Written Journal #4: Weeks 1-2 Nature Center

The past couple of weeks we have traveled out to the Fort Worth Nature Center to assist with the removal of brush and bamboo invading the reserve. Before the first day, I was looking forward to making a difference outside the classroom, although I wasn’t sure what to expect. When we arrived, I was surprised to hear we would be using the wood chipper, something I had never had experience with in the past. It was a little concerning to hear about all the potential accidents that could arise from using the wood chipper, but I was excited to use the machine. As we started venturing into the brush I found the work enjoyable. It was refreshing to carry the dead brush out of the habitat and dispose of it in the chipper. Especially after three hours of classes earlier in the morning, this was the perfect way to dispose of some stress. About midway through the first day, I attempted to pull out my biggest log yet when the unthinkable happened. I picked up the wood and walked over to the line for the chipper. Then as I gazed down at the log I found an army of fire ants scattered all over my body. I quickly disposed of the branch and shook myself down. Thankfully I made it out with just a couple of bites on my legs, but it was an awakening experience. From then on I was careful about what logs and branches I decided to pick up.

Week two started with the wood chipper not functioning properly. We eventually were able to start it and proceeded to continue the process from the week prior. However, after half an hour or so the machine broke down again. During this time I did some exploring and found a caterpillar crawling on a littered glass bottle. The caterpillar was green and had a thin purple stripe down its body (picture below). I find the caterpillar species to be extremely interesting and beautiful. The two-week process of metamorphosis is a natural phenomenon I’ve always been fascinated by. I believe finding the caterpillar at the refuge was a sign the work we were doing was making a difference. 

At the end of the day, it was easy to see the difference we made as a class. The areas we worked looked much more spacious and healthier than the other areas. It was interesting to hear from the rangers about what makes up a healthy habitat. This made me reflect on other forests I’ve been to where they have controlled burns to clear out invasive species. I look forward to continuing to progress further into the field next Tuesday.

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