WEEK TWO- FIRST DAY SHADOWING FRANK

Monday was a very much anticipated and special day. My first day in the Ernest Coe Visitor Center, and shadowing Frank on the Anhinga Trail. It was very hot outside, but the excitement of going out with my very first group of visitors made the threat of the heat less unbearable. Frank has ten years experience as an Interpretive Ranger, and he had his own style.....It was a very fulfilling experience for me. I have much to learn and read, but I think everything will be just fine. You know what they say....."where there is a will, there is a way". I took many notes and broke everything down into categories. The visitors in our group were from all over the world. Visitors were from Denmark, France, Florida, Minnesota and Germany. The topic of today's program was about the way in which the water changed in the wet and dry seasons. The wild life is dispersed during the wet season and comes together during the dry season. I learned about all the trails and boat tours that we offer during the summer months. I felt comfortable after a couple of hours and was able to assist many visitors with their needs. I even recruited a volunteer during our walk on the Anhinga Trail. A local woman from Homestead who comes to the Everglades every morning. She is looking forward to becoming a part of the team!!!

DAY FIVE TRAINING (TRT)

Today was informative and eye-opening as we engaged in Basic First Aid and CPR training. We went though everything we need to know in case there is a visitor or visitors that need medical attention. The training was pretty simple, but it is the real scenario that counts. After five hours of training, we took a test to become certified in CPR. It is a requirement to work as a ranger in the Everglades. I am now ready to begin my first day on the front-line, Monday, June 21 at 8:00am in the morning. I am very proud to be a ranger and be a part of this beautiful environment.

DAY FOUR TRAINING (TRT)

Thursday was an interpretive training day led my Ranger Allyson and Nate. They were teaching us the ways in which they connect to the visitors and give them the experience they are looking for. In my opinion, they are teachers like myself, only they are all about nature and the Everglades, and I am about teaching reading and writing skills. Working with children who have special needs, I have always found it important to introduce nature to my students.

Autistic children tend to cling to animals and nature, thus making my job so much more fulfilling. After a lovely pot luck lunch, we spoke about which projects we would work on as part of the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program. I will be working on the Don't Let it Loose curriculum with Jenny Guerra and compiling a list of Special Education acronyms along with their definitions. There is much to be done and to explore. After today's session, I am beginning to come up with ideas for my future programs. Its getting closer to the day I put my ranger uniform on.

DAY THREE TRAINING (TRT)

Day three was another fun and exciting day for the rangers in training. We started off at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center and then to Anhinga Trail for an interpretive training tour. There is sooooo much information to learn. I felt overwhelmed and in awe at the same time of how much Ranger Allyson knows. I learned about the gators and what they mean to the Everglades. They are the protectors and do much good for the Everglades. I saw plants such as the fig, which has a milky white and sticky sap. There were BEAUTIFUL birds such as the gray heron, the Anhinga and the The Great White Egret. I learned about sawgrass of the Everglades, and how the leaves of the sawgrass contain a very high proportion of silicon; creating a tough, resilient and hard-edged fiber.
I'd love to get to the point where I can give my own program and feel confident. It is very important to know about nature, like the human body, because we are connected to it. We are alive because of nature and without it, we would not be here.
Nature is the CENTER of life. When you learn about nature, you are learning about your place in the planet

DAY TWO TRAINING (TRT)

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DAY TWO STARTED OFF WITH SHARK VALLEY....DID YOU KNOW?

What's Shark Valley? How did it get its name? Shark Valley is a small section of the Everglades National Park with a 15 mile loop road. It is a fine aria to see the wide expansion of the sawgrass prairies, what we like to call the 'true' Everglades. It is dotted with smaller tree islands throughout the prairies along the long loop road. It is a fantastic place to see alligators, birds, possibly white-tailed deer, and much more! Halfway through the road loop, there is a tower approximately 65' high, giving a very nice view over the sawgrass prairie. Shark Valley IS in a valley. The elevation to the east and west is slightly higher. When I say slightly, I mean a few inches. In the everglades, a few inches is a lot. The everglades is a river. A very wide, very shallow, and very slow moving river. It used to be the width of the State of Florida, before it was drained to make room for people. All along the edges of this one large river are smaller "mini-rivers". These mini rivers are deeper than the rest of the everglades, and usually have a tide. Often they are brackish or even salt water. You find these rivers along the area where the everglades meets the sea. One of these rivers is named the Shark River. There are many sloughs in the everglades, each one eventually feeding into or becoming a river. Before the system was screwed up, the Shark River Slough was the primary flow path for the everglades.That is where it got its name!!!!

Next, to Loop Road where the Educational Environment Center is. The Loop Road Environmental Education Center is located 12 miles west of Shark Valley on the Old Loop Road, inside Big Cypress National Preserve. This center's facilities consist of an Indian chickee (shelter) with picnic tables and food storage box, five platform tents, barbecue grills, restrooms, campfire circle, pond, nature trails, and a butterfly garden.Study habitats within walking distance include: pinelands, sawgrass marsh, cypress slough, hardwood hammock, and freshwater pond.

Then, off to lunch at Miller's Oyster House where I ate a wonderful seafood sandwich.

In conclusion, Nate saved the BEST for Last with our Gulf Coast boat tour. It was very inspirational. All real blast!! I never realized how much there is to do in the Everglades. It is a wonderful place for family, fun, and education. I was so exhausted by the end of the day, but woke up excited on day three to continue my journey...... STAY TUNED....

WEEK ONE TRAINING-DAY ONE (TRT)

Dear students, parents and collegues,

Ms. Dressler was chosen to be a Teacher-Ranger-Teacher at the Florida Everglades this summer. My mission is to educate everyone about the importance and beauty of our Everglades. It is imperative that children embrace nature into their lives, and it is our duty to ensure that they are afforded the opportunities we did as children. We must all work together to save our Everglades National Parks, so that our children and many generations to come can experience as we all did.
For the next eight weeks, I will be giving programs and working on projects to ensure that our guests and students connect and receive the ultimate experience of the Florida Everglades. Did you know??
Everglades National Park protects the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It is made up of 1.5 million acres. The area boasts rare and endangered species, such as the American Crocodile, Florida Panther, and West Indian Manatee. It has been designated an International Biosphere reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance, in recognition of its significance to all the people of the world.
It is up to us to make a difference. I'm VERY excited about sharing my experience with you. I hope that you will all see what I see and join us in saving our Everglades.