How to get the best out of a nature walk

Getting the best out of a Nature Walk
Do no harm--Take nothing but photos/--Leave nothing but memories

By Jerry Cates

The parks in the Fern Bluff MUD are home to a large number of turtles, snakes, lizards, bats, opossums, insects, birds, and other animals.

Besides animals, these parks are also home to a huge number of wild and introduced plants, including wildflowers, grasses, mosses, fungi, and other flora.

Each of our nature walks will attempt to examine these natural features, and document them for posterity so that others, who are unable to come with us, may enjoy them vicariously by reading about, and viewing photographs of, those features on the Internet. A nature walk carried out in this manner can accomplish several objectives at once, and that's a good thing.

Unfortunately, a nature walk can also be destructive if it is not done carefully and reverently. Unless we obey at least a minimum set of rules, we may do more damage than good:

General guidelines:

Don't disturb any form of wildlife that we see on the way.
Don't pick flowers, collect insects, or damage plants.
Keep as quiet as possible during the walk and listen to nature.
Wear clothes with earth-tone colors, because bright colors distract birds and animals.
Wear light footwear that won't disturb the ground we walk on.
Bring your notepad, camera, and binoculars.
Bring a small bag to carry out anything you bring in, such as candy wrappers, etc.

Take a Walk in a Fern Bluff Park

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