driving into the Nature Center for the first time was rather astounding. Turning off the highway, the world beyond the front gate seems very distant from its surroundings. I would compare the Nature Center to a wild island in the middle of the concrete sea. It is a refreshing experience among the seemingly never-ending DFW metroplex. A Colorado native, I am very use to the integration of city and nature in everyday life. When I moved to Texas for school, I desperately missed the presence of nature. I missed the ability to drive a few minutes and escape to the mountains for some moments of peace from life's hustle and bustle. The Nature Center offers this experience in the Fort Worth area. I wish I had known of the Nature Center before now, a month into my final semester. It would have been a good place to detox from the craziness of college life. However, I am glad I can visit the Nature Center more during the semester and experience nature in the heart of Fort Worth. 

Upon arrival to the Nature Center, we met with officials who explained to us the purpose of our time there. Each of our five groups oversee a specific trail at the Nature Center. Our job is to manage the upkeep of our trail. This includes trimming invasive plants, maintaining trail integrity, and noting any faults in the trail structure. We can also suggest places for new benches and nature plaques. After a short presentation, the employees gave us group maps and shears and sent us to our trails. I was surprised with the level of trust they had in our abilities. Sending a group of 20 something year-olds into the wilderness with sharp objects perplexed me a bit. However, I appreciated that they allowed us to make the project our own, rather than giving specific directions. Being entrusted with a trail allowed us to interpret how we wanted to tackle the maintenance and upkeep. My group spent most our time pruning trees and bushes, as well as exploring our trail to gain a sufficient understanding of the landscape. We repeated this process during our second visit, seeing even more of the trail. The work was difficult but rewarding, as by the end of our time I could see a little improvement in our trail.

Growing up in Colorado, I have been hiking since before I could remember it. As an adult, I have developed my favorite hiking spots all around the state. In all this time, however, I never thought of how someone is maintaining these trails. This thought did not occur to me until I was maintaining my own trail at the Nature Center. Those who dedicate their lives to the upkeep of our nature centers and national parks continuously work to maintain the integrity of these places. They also must find the balance between keeping the trails useable and preserving the wilderness atmosphere. I am sure that every one of my favorite trails in Colorado has people working to keep it the way I love. My most beloved trails are those at Chautauqua Park in Boulder. I am always amazed by how these trails stay so beautiful and wild with all the hikers who use them. I now know that this is a result of great effort. My experience at the Nature Center has given me a deeper appreciation for this work and the importance of maintaining our natural spaces.

I snapped a picture of my trail at the Fort Worth Nature Center. I also included a picture of my favorite trail at Chautauqua for comparison!

                           

(A panoramic of my favorite trail in Boulder, Devil's Thumb)

(A photo of the "tunnel" my favorite spot on our trail at FWNC featuring my team member, Jaclyn)