My nature spot, left to right, part one (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
My nature spot, left to right, part two (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
My nature spot, left to right, part three (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
My nature spot, left to right, part four (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
My nature spot, front to back, part one (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
My nature spot, front to back, part two (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
Trash along the bridge which borders my nature spot (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)
Trash in the "basin" of my nature spot (Photo by: Rachel Schoenian, 2010)For my nature spot, I have selected an area surrounding the dam on the Jordan River near the School of Education.
It is situated between the (approximately) quarter mile stretch
between Read Dormitory and Wright Dormitory, just past the only set of
stairs you would take if walking from Read to Wright. The spot is confined by four fairly distinct boundaries:
the bridge that crosses the Jordan River (on which I am currently
sitting on in a feet-dangling sort of way), a sidewalk to my right which
travels away from the bridge path at a ninety degree angle and curves
to lead to the School of Education, a knoll to my left which forms a
somewhat steep bank to one side of the Jordan River, and two trees
parallel to the bridge which, if connected in a surreal game of “connect
the dots,” would form a fourth wall to my nature spot.
The man-made dam in the center of the area almost perfectly bisects
the spot as it runs parallel to the bridge; and the Jordan River, which
runs perpendicular to the dam, bisects the area in the other direction,
completing four almost equal quadrants.
The relationship between the river and the dam really is a beautiful
example of a fusion of man-made and natural construction, and what I
would consider the area’s most distinctive feature.
Yet, the area also contains several other wonderful features. One of the most obvious of these is the variation in elevation that can be observed. From my spot on the bridge, the top half of the area bisected by the dam is about six feet higher than the area closest to me. In addition, the banks of the Jordan River slope fairly steeply to the left and more gently to the right.
These banks, along with the dam, form a basin-like area in which the
Jordan River runs a crooked path before disappearing underneath the
bridge. I would say that the drop from my seat to the bottom of the basin would be about ten feet.
The areas beyond the banks are level with the ground behind the dam
which includes the upper section of the winding Jordan River.
Moreover, the area past the right bank of the river is fairly open and
grassy before colliding with the sidewalk that was previously
described. Overall, I would say that my nature
spot is about the size of four of our classrooms, if each classroom was
one quadrant formed by the dam and the Jordan River.
Because it is nearing the end of January, the area is looking quite deprived of fresh vegetation. However, the skeletons of what once was still remain.
The two trees which form the furthest “wall” of the area are well over
thirty feet high, towering above the area with exposed branches.
Several other smaller trees line the banks of the river, but look as if
they have been defeated by overgrown weeds and grasses or simply winter
conditions. These smaller trees rise about five feet above my head as I am sitting. Dead leaves scatter the area.
In the area in front of the concrete dam (which stretches well over
half of the area), about twenty to thirty large rocks sit, stacked along
the wall of the dam and the banks of the basin. The water runs through the rocks.
In one particular spot, the stump of a tree grows out of the rocks,
but looks as if it has been severed by university maintenance.
The largest branch of this disfigured tree (about fifteen feet long)
is strewn across the floor of the basin in front of the dam. The Jordan River nearly touches this branch as it runs across the land, through the dam, and through the basin. The water runs at a fairly strong current for such a small stream and I can hear it rushing as I write.
The water is very clear and I am able to see the bottom of the stream,
which is probably only eighteen inches deep at its deepest.
When I first arrived on the scene, a small brown bird was sitting in a
natural pool of water that had formed on one of the large rocks. As I continued to observe the area, I saw about six additional similar birds fly in and out of the area. However, that is the extent of the fauna that I observed from my spot on the stone bridge. Although unseen, I am sure that smaller creatures frequent the spot for a drink of water or a bird bath. The spaces between the rocks and along the weeds could also provide shelter for some small animals.
Humans, I would say, do not use the area because the land is not at all flat; and coming near to the edge of the bank would probably result in a devastating and muddy slide down the bank into the water. I am guessing that the only area utilized is the sidewalk leading to the School of Education. However, signs of human life can still be found. Several pieces of trash lay in the basin below my feet and around the rocks on the banks. I am sure that as students were crossing the bridge, they disposed of their (from what I see) Diet Coke cans and candy wrappers by tossing them over the edge of the bridge without thought. A paper cup and a used piece of gum also sit several feet away from me on the edge of the bridge.
Humans, I would say, do not use the area because the land is not at all flat; and coming near to the edge of the bank would probably result in a devastating and muddy slide down the bank into the water. I am guessing that the only area utilized is the sidewalk leading to the School of Education. However, signs of human life can still be found. Several pieces of trash lay in the basin below my feet and around the rocks on the banks. I am sure that as students were crossing the bridge, they disposed of their (from what I see) Diet Coke cans and candy wrappers by tossing them over the edge of the bridge without thought. A paper cup and a used piece of gum also sit several feet away from me on the edge of the bridge.
