Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

I think my favorite distinct ecosystem at the Corkscrew Sanctuary was the Cypress hammock.  It was cool to see how the trees get bigger and thicker the further in and higher you go.  It was also really cool to see where the panthers had left marks on the trees.  Since the cypress are so large and make huge domes at the top, they create an environment on the forest floor for plants that prefer shade.  There's a lot of sun in Florida, so these plants need these environments in order to survive.

Conservation means different things in different contexts.  My first thought is physics related, because of how much time I spend working with science and engineering applications.  There are a lot of conservation laws, for mass and energy and momentum for example.  Our conservation laws aren't universal constants though;  We have to fight to get people to recognize that conservation is a worthwhile cause, where as conservation of energy is constant regardless of whether it's convenient.  This is why we need to promote the idea of stewardship in our communities.  Non-profits are important because they are passionate and willing to take responsibility for an area and protect it from the damage or irresponsible management of resources.  Civic engagement factors into this because it takes dedicated, passionate people who are willing to donate their time and effort to a cause in their community.  They pass on their excitement on to their neighborhood or city.

This particular persevere is protected by the Audubon Society, because in the past thousands of wading birds were killed by ignorant hunters.  I think, in this case, the government's involvement is most useful in terms of providing grant money.  Most of the time, bureaucracy and muddled facts slow down large government agencies and limit their ability to be useful.  When a non-profit agency is being supported by a government agency, a lot more is possible.  Personally, I think there's really no reason to bulldoze the preserve, ecological standpoint or not.  There's already way too many golf course communities in the area, they don't really need another.  From an ecological standpoint though, the preserve provides an environment for plants and wildlife that would not exist without having a conscious effort made.