Campus trails and sustainability at FGCU

Cypress dome trees

The trail walk was very informative and perfectly timed. There was a lot of information put into a short amount of time which kept everyone's attention. I was shocked at how environmentally friendly and sustainable our campus is. I just transferred this semester from UConn and was amazed at how eco-friendly our school is compared to my old one. I was not previously aware of all the additions our University has already made and is continuing to make in order to stay sustainable. This is a perfect example of sustainability because as stated in the textbook, it interconnects the three main pillars of sustainability: ecological, economic, and social. I thought it was really interesting how the floor in Seidler Hall was made from recycled tires. I also was not aware of FGCU's unique air conditioning technique. It was really cool to know that large blocks of ice are formed during the night when energy costs are low and then used to cool classrooms and buildings on campus during the day. Another aspect of our campus walk that I truly enjoyed was being able to observe all of the different ecosystems we have right here on Florida Gulf Coast University campus such as Cypress Swamps and Pine Flat woods. This field trip made me realize how lucky and how proud I am to be apart of such a unique and amazing university. One new thing I learned about while on the walk through the trail was the causes and effects of invasive species in the area. As we walked the campus trails, we saw many different types of trees. We saw many cypress trees surrounding the land, pine trees, and palm trees. We sat down and listened to our surroundings and at first all I could hear were the cars passing by but as we sat longer I started hearing birds, the trees, and movements throughout nature. I noticed how everything worked as a system; everything is interconnected and works together as a whole.