Tags
The mention of Disney probably conjures up visions of Mickey and Minnie or Cinderella’s Castle.
Sadly, this family-oriented corporation that seeks to abide by the Christian teaching of ‘love your neighbor, as yourself’ is being attacked by radical Republicans who ignore the Christian biblical teachings about loving others. But that is for another discussion in “Random Thoughts”.
Searching for the Holy Grail found me at the gate to a lesser-known Disney enterprise about a half hour south of Disney World in Florida. The 11,500-acre Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve is located about a mile south of Poinciana on Scrub Jay Road. The Preserve is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday at no cost to the visitor.
The Preserve came about when Walt Disney World was seeking permits for the expansion of Celebration in the early 1990s. To accomplish this expansion wetlands would be destroyed causing some intense environmental push-back against the project. So, Disney purchased the 8,500-acre Walker Ranch in 1991 as a form of mitigation banking to reestablish a parcel of wetlands. In April 1993 ‘The Disney Wilderness Preserve’ was officially established, and work began to return the ranch to its pre-agricultural self.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority added 3,000 acres to the preserve in 1995 to offset the expansion of Orlando International Airport and Disney has committed almost $40 million to the project since 1993.
“The principle goal of the Disney Wilderness Preserve is to restore and manage wetland ecosystems. As of 2013, 3,222 acres of wetlands and 300 acres of uplands had been restored within the boundaries of the preserve. Wet conditions were reintroduced to the former pastureland through the removal of invasive grasses, such as bahiagrass, using herbicide treatments and prescribed burns. Agricultural ditches also had to be removed. The site is still routinely maintained through controlled burning.” from Wikipedia
The Preserve’s web site states: “Home to more than 1,000 species of plants and animals, the preserve is an essential part of the Everglades ecosystem. It contains 3,500 acres of restored wetlands that act as nature’s “sponges,” capturing rain, filtering out nutrients and replenishing our groundwater.”
Letty, the volunteer who met me, explained that their restoration work is complete leaving them with the job of preserving the wetlands by removing invasive species of animals and plants.
I set out on my hike following the Wilderness Trail specifically to experience Lake Russell.
Letty also informed me that the lake is one of very few in Florida without a human community built around it.
On my way to the lake, near the bird blind, I encountered two retired engineers, Tony and Sanh (pronounced ‘Sun’).
The two met in college and the rest is like a Disney story. Sanh worked for the Department of Energy in Boston until the couple moved to Florida. It turns out we are neighbors. They live in the fourth community north of us on Poinciana Boulevard. Sanh has a world of knowledge about nature stored in her mental filing cabinets and was most helpful in pointing out specific species. She seemed especially interested in the Swamp Cypress and Monk’s Heads or knees produced by the trees.
The view at Lake Russell was awesome.
We saw some hatched eggs that Tony and I thought might belong to alligators.
We were wondering what the chewed-up soil filled with deer prints was when we encountered two retired science teachers who shared their thoughts that the Preserve crews were probably digging up some invasive species in the spot. We decided to go with the biologist’s speculation. We also accepted the scientists’ belief that the eggs belonged to turtles not alligators. When I exclaimed to the biologist, “Oh, you dissected frogs.” (Cause that is what I remember from sophomore biology.) She said, “Yes, and I regret it.” Her concern for the natural world changed how she sees the interrelationship between animals and vegetation preserving life.
I’m glad we didn’t encounter any of the dudes mentioned on the sign.
The two scientists had worked in business after retiring from education and I believe they are both totally retired now. The energy level increased when we connected with the teachers who were ‘way fun’ to hang out with. They wouldn’t allow me to take their photo because they weren’t wearing make-up and needed to ‘do’ their hair if I wanted a photo.
We separated from the two gals at the junction of Yellow Trail and Wilderness Trail when Sanh, Tony and I headed back to the Welcome Center. Tony, fortunately acted as the guide pointing us in the correct direction or I would have wandered off the wrong way at the next intersection of trails.
We had not seen much wildlife until we were near the visitor’s center when we saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes with two babies. The encounter was a beautiful moment seeing that family wandering around together into the high grass.
Today’s adventure was certainly a grail moment for me. I was privileged to hang out in a place where people are working hard to save the planet. During the visit I was joined by likeminded people concerned about protecting our life-giving environment. Without a doubt I stumbled upon a holy grail on this day.
See you next time.