Read the readings posted with the assignment back on our Blackboard site (Assignments page) and think about what nature means to you.
Take a walk for 45 minutes.
Write a response (.5 - 1 page in length) about the nature on your walk.
Think deeply here, the quality of the content matters. For instance think about where you chose to walk? What nature did you encounter? How do you think about the nature around you-do your feelings change when you're outside "in" nature? How do you interact with nature or how does nature interact with you on a daily basis? Did you notice anything different on your walk compared to what you usually notice on a daily basis?
If you join as an author/contributor, yu can post your response as a new post and you'll have the capability to include photos!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
yep
ReplyDeleteElizabeth DeJong
ReplyDeleteNature Walk
On Friday, April 3, 2009, I went to a 45 minute walk in Lincoln Park just north of Diversey. After crossing a few streets and dodging a few cars I stepped onto the soggy, park grass and instantly transitioned, in my head, from city girl to nature girl. My ears perked up as I listened for dogs barking, kids playing and birds chirping. I took a deep breath and enjoyed the “fresh” air not tainted by exhaust and fast food restaurants. I sank into my new surroundings and tried to enjoy every moment and every breath of fresh air.
Going for a walk in the park is like taking a break from the city for me. Instead of marveling at the huge man-made infrastructures I appreciate the little buds coming up from plotted soil. Instead of blocking out honking horns and roaring busses, I listen for the wind and the waves slamming against the breakers along Lake Michigan. The difference between walking around the city and walking around nature is the appreciation it stirs within me. I love being outside, but only appreciate the outdoors when I am in nature.
In nature, I become an observer. I watch the kids racing to keep up with their parents, owners playing catch with their dogs and the birds flying and perching within the tree branches. Occasionally, I interact with nature. I touch a nearby branch, wipe clean my dirty feet, lean up against a tree of feel the freezing lake water. Most of the time, however, I find that nature is interacting with me. I have to pull my hood tight over my head to block the strong sun rays, I turn my back to the cool breeze or I wipe away the sprinkles of water on my face from the waves splashing. Nature is always coming into contact and sometime creating obstacles for me when I am walking. I have to tiptoe around big puddles and sink into the muddy grass along the pathways of the park.
Nature has a way of surprising me. For example, I said to myself, “I haven’t seen a lot of wildlife on this nature walk” and right after I thought it a red cardinal swooped down in front of me followed by a few other birds and perched in a nearby tree. Another great thing about nature is instantaneous. For example, I kept trying to get my friend to turn around and look at a huge wave splashing against the rocks but by the time he’d turn around the wave would be gone. At one point a dog had come right up behind me and started smelling me but by the time I turned around the owners had called it back over. There are so many things happening in nature that I never even stop to think about unless it is right in front of me.
This walk revealed to me some of those instantaneous moments in life that I usually never stop to appreciate. It’s amazing how many things are happening for the creatures of the park. Often times I think that the park or nature in general is a break from all the commotion of the city. But I found out on this nature walk that the park is like a city in itself, with constant motion and interaction, so much that it is impossible to catch all of it.
I took a nature walk along lakeshore drive. This was a very interesting spot because there was lots of debri in the lake and garbage on the sidewalk. It was very polluted and reflected such on nature. I didn't encounter any animals besides a few seagulls, however, I got the opportunity to watch them interact. I saw a very strong dichotemy here. There was all this trash and filth where these birds were trying to live. This disturbed me greatly. Along with the trash, I also noticed the trees were in very healthy condition and getting ready for summer. The grass was dead however. The water in the lake was filthy as well. I couldnt even see to the bottom of the lake floor. I noticed this as I saw cigarette butts floating past. This, in turn, made me think about the water I drink and how I interact with nature every single day in that way. I don't really think about where the water I drink comes from but it comes from lakes and oceans such as this in Chicago. And thats when I decided I was going to buy a BRITA water filter for my apartment. However, on my nature walk, it was very calming with the waves in the lake and the wind blowing through my hair. I felt at ease and one with nature. I don't think I would've had this feeling anywhere else in the city.
ReplyDeleteToday was the perfect day, well so far, to take this nature walk. Today was April 7, 2009, and I decided that because it would be typical to go to a park, or walk along the shore or beach, that I would instead be realistic, and walk through the city. I started my adventure at Waveland Ave. and Sheffield Ave., heading southbound. I believe that I started walking around 3 o'clock, so the temperature was at its warmest point for the day, which was a whopping 48 degrees. Being a native of Chicago, I meant no sarcasm there, I considered it to be a nice day. Typically in Chicago, there is not much 'wild' nature, other than birds, rats, random surviving insects, etc. Yet, there are plenty of domesticated animals around. During my adventure down Sheffield, I managed to stop and encounter 11 dogs, and that was just on my side of the street. Surprisingly, most of these dogs that I encountered were Labradors. Aside from the canines, I noticed there were actually birds out, which were chirping, and this was nice to actually hear, because it has been winter for the past 1000 years. I think because it was still light out, I didn't encounter any rats, and because its not completely hot out, there weren't as many insects scurrying around. Other than actual animal life, I noticed that Lincoln Park actually has a lot of trees, and even though they are not fully budding yet, nor are they fully green, the idea that they are there is comforting. I grew up in the UP of Michigan, so I've always been a big fan of nature, and the abundance of greenery around me. I am a very big nature lover, and I think the lack of it in the city definitely has an impact on me, and everyone else as well. When I think of nature interacting with me, or me interacting with nature, I take it literally. I envision me either handling some sort of animal, or physically doing something. Just walking down the street, looking at the trees, trying to notice something out of the ordinary doesn't seem like much interaction to me. Maybe this is the problem large cities face, a lack of nature. One thing that I did notice myself doing, is trying to locate some of these 'green roof tops'. I found that concept of a 'green hallway' to be very interesting, and as best to my ability, I could only find a couple of roofs, that seemed to have any plant life up there. Either way, it was a good journey down Sheffield, lets just hope the weather gets warmer soon so that more 'nature' can be experienced.
ReplyDeleteIn general I must state that when I think about nature, I think about the wildlife. I envision trees, rivers, mountains (anything but skyscrapers, cars, factories, etc). Over the weekend I took a walk in a small forest preserve within Southwest suburbs. During the 1 hour walk I felt a disconnect from the rest of the world and a much closer realization for appreciation of the greenery. I passed along a small river and due to being alone I felt silence and peace. Overall I felt relaxed. In general it would be fair to say that I ignore nature for the most of the day. Due to being stationed within a specific building, it is impossible for me to fully if at all appreciate nature. During my walk, I felt sorry for the fact that I am not exposed to such natural beauty every day because excluding oneself from a city life gives permission to an individual to fully appreciate what nature is and what it offers.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I felt much closer to nature during my walk in a way where I actually realized the importance of its continual existence. I felt sorry for the fact that our humanity is harming such nature on many different levels, most of which we are aware of. I myself realized the level of arrogance that I have shown in my everyday busy life towards nature and my everyday unintentional refusal and inability to appreciate what our nature has to offer.
When I am visiting my family and friends in the northwest suburbs on weekends I like to take my dog to a forest preserve in the area called Busse Woods. It is April 4th and the time is 4:45 PM. I have just pulled into a parking spot in the very well kept parking lot in the preserve, and I am ready to start my walk with my dog Butters. Walks like these gives me a generally good sense of calm and comfort. When my family takes vacations, they have almost always been centered on nature. Whether it was backpacking in the Appalachian Mountains or white water rafting in Idaho, getting away from the human made environment that is the suburbs and city has always given me a great joy. Though Busse Woods is not the ideal escape to nature, it is the best the northwest suburbs have to offer. I begin walking across a large grass field towards a lake. On the way I see the usual spring-time suspects; the robins, squirrels, geese, seagulls, and ducks are out in full force. While I find it quite satisfying to observe the geese in their natural habitat, fighting over mates, Butters finds it more satisfying to chase them away. As I continue my walk I notice the touch of human hands in this so-called preserve; picnic tables, garbage cans, and gazebos are scattered everywhere, and there are several 6 foot high piles of forest debris that the preserve must be planning to burn. As I reach the small lake I feel an increased sense of good, I love staring over bodies of water. As I stand on the cement shore of the lake, I first take notice of the sound of birds and wind in the trees, the obnoxious odor of the lake, and the setting sun sparkling off the water. After a few moments of peace, I begin to notice a break in that peacefulness. A few miles away there is I-290, clearly visible above the tree line, I can see and hear the parade of traffic. A few miles straight up, there is an airplane route heading towards the two airports that are nearby. Across the lake I see a cop car patrolling a parking lot; I have heard rumors that Busse Woods is no stranger to crime. Around the lake I see a few fishermen, quite hopeless, I think to myself. As my mind wanders, I begin to think about the notion of a forest preserve and how it is unique to the western cultures of the developed world. We are so happy to get away from our working lives to experience a little bit of “peaceful nature”, that we fail to realize that much of the world’s citizens still live off the land, and would probably be quite confused to see that we set aside a little bit of forest to escape to. The forest preserve system seems to be a symptom of the consumerist society that is ours; and I feel a bit of sadness that I should be so happy to experience this pathetic excuse for a natural environment. I think we like going to these kinds of preserves because we like going to a place were the environment has not been completely manipulated for optimal human control. As I take the surroundings in for a few more moments, I get the fishing pole ready that I brought with me. Probably wont catch anything, but I do not care, that is all part of the experience.
ReplyDeleteLiving in an urban environment like the city of Chicago nature is not always as evident and accessible as it is in other environments. Although Major Daley strives to continue to keep Chicago as one of the most “green” major urban cities natural nature is hard to come by. On my nature walk I did not encounter what one would call “pure nature” but rather nature that has been imported and placed in non-natural positions.
ReplyDeleteOn my walk I decided to see where nature is involved in my own life; in doing so I decided to walk my normal route to the Loop DePaul Campus from my apartment. Thinking about living in the city I could not think of where nature immediately impacted my daily life. With so much construction, traffic, and people were is nature evident?
Walking down State Street I encountered maybe a total of three or four signs of natural nature; potted bushes, a park being developed with a few placed trees, small plants and flowers planted on the side of the road. All planted by city workers grown and uprooted from their original origins. The amount of natural vegetation seemed minimal to none. I felt little or no effect by the lack of nature; I feel I felt this way because my pre acknowledged idea of what makes up and consists in an urban landscape.
The Greek meaning of nature is “essential qualities”. This definition seems to have been skewed in an urban environment. It seems nature has become a sideshow and not essential but rather for visual and appearance needs only in the city landscape. Essentials in an urban landscape seem to only include skyscrapers and other man mad elements. On my walk I realized how much a city takes away from natural vegetation of an area. Obviously I know the importance of nature, but living in the city it is difficult to acknowledge and see the impact of something that you do not encounter routinely.
I decided to take a walk around my neighborhood on (Good) Friday. Aside from the wind, it was nice out. As I left my apartment, I noticed that my landlord’s plants were beginning to grow; which was my first sighting of “nature.” As I began to walk down my street, I noticed that each home seemed to have some form of green on it - whether it was plain grass or a couple of trees. I was glad to actually be able to see plants, grass, and trees that weren’t covered in snow. The fact that I get to see all these things this season provides an aesthetic pleasure, which actually makes me want to be outdoors more. Sadly enough, once I began to move into the southeast part of my neighborhood, all of nature seemed to disappear. This is when I began to relate Frances E. Kuo’s report to my walk. Her report mentioned how having more trees really helped create a safer, healthier, and overall better community in lower income neighborhoods in Chicago. The neighborhood I live in, Old Town, is close to being fully gentrified. The part which is not yet gentrified is the southeast part, where there is public housing. Aside from the fact that lower income families live there, there is also an obvious difference in green space. Rather than having natural grass, there is artificial grass. On top of that, there are basically no plants or trees in front of the continuous rows of housing. When I left my apartment to start my walk, I saw one of my neighbor walking his dog and another neighbor taking her baby out for her daily stroll. While in the southeast part of my neighborhood, the most visible form of interaction between the residents and their outdoor environment was them leaving it. Kuo’s report was also right in claiming that the greener an area is the fewer incivilities and less crime there is. The southeast part of my neighborhood has surveillance cameras on every block, my block does not. SImply put, the lack of green space in that part of the neighborhood contributes to very low defensible space that Kuo mentioned.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing enough of the part of my neighborhood that had essentially no nature, I decided to walk down Wells Street. Wells Street is filled with stores and really doesn’t have many natural things on it, aside from a nice garden store. Thankfully I walked north enough to get to the Lake Shore, which was a nice sight to see. I noticed people running and biking on the path. Although I don’t go on that path on a daily basis, I imagine that the people running and biking on it do. The path is a hotspot not only because it’s a nice, long path, but because it’s a way to interact with nature. People want to enjoy the nice weather, and look at the leaves on trees, and see the waves of the lake.
This walk definitely made me notice how nature, or lack there of, can affect my mood.
I chose to walk to West River Park. It is a very wide field, bordered by a Park District, the Chicago River, and Foster Avenue. The field is rough and trampled, as though many games of different sorts had been played on it. However, at this time, I am alone on the field. It seems to be a rare occasion, and the animals seemed to have noticed it as well. There is a giant flock of finches in the middle of the field; squirrels are running around in what seems the hundreds. Even Foster avenue seems quiet. Walking to the field was a different story. Going along Lincoln and Lawrence Avenues, nothing but chaos is quite as rampant. Almost no nature, except that of a few trees amidst concrete, can be observed. But now I am in the park. The solitude, and the silence that settles between each rush of wind is almost unsettling; the city never slumbers soundly. But during my perusal of this park I find that the lack of humanity to be humbling. So rare are these instances found, especially living amongst the droves of Chicagoans; seeing first hand nature acting on its own accord -- if that is even possible now -- reminds me of exactly what our culture is missing. A connectivity with nature is something humanity thrived on for thousands of years; we have now relegated it to sight-seeing, and bird watching. Nature should be as much a part of our lives as we have made our lives a part of it; then and only then, would we begin to cherish it once more, and cease the further and systematic destruction of our greatest ally on earth.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt took less than forty-five minutes during my walk to realize what I have been missing out on lately. I walked though a combination of parks and urban neighborhoods. My short trip started at 16th Street and Indiana and lead me to Jackson and Michigan and back around to State Street. I meandered through a few ritzy neighborhoods which eventually led me to Grant Park. I chose this path because it offered a combination of green-space and urban buildings. Plus I wanted to see how the city developed and maintained its green space.
ReplyDeleteFrom the very start I encountered nature attempting to sprout through a bed of mulch. The mulch bed was a buffer between a sidewalk and a parking lot. I thought, “Wow, how persistent nature can be.” My walk then took me through small park in a private neighborhood. People were laying on the grass and dogs were playing with one another. People were just happy to be there, as was I.
No matter if I looked at trees, flowers, grass, birds, or buildings; I was able to see that nature is all around us. It was only natural for me to look at the trees, flowers, grass, and birds as nature, but I soon looked at the builds for the same. While looking at the high-rise buildings that create a wall bordering Grant Park, I found myself looking for a connection. How we, as humans, gravitate towards the beauty of things natural or created to simulate nature. In this case, the parks and Lake Michigan. While walking through Grant Park I kept thinking about the design of the city and parks. I noticed the perfect line and wall the buildings on Michigan Avenue make is like a large picture window for the city, which looks outside to our most valuable natural assets. In this case the parks and the lake.
I took many pictures while on this walk. Each one meant something different. A picture of buds sprouting on a tree, let me know leaves will soon appear. A picture of berries on the paved sidewalk in Grant Park is a reminder that seedlings cannot penetrate their roots through what we have created. A picture of my of shadows from trees on the pavement with me standing between them is a reminder of potential energy, the energy of would could be put in place of this pavement that absorbed our shadow. For example, the pavement could be replaced with the same thing that was creating a show, in this case, trees and me. Lastly, the photos of a park, a new green-space being built on State Street is a reminder of the much needed therapy nature provides us. It was quite pleasant to see that a new park is being made where a building once stood.
My walk was a pleasant reminder that I need to walk more. I was charged up with energy and love for what nature provides us. I appreciated the parks being created and I thought about the buildings as a best used for overpopulation and prevention of sprawl. I thought about the city recycling bins that were loaded with trash; which reminded me of how much more energy and research of humans and our effects on nature we must do to prevent our own demise.
Jacob S.
ReplyDelete(PDF Version has pictures)
As soon as I saw that this assignment was posted I knew exactly where I wanted to go on my nature walk. I happen to be lucky enough to live a block away from the Lincoln Park Zoo and thus the wonderful gardens and landscaping that accompany it (plus it is always fun to see the animals playing). As I started my walk I already noted the first difference from my normal outdoor interactions; I was walking but not power-walking with a sense of haste. Instead, I would say it was more of a leisurely stroll since I had nowhere to be and could take my time. I made my way to the tulip garden only to find that not even a hint of little buds were in the beds. [empty tulip bed pic] At least there was some color nearby from the wild flowers. [wild flows pic] I found it ironic that cattails (plants native to Illinois) are only found in the fountain as metal sculptures. I made my way to the zoo entrance hoping that there would be some signs of plants coming up in the various gardens that are alongside the paths and exhibits. I couldn’t help but take a couple pictures of the animals while I was in there. A couple of Drake Ducks seemed lost in the White Lipped Deer exhibit but neither the deer nor ducks seemed too concerned with each other. [misplaced ducks pic] The camel must have been coming out of its winter coat because huge globs of hair were around the pen and a couple clumps still remained on the camel’s side. [camel pic] Looking down at the path I realized I knew that this plant was a Phlox without seeing its flower. [phlox pic] It is one of many that I’ve seen from my own backyard but I have never personally worked with. Since I wasn’t here for the animals, I took the next exit out of the zoo so I could make my way up to the botanical gardens. Along the way I saw some amazing color that did not come from leaves or flowers but instead bark. [bright green bark pic] [bright red bark pic] I can’t tell you what these two bushes are but they have some of the most intense color I’ve seen so far on this walk. There is this really neat stone step offshoot on the east side of the tulip garden. [stone steps pic] I’ve only ever seen it in full bloom and it feels like you step down into somewhere secluded even though there are hundreds of people around. Even though it is mostly dirt now I snapped a couple pictures of some plants waking up for spring. [small green buds pic] [red leafy shoots pic] I had already been out for my 45 minutes at this point so I decided I would go ahead and take a walk through the botanical garden since it is on the way home and I snapped some pictures of my favorites. [a collage of pictures from the botanical gardens] I was making my way back out of the botanical gardens when I noticed that the entire time I was on this walk I stayed on either concrete or asphalt. Practically everywhere I go I can make it there without every having to touch ground (which isn’t a bad thing but sometimes walking on grass feels nice, especially bare foot). I figured I would be daring and take a stroll on the grass on my way home. [picture of just a large plot of grass] While on the grass I realized that the largest amount of green I see on the way to class is DePaul’s soccer/softball field which isn’t even real. I guess my normal day to day interactions with nature are mainly with the weather and perhaps taking notice of some blooming flowers that happen to catch my eye. I’m usually in such a hurry to get to point B though that I don’t get to enjoy what is around me and considering how close I am to the zoo and botanical gardens I really should visit them more.
Wide open spaces means nature for me. When birds, squirrels and the occasional possum run freely around their home on a chilly spring day in April, that’s when I, the observer, feel most connected with nature.
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard at times to spend so much time in the city and be closed in by three-flat apartments with two feet gangways on each side. I consider it an extravagance to have four feet square of grass in the backyard of my apartment; open space doesn’t come easy in Chicago.
For my nature walk, I chose a park in the suburb of Naperville, Illinois. What attracted me to this location was the openness of the space and the people playing baseball, golf and tennis on the courts adjacent to the park. The green grass, barren trees on the verge of budding, birds chirping and squirrels scampering about, made the space relaxing yet full of activity. The most out of place thing in the park had to be me, someone who usually takes the natural beauty of the outdoors for granted.
I noticed while walking around the park and taking a closer look at the trees, that buds were on the verge of appearing, and in contrast to the bareness of the branches it reminded me what I love most about springtime—the combination of the last days of winter with the beginning of a new season. The transition of seasons, especially from winter to spring, has to be the prettiest time in Illinois because our seasons are so definite and different.
Besides the openness of parks and the activity of animals running freely, the odd transition of season with buds beginning to bloom on bare twigs, reminded me most that I’m curious about nature, but sometimes its just best to sit and wonder.
I went for my nature walk on April 12, 2009 at 6pm. I walked a few blocks around my house. I normally don’t go on nature walks; this is my first ever. This walk was very different than any other walk I’ve ever done. The cries of the birds were more vibrant and the movements of the plants in the wind were very evident. Usually, when I am walking it’s because I’m on my way somewhere with a million thoughts in my mind. On the other hand, on this nature walk my mind was relaxed and I wasn’t on some sort of mission somewhere and that made the sounds more obvious. It was very interesting listening to the different noises the birds made, wondering what they might be saying to each other, but after a while it became annoying. I was amazed at the fact that I could only find a few animals. I merely saw a rabbit and a few birds, not even the populous squirrel; maybe it was because of the weather and time. I stood and watched the rabbit for a while, hoping it will do something interesting. Then I started thinking of how I used to go hunting with my cousins in Cameroon; a rabbit like the one I saw would’ve been a good catch. I took a few pictures of this rabbit and then I was on my way, the bird noises were really irritating. I started heading back to the house and in the middle of the street I saw a dead squirrel. I found it ironic that I didn’t see a single squirrel during my walk, but on my way back I found a dead one in the middle of the street.
ReplyDeleteAs I took my walk, I realized how different areas take care of their environment. I started my walk in Oak Park which the city requires it's residents to rake their leaves into the street and the city trucks with pick up the leaves. There are plenty of trees in the area and the number of cars that come by are few on this day. I can hear a few birds in the distance and I was graced with a quick glimpse of a small rabbit. As I pass the grass area where just last year a tree stood tall only to be struck by lightning and knocked over. First the tree was cut down and later the stomp was removed from the root; leaving no trace of the tree that once stood there.
ReplyDeleteI walk farther down crossing over into the city of Chicago were the amount of litter far exceeds the number of people on street. Just as the street light is about to change a van stops at the corner and someone inside drops a stryoform plate with half-eaten food and a plastic fork from the vehicle. I think to myself how lazy some people have become to the point where just throwing your plate in a garbage can is more work than one is willing to do.
The number of trees in this area are limited. I pass a vacant lot that now acts as the parking lot for residents and church-goers. As I look over the lot, I can see the light of the sun shining on the small pieces of glass that are covered over the lot followed by the trash that has been dropped by people walking through. I wonder what will be left of the Earth for future generations and if they will be just as careless as some of these people.
I went to San Francisco last week for work so I thought it might be fun to do my nature walk there instead of Chicago. In San Francisco a fog hovers over the green hills and bluffs and you just know that there is an amazing system at work.
ReplyDeleteThe first thought that entered my mind when I landed was "wow", this city is absolutley beautiful and so lush and green. I chose to walk through Golden Gate Park which is an amazing place to visit. The park is huge and you could probably spend days walking around and admiring the lush trees and plants.
I noticed that the trees and plants were different than what you see in the midwest. The climate is different there, the temperature never gets too hot or cold and it is rainy a good portion of the year. This contributes to the amount of plants and the type of plants that grow there. I noticed some massive eucalyptus trees among countless other types. So many different plants and flowers. The smell was incredible! It reminded me how fragile our ecosystem is and made me a little sad that perhaps someday soon this system may be destroyed by our actions. The walk solidified my view that I want to work to protect these ecosystems becuase they are the reason we are alive.
I took my nature walk around outside in the DePaul campus. What I found was interesting and yet disheartening in a way. I feel like we walk outside with sole purpose to get from point a to b and we neglect the essentials of our existence, so it was a totally different perspective walking on this “nature walk” as opposed to walking to class or something like that. I passed by this man-made field and saw its green grass as opposed to yellowish blades that were coming out of the ground, and it made me wonder about nature and how we have manipulated its meaning. Look at the field, the grass looks greener but it’s not alive people covered and killed the nature beneath it to make way for this fake grass. And then I started to think how much we manipulate something pure and organic as nature for a profit. Of course it serves a good purpose with the different sports that utilize the field but there was tiny inkling I had. We are trying to imitate the real and alive with something that isn’t and I just don’t think that it is good and yet we do this all the time. I think in this world there is so much need for control and power and it is impossible to have domination over nature so we kill some of it and replace it with a nonliving controlled substance.
ReplyDeleteI decided to take advantage of the fact that I did not have to be at work until 3 pm and go on my nature walk. It was Saturday, April 11th and almost noon. As I was putting on my shoes and coat, my dog, Dino, looked at me with those pleading puppy eyes. I caved and thus decided I would take him too. Originally I wasn’t planning on it because, when I go for walks with him, it always ends up looking as if he’s the one taking me for the walk as he is fairly big and very strong.
ReplyDeleteI decided to go to the forest preserve located about a block away from my house. As soon as I stepped outside, I could already feel myself getting submerged into nature. The sun was shining, children were playing outside, and the birds were chirping lightly and fluttering around the bushes. The grass, which was still dead a few months ago, was a bright green color and the tree branches seemed to be budding. Tulips and narcissuses were beginning to bloom in front of my neighbor’s house. The cool gust of air blowing in my face had the fresh scent of spring. I could hear the sound of geese flying in overhead, a telling sign that spring has arrived.
As I entered the forest preserve area, I could still see a lot of dead tree branches resting on the ground. Dino attempted to pick up the biggest branch he cold hold in order to try and play fetch with it. The forest ground was damp due to the recent spring showers we have been experiencing and there were animal footprints in the mud, I’m guessing they were deer prints. The forest area was divided by a small river flowing across, the scent was not the most pleasant, that of stale water and fish. On one side of the river, everything looked dark and dead from winter whereas on the other side everything began turning green. This division, I thought, looked pretty cool and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was any particular reason that the forest ground was organized in this manner. At one point, when I was following the trail, I noticed that a few steps ahead of me there were a group of deer. I had to look closely, though, as their fur color helped them blend with the brown of the tree branches. Seemingly, the deer were like chameleons, blending away to hide from predators in the entirely wooden forest. On this nature walk, I realized that nature is all around us. Both animals and plants interact, making nature and the environment what we see it to be.
I walked the lakefront trail from Hollywood to Montrose Harbor. During this journey, I walked along Lake Michigan. I chose to walk in this area because I find it very beautiful and in some ways to be an escape from the city. I enjoy looking out at Lake Michigan; something about a large body of water has always calmed me. As I walk, I reflect on how long this body of water has been here and how much longer it will remain. I am in awe of its size and its beauty. I realize that when I am not reflecting on nature that I take it for granted. I just assume that it has always been this way and that it will always be this way. When I am out experiencing nature I begin to think about how fragile of a balance is required to keep the things in nature the way that they are. As I travel on I see some trash and some litter, I am reminded that not everybody cares at all times to keep the earth clean and preserve the beauty. I know that I have had my moments when it is more convenient to just toss something on the ground. On a daily basis I try to be conscious and aware of nature. The majority of the time I am trying to leave as minimal a footprint as I possibly can. I will admit that I am more cautious when I am appreciating nature than when I am busy going about my day. I enjoyed my walk because it gave me a chance to experience the outdoors, which is hard to do when it is so cold outside. I came away from this walk with the reminder that it takes a constant effort to help preserve the beauty of nature.
ReplyDeleteI chose to go for my nature walk in Independence Grove, a forest preserve near my home in Gurnee. The reason that I chose Independence Grove is that it is a very open, fairly natural area that portrays the Great Plains area well. While on the walk I encountered many different forms of nature ranging from a few ducks which have already migrated back to prairie weeds to bugs and trees. I found myself very relaxed while on the walk, which allowed me to notice smaller things that I usually wouldn’t such as buds on trees and bushes. This relaxed feeling and increased awareness of my surroundings led me to thinking about my interactions with nature. I began thinking about my breathing, which is something that is natural to all humans and which we usually don’t think about. This is probably the most basic way in which we interact with nature on a daily basis. We breathe in oxygen which is produced by plants which take in the carbon dioxide which we breathe out.
ReplyDeleteFor my walk I decided to walk around Lincoln Park. I have always been fascinated with urban wildlife, and how different species adapt to an urban environment. I've noticed that the areas of new construction see very little activity with wildlife. Meanwhile in the older more established neighborhoods there will be some plant life and a abundence of birds and smaller animals such as squirrels and other similar animals. An interesting thing I noticed was that in green spaces such as Lincoln Park the amount of wildlife is either low or unseen. There is a large number of domesticated plants and animals in these areas, but it doesn't seem like it is bringing any more wildlife then walking down Beldon.
ReplyDeleteNick Rozek
Ellen Kinner
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about nature, I don’t think of anything remotely close to the city of Chicago. If there are power lines it is not nature. For me, nature is vast, remote, unaltered spaces, nothing like the concrete grid of Chicago. However, I realize the plants, animals, soil, water, and air found in Chicago are still aspects of nature, even though it may not be very majestic or breathtaking like the places filmed in Planet Earth. I chose to walk around Lincoln Park by North Pond just outside the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. It was nice to get outside and have some time to reflect. As I walked around, it became pretty obvious that spring is finally coming. Trees are beginning to bud, and flowers are creeping up from the ground. But after a Chicago winter, anyone would feel warm and fuzzy over a robin or flower. I love walking through Lincoln Park or biking along Lake Shore Drive as much as anyone, but I’m not going to pretend it brings about some personal transformation. Nature does have the power to dramatically affect people, just read Walden by Henry David Thoreau. During my walk I couldn’t help but think that nature doesn’t really affect people on any grand scale in Chicago. We really only appreciate nature on the sunny and seventy degree days, and then grumble about it on the rainy, windy, or snowy days.
Large landscaped cemeteries were built in cities with the intent to have urban dwellers temporarily forget where they are. They were built without the usual iron fence, and uniformly plotted out sites; and this change appealed more to the Victorian way of living. Today, in the Spring time, the landscape of the Graceland Cemetery in Chicago holds the same appeal as it did when it was first built. I have walked through the cemetery before in late May when the tree's leaves were fully developed, the Lilacs were in bloom, and the damp grass was in need of a mowing. As the design promised, when you walk through the brick entry way towards the large pond, all you can see ahead is alive and green. You can not hear the sound of the Clark busses, and the smell of exhaust is replaced by flowers, you do forget that you are in the middle of a city. But as I found out when I went back last weekend this is circumstantial- effected by the "maturity" of the nature around you. The trees were bare, the flowers barely even buds, and the grass was still short and yellow. While my walk did provide a nice escape from the constant traffic and hurried pace of the people on the street; I found that this time around the cemetery was far less of an inviting place to lose yourself in.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best parts about my apartment is its vicinity to Humboldt Park, which covers a good few city blocks. I frequent the park as much as I can, and I have especially enjoyed watching it transform with the seasons. I enjoy a solo nature walk often, and it is always exciting to experience whatever new is occurring outside and in my head. The rain of today adds a distinct soundtrack to the adaptive world. My mood always seems to match the weather, which changes the way nature behaves, as well. Once I can get my thoughts to calm down, I notice the familiar rhythm occupying my mind that reverberates similarly to a song stuck in my head, but not at all annoying. Letting all of my senses take in what is around me, the rhythm in my own head falls into beat with all that is happening outside – the rain and the drips falling from plants, the few signs of urban wildlife that can stand the weather, birds and squirrels and all the tiny creatures that I do not notice, the distant hum of the city where heavy civilization tries to remind me of my material obligations. Trees totally blow my mind, their massive and sturdy existence, just hanging out, doing what they do and not causing any harm to anyone or thing. Especially sycamores, and oaks, as well, their totally organic forms, textures, height, and even when “dead,” they look absolutely astonishing, for they’re not dead at all but just making the cycle.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the job that the park district does in maintaining the natural areas, even encouraging native plant species to flourish and propagate on their own, even though they might look like overgrown weeds to some people. I appreciate the animals that are able to take advantage of this habitat, and the humans that are doing the same. My mind often wanders to contemplate what this area looked like before it was a huge city, what types of plants and animals flourished and how they made it their home. I wonder about what humans have done to it that we do not even realize yet, what sorts of beings existed that we do not even know about, what we pushed out of this area for our own sake, what the earth has lost that we have no way of knowing about. I imagine a time, or maybe it’s a place, where humans can have the best of both worlds- the efficient, communal density of cities, along with pristine, healthy ecosystems with which we live in harmony.
Being lucky enough to spend the extended weekend in northern Wisconsin close to the UP, I took the opportunity to take my ‘nature walk’ traversing through the woods and practicing winter tree identification. Growing up in and around Chicago my entire life, most of my interactions with the outdoors have been severely artificial, or rather, controlled, so the chances to get out into less populated areas always provides a sense of adventure. Having toyed with ‘apart of/apart from’ ideals of nature for sometime, it would seem to me that ‘nature’ in the Edenic, pure, “untouched” sense no longer exists or is being quarantined into pocketed corners dispersed around the globe. It appears that humans have unrelentingly chosen to be apart from nature in exchange for convenience, stability and predictability, and it has alienated us from the rest of creation. Nature seems only to be tolerated when it is either providing a service, can be repackaged for consumption or when no inherent value has been determined to be there.
ReplyDeleteA great example of this dichotomy of spheres (separation between nature as aesthetic and the ‘natural’) I found was the lake my friend’s cabin was on. The residents of this neighborhood had chosen to live on the lakefront in these woods for its seclusion; the lake itself is small and private and its interactions with nature intimate. However, the numerous beavers native to the region had been eating away at the trees, causing trees to fall on some of the homes, so the dam was blocked and the influx to the lake stopped.
Now, with no source to replenish it (undoubtedly amongst other reasons), the entire lake itself is losing its water supply at a rate that I measured to be almost a foot a year. Thereby, in attempt to control nature and maintain its ‘pristine’ aesthetic appeal, these residents have endangered this very value, not to mention the paralyzation of the beaver’s natural influence and the destruction of all the ecosystem services provided by the influx.
For almost a century, romanticized depictions of nature, like John Muir’s, have provided a universal sense of inspiration and envy within its audiences. To explore the ‘unknown’ has not only been an inherent part of our national character but an intrinsic part of being human, and as such, I wonder as ever increasing numbers turn towards urbanization and the ‘natural’ is converted into ‘green corridors,’ what will be left to inspire future generations? Will there be a backlash from this conscious isolation from nature that society has chosen or will all that remain is a nostalgic memory of a more ‘harmonious’ time?
When contemplating where I wanted to take my nature walk, I thought about my urban lifestyle and how much nature I fail to notice. I also thought that most other students would choose to walk along the lakefront or an area with more vegetation than the city streets we walk everyday. Therefore, I decided to take a long walk down Michigan Avenue with my mom last weekend. I wanted to force myself to notice the small amounts of nature that seem masked and unnoticed by the busy city streets, tall buildings, and high volumes of people rushing to their final destinations.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that it was much more difficult to enjoy the nature because everyone is in a rush on Michigan Avenue, and you literally cannot stop and smell the roses. My favorite part of the walk was the budding tulips in small rectangular gardens. These gardens were frequently placed alongside the sidewalks near the road. There were so many tulips, but they appeared lonely and forgotten, especially when they were surrounded with soda cups, yellow cigarette butts, and candy wrappers. I was almost saddened by their failed attempt to be noticed.
Trees are scarce on Michigan Avenue, but when you find one, it is almost a breath of fresh air, as are the weeds peaking through the cracks in the sidewalk! There is so much trash and people and cement that I feel we have forgotten what nature is in big cities such as Chicago. I understand that we have a beautiful lakefront with lots of beaches, but I am specifically talking about the busy downtown streets.
Because I was more focused on the tulips, trees, and weeds downtown, I found myself in a state of relaxation. My mind somehow ignored the honking cabs, chattering of people, footsteps on the pavement, and screeching brakes. I really do believe in the phrase: “Stop and smell the roses.” I believe this, because I took the time to do it and I found myself relaxed and content even though I was having an extremely stressful weekend. I wasn’t worried about myself and everyone around me; rather, I was focused on the beauty nature brings. This walk helped me to realize that nature walks may be a good form of relaxation for me, and I definitely need to learn how to relax.
I chose to do my nature walk at home over Easter break, at a metropark near my house in Toledo, OH. Because it is so close to the house I grew up in, I have spent a lot of time in the park and have seen its changes over seasons and years.
ReplyDeleteIn this walk I noticed many signs of spring: bushes and trees budding; the sounds of birds in the trees (I also saw and took pictures of a redwing blackbird, a robin, and a cardinal); and signs of spring flooding from the Maumee River. I also saw a herd of deer at the side of the path, which is common at any time of year. There has been a lot more flooding in the past couple of years, a change I think is probably due to a new mall that was built on what was formerly a historic battlefield. Now that the field is covered in blacktop, the ground cannot absorb as much water.
Although there are more and more signs of urban sprawl in the area, I still think of the park as a place to go to relax, to enjoy time in nature, and to think. Taking a walk there always puts me in a better mood and helps me feel closer to nature than I normally do in my daily life. On this particular walk I paid more attention to specific details about the plants and animals I encountered, rather than just enjoying the environment as a whole. I was with my Dad, who helped me identify different birds and their songs. I also thought about how different features of the area (such as the river, trees, paths, and nearby houses) might affect each other.
On April 11, 2009 I took a long walk through the nature of my workplace Edgewood Valley Country. Natures beauty is constantly surrounding me on a daily basis; one of the benefits of working at a golf course. I have been working at this golf course for seven years and I never really took the time to let all the sights of nature really soak in. As I wandered around I looked at oak trees that were more than a story tall and could have been around hundreds of years. I walked over the varying types of grass from the fairway, to the greens, to the rough. All types seemed to be eager to turn bright green again and break out from their winter shade of brown. This perfectly cut grass and groomed sand however, are not a naturally occurring system of nature. Dozens of men and woman slave away day after day to make the golf course look as beautiful as it does. I found myself wondering what this piece of land would look like without the human interruption of that ecosystem. Being outside surrounded by nature the feeling that came over me was a sense of tranquility and udder peacefulness; you could hear nothing but the birds and the wind bouncing off the trees. Usually when I am surrounded by nature I think nothing of it and very seldom do I take a step back and really appreciate what wildlife and vegetation is around me. Reflecting back on my walk it occurred to me that plants and animals in a ecosystem rely on each other to survive the squirrels help the trees spread and plant their seeds and the trees help the squirrels by providing a continuous supply of food. There is a consistent them of plants and animals leaning on each other to survive and I also think that bond helps draw out the beauty of an ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteNature Walk in Naperville
ReplyDeleteOn my nature walk I was in Naperville/Plainfield at a park right next to my subdivision. This park used to be a deserted field until the district reconstructed it into a recreational park. I chose this area because I walk my dogs through the park almost every day and didn’t realize the amount of wildlife that it contains. Since it is a recreational park and constructed into a park for more activities, I never thought to think why there was so much wildlife. The plants were nothing extraordinary, and the man-made lake in the middle was not natural to the environment. Since the park was essentially “man-made” I wondered why there was still so much wildlife.
There are always flocks of geese and ducks in the lake and rabbits and squirrels. While on my walk, I thought about the nature that attracted the animals to the field seeing that it was originally a plain grass field. I wonder if there was a certain food source that I wasn’t familiar with that attracted so much different wildlife. There are also two tracks that are each one mile long and a children’s playground in the middle, and a lake around the top of the park. The lake itself is interesting as it is man-made and has a dock and a “beach house” at the end. There were people fishing in the lake as well as rowing their boats through the lake. I also wondered if the content of the water that was in the lake and how it affected the wildlife in the lake. If and how the temperature and contents of the water affected the wildlife in the lake. I saw someone catch a fish and wondered how such a large fish was bred in a man-made lake. The minerals and algae in the water were all initially not naturally put in the lake.
While walking, I encountered nature as beautiful and calming. Even though there were so many people in the park, it is still a home to so much wildlife. Naturally, if I see garbage in a park I always pick it up because I think about the wildlife that I could be harming. Now, I feel humans take advantage of nature and everything it has to offer. Before it was a recreational park it was still a park regardless. It is apparent that nature has to be somewhat created in order to seem like a real park. Lakes, rivers, and fields all have to be man-made to create a sort of essence that is all in all supposed to be “natural.” Being outside, always makes people feel better because there is something soothing about the naturalness of it all. The animals, the air, the sounds, or the smells are all very appealing because they fulfill all five senses. Each sense is achieved through different aspects of nature that make it so special.
For my nature walk I decided to wait until Easter weekend so that I would be at home while I did it. I live about an hour south of downtown in the country. I wanted to wait until I was home because I have always admired the area around my house for the diversity of nature found there. I live on an 18 acre flat of land that is mostly prairieland and natural grasses. This prairie with my house in it, is sandwiched between a small tributary creek and a large woods. My walk started at my house, walking the perimeter of the prairie following the creek, then into the woods following a path that lead to an old civil war era cemetery. On my walk I encountered a lot of nature, in the prairie I saw several pheasants scrounging for food before being spooked by my presence and hiding in the thick grass. While walking through the woods I could hear some wild turkeys in the distance but did not see them though I have in the past. Then, while in the cemetery I ran into a herd of approximately 17 deer bounding through the woods. While I’m out in nature, especially back at my home, I feel much more relaxed and calm, all the stress of school and city life is far away and all you can hear is the wind whistling through the bare trees and the birds chirping. Compared to my daily interaction with nature this walk was much more moving and calming. In my daily life my interactions with nature are in the city, and even when I’m in a park I can feel and hear the city in the background so I can never fully delve into nature.
ReplyDeleteIf this is bold, html works
Neel Kapur
ReplyDeleteEnvironmental Science
4/13/09
Nature Walk
I decided to walk towards the lake down on Fullerton. It was about a 1½ mile walk from where I was originating. After reading Kuo’s article on human social interaction and its co-existence with nature, it was apparent that I would be looking for certain qualities he had mentioned. He mentioned in areas where there are green attributes, such as trees and grass, there tends to be a more safe and engaged social environment. The park on the north side of Fullerton proved this study as it was flourished with people and animals alike. We also live on the north side of Chicago that was once a dominant Puerto Rican neighborhood with high crime rates. It is obvious the low crime rate in Lincoln Park today has been a direct result of the recent gentrification but it would be interesting to know if the change in the environment (such as adding more environmental attributes) could be a factor in the changing social lives of the community? It was hard to dismiss Kuo’s argument because when looking at more desolate areas it seems to be more standoffish and unclaimed. It also does not promote any sense of unity in neighborhoods that have very under-developed city planning. Prior to this walk and reading Kuo’s article I would have never made the connection between nature and particular socio-economic developments in particular neighborhoods.
Nature Walk: Easter, April 12th, 2009.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to surround oneself in a natural environment when you live in downtown Chicago. However, I was able to encounter a bit of nature in Millennium Park, granted it’s more artificial than biological. I turned my Ipod off and put my cell phone away, determined to have a primitive experience. Setting off on a trail I’ve walked before, I noticed something new. I finally felt and witnessed the beauty of spring. All along the sidewalks, vibrant flowers intermingled in their designated patches, creating a sea of color. Trees are gaining back what they lost during the winter and the visible grass is green again. Seagulls and pigeons danced around numerous bystanders, all present to enjoy the sunny, Sunday afternoon. I feel so much more alive when I am outdoors, like I am apart of nature. I lose sight of my purpose when trapped in a high-rise building. Pointless worries and materialistic possessions control my life and my surroundings on a daily basis. However, I regain my strength and inspiration as a human when I walk with nature. I have no control over it’s potential.