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Outdoor Endeavors
by Elizabeth Anne Phares
The Practicality of Nature
Compiling a list of all of the uses for the Nature Preserve is a work
in progress. It is something that, hopefully, can never be finished as
people find new ways to utilize the natural areas on campus without
damaging the environment. Already the Nature Preserve is used by
countless people for a variety of purposes. This ranges from recreation
and exercise to scientific studies and inspiration for fine arts
projects. There are also a whole host of ways in which we could use the
Preserve given the right planning.
One of the most common uses of the Preserve is recreation and
relaxation. This would include walking, jogging, snow shoeing, cross
country skiing, picnics or the simple act of soaking up the sun and
taking in all there is to see. Not a day goes by that people are not
enjoying the beautiful setting of the Preserve, even when
it’s cold and the wind in howling. I personally have hiked to
the field during storms to get a view of the snow swirling down from
the sky, blanketing the area in pristine white. On several occasions I
was not alone, I ran into other students bundled in parkas headed for
the top despite the seemingly frigid weather.
During the fall people come to enjoy the brilliant colors of the trees,
the beavers hurrying to store food for the winter, the migrating birds
and the last bit of summer warmth. When winter arrives the trails
become crisscrossed with ski and snowshoe tracks as people fight cabin
fever. As spring arrives the Preserve is flooded with students, BU
faculty and staff as well as people from the community to enjoy the
weather and see new life come forth from the previously frozen ground.
Despite the mud people renew their familiar ties with their favorite
areas, exploring the changed landscape as if it is the first time they
have been there. There is even the potential, if properly planned, for
camping within the Preserve.
Not matter what time of year it is people use the Nature Preserve for
exercise. Many of us detest treadmills which, in my opinion, are like
hamster wheels. Some of this exercise is structured in the form of gym
classes. Among others, the classes that use the Preserve include
hiking, running, orienteering, cross country skiing, backpacking,
outdoor living skills, winter camping and wilderness medicine. All of
these gym classes take students into the Preserve during the course of
the semester.
Other classes utilize the Preserve as well. Biology and ecology courses
use it for research purposes. Every single student on this campus who
takes Introductory Biology must do a project on insects and
pollination, that is hundreds of people a semester. Wetlands Ecology
students are forced to wade through the water, mapping the various
features of the area. Animal Behavior students often use the preserve
for their major class project. Professors and graduate students take
advantage of our backyard wilderness. Stim Wilcox collects spiders and
water striders for his studies. Professor Shepherd sends his Entomology
students in to complete a collection of bugs, a major part of the lab
requirement for that class. If anything, the BU Nature Preserve is far
less than it could be for scientific research. There is great potential
there for studies relating to habitat diversity and succession of
farmlands and damaged areas.
The academic use of the Nature Preserve is in no way limited to the
sciences. English students regularly write essays, stories and poems
about it. Libby Tucker’s Folklore class is a prime example;
students have turned in both ghost stories and student folklore about
the Preserve. Donna Mendleson has a vast collection of essays from her
ESL class, she uses the wild areas to inspire her students. As a
result, many of them who come from cities establish their bond with
nature for the first time. Many students relate to her how much these
essays impact their lives, changing them profoundly.
The use of the Nature Preserve does not have to be limited to the
University. The local area is filled with young minds, ready to be
molded into adults with an appreciation for nature and a desire to save
our planet from pollution. This would range from hikes guided by BU
students to programs to educate teachers or the students themselves.
Biannual seminars could be used to pass on knowledge about the Preserve
to the area teachers who could then bring their classes to the Preserve
on their own. Other Universities with large nature preserves offer camp
like experiences to elementary school children. Activities include
exploring the many organisms in the area to discussions about
extinction, pollution and habitat loss. Again, this is an area in which
our wild areas are being vastly under used.
The value of the Nature Preserve for education and exercise warrants
more attention. I would strongly recommend a formal survey of students,
faculty and staff as well as the local community. We have a wonderful
resource not found at very many universities and we need to take
advantage of it.
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