Inspired by our wonderful trek through the Guilford Woods this morning, I decided to head down to Price Park on this beautiful, sunny day after getting my after-class coffee. I knew I had to get some research about the park in this time around and after Jim showed those modules in class I knew I was all set for this next post. But I just wasn’t sure of what this one was gonna be about. That is until I got to the park and took a walk along the paved path.
As I started walking, jazz in the headphones and warm sun shining down on the gravel, I saw a familiar sight, but one I never looked close enough at to recognize it’s brilliance. There was a small little metal post in front of all the trees near the stream and it read “No cutting” as a tree behind it laid promptly on the ground, possibly due to winds. I just burst out laughing at the realization that society can make as many rules as they want, but Mother Nature obeys none. From there, I was captivated by the sunshine as it lead me past the sign to the trail’s stream, an area I had seen plenty of but never really stopped to admire. And on a day as beautiful and warm as this, with the sun shining down on the muddy but mesmerizing seascape, I realized I knew exactly what to write about this time around.
To even try and describe the beauty of this stream would not only be an injustice but a complete waste of time when these photos capture it all. What I will talk about was how peaceful the time I spent near the stream was. As I headed down to the main hub, I sat down on a surprisingly comfy and clean rock, I just sat there and gazed at the stream for the better part of 20 minutes as my playlist continued. Combining the scenery with the music and the warm feeling of the sun just made the place feel like something unreal, a place unburdened by society. Well, except for me, of course. Eventually though, I felt like there was more I could see so I walked a little further down and found a group of rocks with an amazing new angle of the stream, so naturally I stood on the rocks and collected some killer shots before finally feeling satisfied enough to head back to campus.
After getting access to the Price Park management plan, I flipped to the section about the streams I’d encountered and from what I’ve gathered, many of the park’s waterfront, including the streams have been restorations. The plan stated that the park’s streams have not met their expectations and do contain some issues that were visible when I reflected on the visit. The most prominent of these was the fact that reports from 2002-2005 and 2008 said that vegetative density deficiencies (which would explain the murky looking water) as well as channel instability problems were the main issues at the moment.
Regardless, the stream was a true beauty and it was quite a peaceful day thanks to that little visit. Now that I have access to the management plan I’ll definitely try and examine some aspects of the park I’ve already discussed with some added context but also continue to explore and expand on the areas I discover. But that’s all for now folks.
