Over my vacation my best-friend and brother Ken introduced me to a well kept secret oasis right in the middle of the University of North Florida Campus. The university host a preserve of about 300 acres of natural habitat differing dramatically from Sandhills, Scrub Oaks, Upland Pine Forrest to even a Cypress Swamp. Like children we explored a small section of the 5 mile trail system stopping here and there to take in the views and absorb natures best.
Walking along we could not help but appreciate the foresight and planning that went into this place. Land that could have been developed and sold for millions was set aside for the birds, deer, rabbits and squirrels. Remembering that we are but stewards of this planet really brought things into perspective and an old Indian proverb came to mind... "We do not inherit the earth from our forefathers instead we borrow it from our children."
We are part of a great whole and "preservation and conservation" only ensures that our children will not lack the natural resources and beauty that makes this planet so amazing. You may not "own" thousands of acres but we all can implement small changes and "conserve" a little for our children's sake. As nature works together to create its own habitat so we must co-exist and work together to be part of that "whole" that we were intended to be. Small changes echo out like ripples in water and grow exponentially. What can you do in your corner of the world to make that change happen? Whether it's raising awareness or picking up a piece of trash we can all work together to conserve our planet's resources. I can imagine everyone pitching in just a little and changing the worlds environmental condition for the better and our children's tomorrow. We should all start pitching in today for a better tomorrow.
*The last picture was taken by Ken.