After the last few weeks of talking about the meaning of nature through different authors' lenses, I was excited to spend this class seeing it for myself! Our class this past Wednesday made our first trip to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge and got to put our knowledge and skills "to the test". We were tasked with using pliers to cut through an invasive plant species called the Chinese privet which had grown and rapidly spread all across the outskirts of a bison territory so we as a class and team were determined to serve and help in any way that we could.
Through this post, I wanted to share three things that I learned from this experience! The first thing I was thinking about was this idea of accessibility that we talked about in class. On one hand, we were cutting back an invasive species for the well-being of the refuge but on the other part of myself couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for cutting back such a beautiful and healthy plant. According to my faith, I believe God is the ultimate creator of everything in this world and part of it feels like sometimes why would I want to take away or cut back His creation? But in addition, I had to consider and take into account why were cutting back the plant species with the intention of preserving and restoring this refuge so it was hard to sit in the question: which thought is better? Which do I agree or disagree with?
The second thing I learned from this experience was the power of teamwork when it comes to change! I know it sounds maybe silly or straight forward but after looking around and seeing all that our class was able to accomplish in just a few hours was quite incredible. It was also great to see how everyone had their strengths and weaknesses (physically or mentally) and so when I fell short or did not feel strong enough to cut a branch of the plant away, I had one or two teammates standing beside me consistently encouraging me and spurring me on. Reminds me of what we talked about in class with Edward Abbey as well and that some change can be done in an aggressive or maybe extreme manner while others can bring unity and change with peace in mind.
The last thing I learned was how to use pliers! I had not used them except maybe once or twice at home if I helped my dad with plants in our backyard and I have to say it was quite the experience. Definitely took some time to get used to how to cut the branches back with these new tools but also an experience I am extremely grateful for and will never forget!
Those were a few of my thoughts and lessons that I wanted to share from the experience but overall truly enjoyed it and am excited to see what other ways we get to serve as a class and community. Also, I can not take credit for this last photo (Rachel Ba's picture!) but wanted to share a sweet photo of this little guy that we saw throughout our adventure!
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