'Tag Along'

I volunteered this past week to "tag along" with one of our Conservation Foundation's several Land Steward's, mapping, clearing and documenting the Upper Myakka Preserve. Total, there were three of us, tasked with also identifying and removing an invasive plant species, a very thorny shrub, the aquatic soda apple.

Esmeralda (Land Steward), Stacey (volunteer) and I started in the uplands, north of the Myakka State Park boundary. We headed both north and south, mapping down to the lower-lying banks of the Myakka River. 

We marked our way through old growth of live-oak and cabbage palms, down to the river's edge. There we pushed hard through the six-foot high, nearly impenetrable, invasive Para grass. Impressively, all accomplished within a five hour hike through the Preserve’s heavily 'hog-rutted' terrain. 

Glad I was up for it. Though, did feel a little punch-drunk later, after finally laying down.

The Conservation's 'Land Steward', Esmeralda, forcefully pushing her way through the tall Para grass along the river's bank.