Six Mile Cypress Slough

Six Mile Cypress Slough is a beautiful area located in Fort Myers. It is a calm and peaceful place despite all of the other visitors walking through the trail. As soon as we arrived we did an exercise where we felt our surroundings and the grass around us. We were told a little about the Six Mile Cypress Slough. I also learned that a slough is a slow moving river. After a little introduction we began to walk the boardwalk. As we walked along the trail we were informed about different aspects of Six Mile Cypress Slough. I learned that one of the lakes was man-made. We were able to see an anhinga grab a branch with leaves to bring back to his partner. I felt more connected to nature after walking the path. We saw a lot of blood lichens on the trees and cypress knees which are large root systems. We saw a banded water snake, turtles, many types of birds and cypress trees. The slough was a very fun and interesting trip and I learned a lot about Florida wildlife which is extremely different from back home in Connecticut. It always amazes me when I forget places like this exist in Florida besides the beaches. I learned that it is very important to preserve the Six Mile Cypress Slough because this ecosystem is home to a range of wildlife, including a few considered to be endangered. It promotes sustainability because if we do not take good care of places like these, they will not exist in our future. When I want to relax, the first thing I want to do is binge watch Netflix or watch Youtube videos or sit on my phone however after this experience, I want to change that and take walks outside because it helps me focus better and recharge. After this trip I have become more aware of my surroundings in nature and the wildlife around me.