October 20, 2022

3rd Nature Walk (Theme: Plants) on Chestnut Hill Reservoir

The 3rd Nature walk had a theme of plants. I decided to take a walk around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir to observe the different plants that abound in it. I did my walk on the afternoon of October 19, 2022. I started walking at 5:31 PM and finished at 6:10 PM (39 min walk). Usually, for my nature walks, I start walking by hearing a little music to get the good vibes going and then turn it off to connect with nature. However, for some reason my Air pods didn’t want to work today, so I concentrated on my surroundings. It was a beautiful afternoon to go for a walk. The sun was still out, and the sky was blue. The temperature was quite chilly at 54°F, and it was a little windy. Honestly, my fingers were freezing while observing the plants and taking the pictures; but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the walk.

It’s incredible the many different plants found in the reservoir. As I walked around the reservoir, I tried to find different kinds of plants to have a diverse plant journal post. My observations focused on 4 of the main groups of plants: Bryophyta, Polypodiopsida, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms. During my walk, I observed many ferns with a sporophyte body and a blade shape. The ferns belong to the Polypodiopsida group of plants because they are seedless vascular plants. My observations also included many different flowering plants with colorful petals. These plants belong to the angiosperms group. I also observed different kinds of trees, such as oaks and pine trees. Pine trees are gymnosperms plants because they are non-flowering seed plants with cone-shaped seeds. Lastly, I also observed mosses with a green flat-like structure that were generally stuck on surfaces such as the ground, rock, and trees. Mosses belong to the plant group of Bryophyta because they are non-vascular plants.

Thus, I accomplished my goal of observing the 4 main groups of plants while taking my nature walk around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. What surprised me the most was that I could practically apply what we learned in class about plants to my walk. I find it amazing that thanks to this class, I can now observe some plants and could classify them into their main groups of plants. Not only can I appreciate the beauty of the plants, but I can also appreciate their function and importance. Plants provide us with many benefits, such as oxygen production, preventing erosion, moderate temperature, and climate, and serve as food, fuel, building materials, and even medicine resources. Lastly, on this nature walk, I learned that if you don’t use your phone or listen to music and focus on the nature around you, you will have a more enriching experience. Reconnecting with nature reduced my stress and calmed my nerves. This nature walk lifted my spirits and gave me energy. I genuinely believe that my interactions with nature, specifically the plants accomplished this. Thus, I'll add one more thing to my list of plant benefits: the psychological and physical health benefits of just being around them! I truly recommend that you try this on your next nature walk!

Posted on October 20, 2022 04:27 AM by miguel_oliveras miguel_oliveras | 8 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

October 6, 2022

2nd Nature Walk (theme: Fungi) on Chestnut Hill Reservoir

For the 2nd nature walk, the theme was Fungi. I took my walk on October 5, 2022, in the forest adjoining the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. I’m not going to lie, the weather was pretty bad for us humans, as it has been cloudy and drizzling all day long. On the other hand, the fungi had to be quite happy with the rain as they grow best when there is abundant moisture available. (Obviously, fungi do not have emotions, but I like to see it this way. LOL) Even though I was not that motivated to get wet, I put on my rain jacket and hiking shoes to have a good grip on the ground because it can be slippery when wet (IK what a try hard, but I recently had knee surgery, so safety first!) and set off for my walk. The temperature was very cool at around 57°F, and there was little lighting due to the clouds blocking the sunlight. In the last nature walk, it had been challenging for me to spot fungi; however, I was hopeful that this walk would be different because of the rain.

At first, I was having a hard time finding fungi, but after the first fungus was spotted, the others were also observed quite rapidly. My first observation was at 4:54 PM, and the last was at 5:33 PM. Most of the fungi that I observed were found on dead trees or branches and in spots with shade. There were several types of fungi with different forms, sizes, shapes, and colors. Some fungi had a stem or stalk-like feature supporting the mushroom cap; others didn’t have a visible stalk or stem and just came out of the tree or a dead branch. There were white, brownish, and orangey like color fungi. I only observed one fungus that came out of the soil; the others were on trees and branches.

After observing the many different types of fungi on the nature walk, I was very interested in knowing how many different species there are and how diverse they are. I was super surprised at what I found when I read about it. According to my findings on the web, it turns out that there are about 100,000 known species of fungi (after accounting for synonyms); but the total number of fungal species worldwide is thought to range from 0.8 million to 5.1 million. OMG, that's a lot, right?!? Not only are there countless different types of fungi, but each one has a significant role in the ecosystem. Fungi are essential organisms that promote biodiversity. They support the operation of healthy forest ecosystems by developing mutualistic, symbiotic relationships with plants, breaking down organic matter, assisting in the cycling of nutrients, supplying food for animals, and producing a variety of habitats for various forest organisms. Lastly, if you are very interested in this nature walk theme of fungi, like me, and would like to explore a little more about the magical world of fungi, I genuinely recommend you watch the film or documentary “Fantastic Fungi”. It is available on Netflix and dives into the beauty, intelligence, and solution the fungi kingdom offers to us (humans) in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic, and environmental challenges. In fine, one will be surprised how an organism that looks so simple is much more complex and important than it appears.

Posted on October 6, 2022 01:07 AM by miguel_oliveras miguel_oliveras | 11 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

September 30, 2022

First iNaturalist Nature Walk (Chestnut Hill Reservoir)

Went for a walk on Wednesday, September 28, late afternoon to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir and the surrounding forests or wildlife. I walked from 6:01 pm to 6:47, but to be honest, I lost track of time and fully enjoyed the walk. I was surprised at how busy the reservoir was at this time. Many people took a walk, ran around the reservoir, or talked with a companion. At the beginning of the walk, the afternoon was beautiful. The sky was blue, and there were nice white clouds. The temperature was very cool and refreshing at 66°F, but the breeze made it feel slightly colder than it actually was. Thus, I wore a jacket because I'm from Puerto Rico and am used to temperatures being in the 90°F range.

The reservoir is a very special place for me because the first walk I had when I came to BC freshman year was walking around the reservoir. However, I had never taken a good look or taken the time to carefully observe the plants and animals that abound in the reservoir. To tell you the truth, I was amazed at the biodiversity found in this area. There were many different types of plants and trees that caught my attention. Most of my pictures and observations were of the plants and vegetation found in the reservoir and the nearby forests. However, my favorite observations were those of the animals, especially the squirrels and geese. The squirrel I took a picture of was climbing and moving through the trees. I was surprised at how fast it was going and jumping from branch to branch. I was a little worried that the squirrel would fall from high up, but he handled it like a pro and proved me wrong. I also loved the geese because they all ate together in grassy areas. They look so cute eating together! The sun started to set as time passed, and the sky had a beautiful orange color. The temperature was getting colder, but I was having such a good time that I wasn't even paying attention to it.

Watching the biodiversity and the people walking in the reservoir made me think of the Ecosystem Services that we studied in class. The Chestnut Hill Reservoir supports many animals by providing them with a habitat; the countless plants in the area also regulate and serve as a filter for the carbon emissions that we humans leave behind as they do the process of photosynthesis. Additionally, the reservoir provides recreational and cultural uses, including activities like walking, jogging, or enjoying its aesthetics. And how can I not also include the educational benefit that the reservoir provides to students like us, where we use it to apply what we learn in class to real life. In fine, the Chestnut Hill Reservoir has always been a very cool place for me, but this class and the nature walk have made me appreciate it much more. I would definitely recommend others to do this because it is not only a lot of fun but also very therapeutic!

Posted on September 30, 2022 08:38 PM by miguel_oliveras miguel_oliveras | 7 observations | 0 comments | Leave a comment

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