Internship week 8:

This week we took the class to 6-mile cypress. I again met with students before class to make sure that no one got lost (somehow this still always manages to happen:)... and try to promote carpooling.
Once at 6-mile, I gave a talk to the class about green building and discussed some of the examples shown in the pavilions and visitors center at the site. This year the squeamish students are getting off easy, as only the boardwalks were open to the public, until a yellow jacket nest can get cleared away from the main trail; when my class went to 6-mile we were wading in water up to our chests!
    I was able to help Sarah out significantly with this trip, because unfortunately the board walk constricted the class into a long line, making teaching difficult. So while Sarah talked in the front, I was able to move in and out of the line and re-explain concepts as I went.
We also got really lucky with such a big class and still managed to see a mother gator, several wild boars and some giant alligator gar.

After 6-mile we then went to Estero Buffer Preserve and walked the trails. We again had great success with wildlife by spotting dozens of gopher tortoises and a bald eagle.