The first time I went to Lady Bird Lake for this assignment was on September 6th, the weather was very hot, dry and sunny. The temperature was 95F and the sky was mostly clear. I was able to paddle board and get in the water, the water was warm but still refreshing, it was very calm and with little seaweed. It was perfect weather to paddle board because it wasn’t very windy. I was able to see turtles, listen to the bats under the bridge and see some birds flying, a few times I saw some splashing in the water but couldn’t see what it was, I am guessing they were fishes. The only things I didn’t like was seeing some trash in the lake and all the noise made by the constructions going on near by.
Nitza and I paddle boarding in Town Lake
On Thursday, September 25 I went back to the lake and had a different experience from the one I had at the beginning of the month. This time the weather was a little less hot, it was around 76 F, there was a nice breeze and you could feel summer ending and the beginning of fall. I didn’t have a chance to get in the water this time, but instead I went to the other side of the lake where people run and take their dogs. Even though it is the same lake I got to experience different things this time. For example I noticed lots of tress that create a very nice shade to sit down and enjoy the view. While I was sitting down under a tree I didn’t notice many bugs, but ants. I saw lots of dogs with their owners. I really enjoyed watching them play together, and getting in the water to catch the balls, and then swimming back to shore. There was a lot of people working out and running and it made me realize how good being outside in nature is and how much people enjoy it. Sitting there I realized how this spot is a perfect contrast between civilization and nature, “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” (Aldo Leopold 224, 225) I chose this quote because I think of it as the interaction between people and nature. These people who go to Town Lake use it to work out, bring their pets out and relax. They are using nature for their benefit, but at the same time nature benefits because these people work hard in order to keep the stability and beauty of Town Lake because they like going there, and enjoy being able to interact with nature on a daily basis.
In a city like Austin, where outdoor activities are so popular, preserving the well-being of the environment should be a priority for every citizen. Thanks to this assignment I was able to see the relationship between nature and humans for the first time. And I realized how important it is to observe what is going on in the environment and how the temperature, the animals and the different trees and plants are all related and learn how to enjoy it.