Final Reflection

 When we first signed up for this course, we did not expect to come face-to-face with a miniature dinosaur. But that’s exactly what occurred when we met Dog who is the Nature Center’s rescued alligator. Walking into the headquarter building, we were greeted by one of our classmates casually holding the alligator between her arms. You may be wondering why Dog wasn’t aggressively trying to bite everyone’s fingers off. Thankfully, Dog’s mouth was taped shut or else Dr. Williams would probably get a call from TCU Risk Management. Dog’s skin was carefully crafted into a thick coat with a texture resembling a pine cone dipped in concrete. That moment alone redefined the idea of “hands-on-learning.” Our first day at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge did not conclude after we met Dog. It had simply just begun. Our first class at the nature center was filled with bison feeding, prairie dog observing, and finally tackling the tangles of privet. 

Before this day, privet was a foreign word, but by the end we had grown accustomed to this invasive plant. Chinese privet was originally brought to the United States in 1852 as an ornamental plant, but soon it had escaped cultivation and is now one of the most invasive plants in the southeastern United States. At the nature center, the privet engulfed the fences surrounding the prairie dog exhibition and traveled its way up the trees in a tangly vine. Our task: cut it all down. With our hand saws and loppers, each of us diligently partaking on our own area of attack. 

For the next few classes, we showed up ready to cut down more privet. These moments enjoying the fresh air with our classmates were some of our favorite moments of the semester. Undisturbed by our cell phones or homework assignments, we engaged in genuine conversation with each other. When tired, we would make our way over to the vehicle where our waters and weekly candy was waiting. Dr. Williams provided our sawing fuel: Swedish Fish. A couple of Swedish fish and some gulps of water, and we were back to cut down more privet.  

Through all the scraped arms, muddy shoes, and tree battles, we came to understand the real value of environmental work. It’s one thing to learn about ecosystems from a textbook, but it’s another to have vines slap you in the face while you work to protect one. The Fort Worth Nature Center taught us about native species, conservation efforts, and community engagement, but more importantly, it taught us to connect. With nature, with each other, and with a deeper understanding of what it means to care for something bigger than ourselves. This class was filled with moments of realization that getting outside and in nature can provide a sense of fulfillment that nothing else can replace. Going forward, we are making it an effort to get outside everyday, and appreciate the little aspects of life that often go unnoticed.