Lake Johnson, C Yen

As a study break, I decided to visit Lake Johnson Park. I wasn’t able to walk the entire trail, but I did pass the boat house and also walked along the bank of the lake; I even went across the dam. It was a calm day and not as crowded as it normally was. I saw a few joggers and bikers, along with some fellow dog walkers. The park itself was clean and well kept. There was not a single piece of litter on the ground and smoking wasn’t allowed on the trails. The city had preserved this area well, keeping the waters clean and away from any type of pollution. It’s always relaxing to visit Lake Johnson because it’s far enough from the main roads where you can’t hear any traffic, but also easily accessible to the public. I highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to have a nice and peaceful walk with some beautiful scenery.

Pilot Mountain State Park - Sarah Hasan

A few weekends ago I visited Pilot Mountain State Park located in Pinnacle, NC. which is about a 2 hours drive from the NC State area. What I love the most about NC in general is the various wildlife available, being mountains, lakes, or beaches. This place though really took my breath away. They have a trail that guides you through numerous locations and you are able to walk all around the mountain. They have done a nice job at preserving the area and providing picnic areas as well as trails. I would recommend this as a nice day trip, the views will be worth the drive! 

Lake Johnson Park- Mazen Assiri

About a month ago, I visited the Lake Johnson Park. It is a beautiful park located near Centennial Campus. There is a 3 mile paved path circumscribing the lake for walking. There are sail boat, motor boat, and paddle boat for rentals. Also, there are walking and running trails. I believe it is one of the most relaxing places in Raleigh. I saw many people out there walking with their dogs along the trails. I saw many families walking with their children. It is very safe and relaxing place. I spent about four hours walking with a friend of mine, and I loved this experience. It is a great place to go for a run or a walk, and have a picnic. Some people go there for fishing or just watching the wildlife which look amazing during the sunset.

Centennial Campus Wildlife Education Center-Logan Nguyen

I visited the Wildlife Education Center on Centennial Campus. I saw a lot of wildlife restoration area and I saw a flooding reservation area. I saw some animals there such as: beavers and deers. I also saw trees and habitats from Piedmont area there. You can walk around or biking around the waking road. I also some exotic birds on the trees. They have a lot of programs about protecting wildlife. They also have classes for wildlife hunting and fishing. You can learn what what kind of fish is legal to fish. You can look for fishing and hunting areas there. Overall, it is a very good experiences to visit. 

Sarah P. Duke Gardens - Haidar Albardawil

Two weeks ago, I visited the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University. Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a 55-acre oasis, and there are more than 5 miles of walks, and pathways throughout the gardens. There are four main sections, which are the vegetable garden, the white area, the japanese gardens, and the classic gardens. There are also ponds, woods, trails, and a working homestead farm. Sarah P. Duke Gardens is found to promote knowledge of the connections between people and nature in order to foster an appreciation of the natural world and environmental awareness.

Visit to Clark Park in Fayetteville NC Mira Micin

I visited Clark Park in Fayetteville NC last week. It was a very nice park that included walking trails and a childrens playground. My favorite trail was a wetland trail that slowly turned from wet to dry soil so that you could see the plant types changing. Parks like this are a good example of conservation of nature. It is not purely conservation of nature for its own sake though since it is designed for tourism. Technically it is still preserving nature for human benefit.

Centennial Center for Wildlife Education- James Alexander

I visited the Centennial Center for Wildlife Education at NC State University today. It is a part of NC State's Centennial Campus, located just off of Varsity Drive. The Centennial Center for Wildlife Education is a part of the headquarters of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and is a "green" building. It features various environmentally friendly functions like daylighting, active rain gardens, and Earth-friendly building materials. These all relate back to conservation and preservation of the environment, both of which being topics we discussed in class. The Centennial Center for Wildlife Education can help us all preserve the wildlife of NC and better understand how to conserve the environment for the future.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens (Jennifer A.)

Sarah P. Duke Gardens commonly known as Duke Gardens is 55 acres of specialized gardens in the heart of Duke University.  Duke Garden's mission is to create and nurture an environment for the learning, inspiration, and enjoyment through excellence in horticulture. 

They claim their living collection promotes knowledge of the vital connections between people and plants, fostering an appreciation of the natural world, environmental awareness and sustainable practices.  It is an indispensable and lasting feature of life at Duke University, accessible to all, providing outreach and respite to a diverse and vibrant local community and visitors from around the world.  This is an example of shallow ecology because the gardens are in appreciation of nature and are tended by humans, placing humans above them as stewards.  Sarah P. Duke Garden's core values include: excellence, beauty, inspiration, integrity, stewardship, and community.

Lake Rim Park (Eryn M)

Over the past weekend I went and visited Lake Rim Park in my hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Lake Rim features lots of trails and of course, Lake Rim. When I visited there was actually a birthday party going on so I didn't want to impede on their party so I ventured to the lake. While looking over the lake I saw lots of ducks and other birds on the water.

 There were quite a few local fisherman out there casting their rods as well as their younger apprentices. It was a beautiful day on the lake and I wish the boathouse would've been open so I could have taken a kayak or canoe on the water. Overall, I learned a lot about lake ecosystems including the plants that grow there and the fish that dwell there too.