Nature Preserves

 "To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed." ~ Theodore Roosevelt

The importance of preserving healthy natural spaces cannot be understated. They bring so much value to communities and provide wildlife with natural habitat. With continual housing and business development in populated areas, people are seeking parks and natural spaces for recreation or relaxation. There is nothing quiet like a quiet walk in nature to soothe the mind and calm down the nervous system.

Nature preserves provide protection for native plants and animals that may otherwise lose their home due to environmental factors. Wetlands in particular offer economic benefits by helping to protect communities against flooding and shoreline erosion as they buffer land from storms. Water quality is also improved as the wetlands work like kidneys by filtering sediment and removing impurities from surface water.

Wildlife habitat is essential for the survival of species. Nature preserves provide the essentials of food, water, cover, and space for wildlife to thrive. Healthy natural spaces offer opportunities for nature lovers of all ages to walk, hike, or just sit and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings. Photography and keeping a journal are great ways to capture, record, and study the wonders of nature.

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day." ~Henry Thoreau

The Nature Conservancy is an international organization working to protect our planet through conservation practices. Their work helps to protect natural landscapes that harbor the diversity of plant and animal life on earth. They are located in all 50 United States of America, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. They welcome us to join them and explore the places they protect. To learn how you can get involved, access educational resources for youth, or find a preserve to visit and connect with nature, please visit: The Nature Conservancy

If you're in the area looking for an amazing outdoor experience. I highly recommend a visit to the 276-acre Kent Island Terrapin Nature Preserve and Park. Entry is free, there is ample parking, dogs are welcome, and there are clean family-friendly restrooms with changing stations next to the ranger station. You can spend the day walking, hiking, biking, fishing, and making memories. This location is ideal for a homeschool field trip as a family or with a group. There are marked trail ways and a loop that goes through a wildflower meadow, wetlands, the shore, and woodlands. Moreover, there is plenty of space to explore, engage in nature study, educational activities, picnic, play games, and relax on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more.”

~Lord Byron

Follow this link to plan your trip to Queen Anne's County, Stevensville, Maryland, USA: Terrapin Nature Park

Exploring the World Day-by-Day; Capturing Nature's Wondrous Display! ~Jen