Sewanee Environmental Institute

A day of firsts!

2011-07-08T09:50:00.001-07:00

Today Group A went to an Archaeological dig! Although I didn't find anything, some groups found silverware, parts of book, and completely intact bottles! For me, the most exciting part of the day was peeing in the woods for the first time. It's hard to find a good spot to use the bathroom in the middle of a forest because you have to look out for poison ivy, thorn bushes, people, and other creatures. Fortunately I did not encounter any of these things! I also had another first today. Palmer found a tick on my shoulder! It was really creepy knowing that a tick was sucking my blood, but Milena and Maren got most of the tick out of me, then when we got back to Hoffman, Maren got the rest out. Tonight we went to the archaeologists' house to roast marshmellows to make s'mores and have a dance party. Milena had never had a s'more before, so she got to have an interesting experience making one even though she hated it! During the dance party, many new dance moves were invented including the wheelchair, the itch, the flaming torches, and my personal favorite, the shake and bake. Tomorrow, we are canoeing and rock climbing! I can't wait!

Jeannie

Hiking.. again!

2011-07-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

We have done a lot of hiking at SEI.

Today was no different. In the morning we hiked to a beautiful place in the nearby South Cumberland State Park. Our wonderful and most amazing counselors said it was an easy hike (which I found out later was so that we would not be psyched out before we began… I’m still unsure as to whether this method is really effective.) They said that is was downhill the entire way there. But I was actually surprised by the way it was really just climbing over a mountain so that you miserably hiked up for the first part but then you spent the second half of your trip going on a mostly gentle downhill among some lovely forest.

The cave was fantastic. As soon as you reached the crevice in the rock, the air felt 10 degrees cooler. It was a huge opening in the rock that went back deep into the rock. Most people sat on the large stones scattered throughout the area, went into the cave to test their adventurous side, or decided to dip their feet into the cool water to soothe their aching feet.

Here there must be a clarification. The water was not cold. It was FREEZING. Coming from a place in Florida where there are several springs that remain in the low 70s throughout the year and having swum in several glacial waters, this water felt the coldest of them all. After several minutes of walking in the water your feet would begin to tingle and become uncomfortable. After getting out, it was painful to walk again, even on the sand. Many people had, quite ingeniously, left their water bottles in the icy water so they could have nice, refreshingly cool water to drink on the way back to the vans.

However, few people noticed the rocks under the water. Much of the rock on the bottom appeared to be several large flat rocks that were the most beautiful shade of green. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to look up the kind of rock it was.

All in all we had a fabulous time and the ride back to beautiful Sewanee was very pleasant. In some places on the sides of the roads there are still some wildflowers left and driving through the mountains is always so beautiful.

Maren

Friends... who knew?

2011-07-07T23:26:00.000-07:00

I remember watching all twenty-nine of us running and dashing to McClurg dining hall. An array of colors- blue, pink, green, beige, and orange- caught my eyes as the boys pushed and shoved. The girls walked along at a more relaxed pace. Metal forks and plates crashed together. It was a rush for food. A rush to regain energy. A rush to sit among friends. That’s what we have grown to be in a number of days, true lifelong friends. We all sat and chatted our lives away. Not at all paying heed to our sore muscles, and our extreme intense hike to Buggytop Cave. We were a time of relaxation and reconnection. Little did we know that our night was also going to be exciting!

That same night after dinner, we gathered at Spencer for a game night. That alone sounded fun but the night took an interesting turn of events. As we sat waiting to receive further instructions from Mary Beth, Charlotte, and Trevor, we managed to have fun just sitting there. Laughter filled the hall as we all caught up with each other and told embarrassing tales about what happened in the groups. Eventually, we all separated in groups of types of game. The three popular games of that night were: Charades, The Battle of the Sexes and Spit. While playing Spit, there was a frenzy of hand slapping and Jeannie and Scott seemed to be in an intense match against each other. Neither would admit defeat. But for the most part, The Battle of the Sexes was the ultimate team builder game. Guys against girls, naturally the girls won but it was a fun process to see the faces of the boys, when a question about what a corset was. There was the occasional mind teaser for the girls when it came to cars but overall a fun night. And yet, it never crossed our minds that the next day was July 4th because we were too busy simply having a good time or trying bubble tea for the first time or trying to dance to Spanish music.

Ingrid

Mud and Dirt and Fun

2011-07-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

During the first hike today we went to a coal mine where we “stole” some coal and painted all over our faces with it. However, the second hike to Solomon’s temple was the most thrilling part of the day. On the way to Solomon’s temple all of us got muddy and dirty, but nobody expected what would happen on our way back. When we went uphill in the end of the hike, there was not a single person who had a clean spot on his/her clothes. All of us were crawling and grabbing roots and rocks in order to climb the steep slope while in the meanwhile sinking deeper and deeper in the mud. It was really fun, because there is no better feeling than not caring about how dirty you are and maybe this is the best way to become “part of the nature.” However, except the adventurous part, both hikes to the caves were very educational and we learned a lot about the history of Sewanee, about why people decided to build the college exactly on this place, and about the composition of the plateau which makes this place unique. The decision this college to be built here is largely because of the coal with which we painted our faces and the composition of the plateau which is made of sandstone and limestone is the reason for the formation of so many caves which serve as homes for a variety of species.

Milena

Buggytop and Bats

2011-07-07T08:46:00.001-07:00

Day 8 at SEI also happened to be the first day of week two. After a more leisurely morning, the group set out on a hike to Buggytop Cave, a trail little bit south of the Domain. We were joined by Katie Wakefield, a rising junior at Sewanee who is doing research with Professor Zigler this summer on the Plateau. Katie led us on the hike, which happened to be one of our more challenging hikes to date. The rocky, sometimes steep terrain made for an enjoyable trip down to a 150 ft. rock face where the entrance of Buggytop Cave is located. We didn’t enter the cave as it was closed to the public to protect the bats that resided there from White-Nose syndrome, a fungus epidemic that is affecting bats all over the east and Midwest. Once we made it to the cave opening, we enjoyed the cool water the flowed from the cave, and the rocky landscape surrounding it. After we had cooled off and rested a bit, we made our way back to campus to enjoy a quiet afternoon and then “game night.” Everyone is excited for tomorrow and the fireworks at Lake Cheston.
Emma

Wizards, Goats and AHHHHHHH

2011-07-07T08:45:00.001-07:00

Three words describe this day: Wizards, Goats, and AHHHHHHH.

Not enough for you? Okay okay, I guess I can go into a little detail for y’all (that word is amazing btw. Ariziona really needs to catch)

So for Wizards…Dr Evans took us out today to show us the plants surrounding the “res” as the people call it here. I wish he had been teaching me in AP Bio! That man made the classification of plants soooooooo easy! Anyways, after he showed us all of the plants, we were split into teams of four (mine was LGFM if you were curious) to find various plants. I was part of the winning team, which was pretty awesome. He called us the Botanical Wizards. That’s word number one

As for the Goats… Dr Haskell invited us to his house to see his awesome garden, bunnies, and most importantly, goats. They were super cute, but for some strange reason they didn’t respond to my goat speak. Either I cussed them out or told them to turn away. Regardless, they were super duper cute. That’s word number two.

AHHHHHHHH is what the majority of SEI said today at Fiery Gizzard. Why? We jumped off a waterfall!!!! I was really freaked at first, but then I jumped. My eyes were closed so I didn’t know where I was in the air. I ended up hitting the back of my legs. really. hard. (so now I am sitting in a really awkward position writing this blog post). Honestly, I think the worst part of it was the freezing cold water at the bottom. (but really, everything is cold in comparison to Arizona) Still, it was quite the rush!

Those are the three words. There is only one more week left and I can’t wait to see what is in store for us!
Felicity

Natural Climber?

2011-07-07T08:44:00.001-07:00

Day 5 here at Sewanee and we are still all alive. Injury rates have been relatively low so I'd say it has been a successful first week here on the mountain. Today we started out with Dr. Smith who showed us his forestry class' success in the field and also taught us how to control the forest through several techniques like burning. On our way to lunch we stopped by the Sewanee student garden which Dr. Smith also had played a role in starting. In the afternoon we listened to a presentation on conservation, major environmental issues and what Sewanee is doing to combat these threats. Then, a group us went bouldering. While I discovered I am not a natural climber, watching the other monkeys in our group scale the cliff was very entertaining. We ended our day with a trip to CVS to replenish our snack stock and a quick stop at Sonic.
Palmer

The calming effects of nature

2011-07-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

For the majority of today we counted snails in upper cove, upland, and exurban areas. We split into groups and measured out two meter square areas to search for ten minutes each. We got down on our hands and knees and sifted through the leaf litter. When we found a snail we would measure its diameter and record it. This was interesting not only because we got to look at different types of snails, but also because there were so many other bugs we had the chance to observe. It also became more fun when my group incorporated an acorn “war”. When all of the data was put together we realized that the exurban areas had the most snails. Why this is so is a question biologist are still trying to answer. Snails are such an important part of the ecosystem, yet little is known about them. For example, I learned that birds need more calcium than is in its body to lays eggs, so it eats snail shells to get the amount it needs
Also today I learned the coolest thing, at least in my opinion, about the forest. That is that the plants give off chemicals that get into your blood stream and physically make your body more peaceful and calm. I found this really interesting because every time I am in the woods I feel relaxed, but I always thought it was just because I loved nature so much.
After playing with snails all morning we got to cool off in the reservoir. This was so much fun because there was a rope swing and a low platform in the middle that leaned into the water when to many people stood on one side.
After we washed the muck of the day off and had supper we went to a concert on campus. The band performing was The Culprits. I really enjoyed it a lot, which surprised me because I generally listen to country music.
We are now almost half way through the program and I can easily say that I am having a super awesome time. I absolutely love all of the adventures that Sewanee has to offer.

Heather

Musings and Music

2011-07-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hello Parents or other people interested in the SEI 2011 camp!

Currently speaking is Tadhg Young, with my roommate Graham Turbayne (awesome name, right?).
As I write this I am listening to Journey's Separate Ways, perfect for blogging! Now onto the more important stuff, like things that actually have to do with the camp.

Today was great. We studied the snail populations in certain areas around the campus. This was done by dividing the entire SEI camp members into 5 groups and having them choosing random plots of land in either urban (well as urban as this campus can get), suburban, and exurban (the area between rural and the suburbs). At one point I had about 8 snails on my hand, the level of slime was pretty epic. Our professor was Dr. Haskell. He liked snails, but more importantly he was BRITISH!. The accent was amazing. Oh also, I believe the exurbs had the most snails.

Okay now I'm hearing Hotel California, Graham has great song choice. So what happened next?

We all went to a large reservoir, cleverly referred to by our counselors as "the res". This was awesome. Rope swings. Random adrift docks that sank with too much weight. we all started to push people off the dock until someone got hurt. Then we continued to push people off the dock, just without that person. Truly twas a wondrous time we all had.

Finally we finished with a concert from Dr. Evans son's band The Culprits, and they were really talented, and rocked the house so hard the music camp directors were complaining. Now that's what I call music.

Well that's all for this blog entry,i'm gonna go finish listening to Dream On.

We're tired, hungry, aching, but most of all happy.

Bye parents!

Tadhg

Nine snails

2011-07-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

Who would have thought that finding snails in such a HUGE forest would be so hard? Definitely not me. Well I was wrong….very wrong. Searching for these small creatures for three hours only ended with a victory of nine snails. Pathetic right? Luckily the other groups were able to scrounge up enough of them to put together some legit data. After the long hours of snail hunting we ended up cooling off in the reservoir and then headed off to The Culprits concert in the quad. The night ended with a short but laughable game of truth or dare, and then it was off to bed for a good night’s sleep.

Hailey

Swagnificent!

2011-07-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day! A group of us started off bouldering on the rock wall at 6 AM along with a little racket ball. After a hearty breakfast we began the day's "mollusk experience"; we split into groups with awesome mollusk names (squid, tree snail, octopus, etc.) and ventured into the domain in search of the snails of Sewanee. The data collection of snails involved measuring off 2 square meters of space in various habitats (cove forest, upper forest, exurban) and counting and measuring the diameters of snails and their shells within those squares. It was a long and patience-demanding process but it showed us how accuracy plays an important role in data collection and how randomly snails can be found around the campus. My group (the squids, for which we gave ourselves the nickname "Squidward") had trouble finding snails towards the beginning but found some eventually in the exurban area (Ryan named one "Georgia" and I killed it secretly/accidentally). After counting snails we ventured over to the RES (reservoir). The raft almost toppled over with so many people on it, an extreme raft fight developed, and we did some rope swinging into the water to top it off. The day ended with a pretty awesome concert by a band called the Culprits which was quite entertaining. Before bed we all played some truth or dare that was infiltrated by the counselors and eventually involved Ashley proposing to Trevor, a very memorable moment. As Isaiah remembers, "the day was truly swagnificent."

Graham

Cavemen (and women!)

2011-07-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

Today, Group B (B stands for Better) attended a lecture by Dr. Willis. He talked about geographic history and the topography of the plateau. And made jokes frequently. He was fun. After our lecture, we went out into the field to look at historic "all-weather springs" and other structures used during history. Then we hiked down Piney Point and explored an abandoned coal mine. I promise it was much more fun than I'm making it sound. We ground up coal, painted our faces, and reverted to our primal cavemen states. There are pictures. After lunch, our group walked to the low ropes course on campus and began a series of trust/obstacle course activities. There were ropes, spider webs, big rope swings, and a platform that we did a trust-fall with. It made us think, and problem solve, and lots of other things of the sort. Now, let me explain. I'm not fantastic at writing, and I'm making this all sound exceedingly boring. We have all had a fantastic time so far, and we're all becoming close friends. But anyway, I miss you, family (Susan, Garland, Zippy, Jax, Chere, etc.), and I hope you have fun for these two weeks without me!
-Scott

Rain and Sweat

2011-07-07T08:25:00.001-07:00

We started today with rain and it ended in sweat. Gross, but true. Group B started with a game of GeoCache - finding objects using clues and GPS. My group was amazing! Maggie was the motivating competitor. Lydia was our strategizer. Scott was our muscle. I took pictures and enjoyed the ride. With ten objects found, we thought we had the competition in the bag but another group beat us with twelve found. I was disappointed but proud of my team.

After lunch, the whole group went on a hike learning about the geology of the land. We visited caves and scaled muddy cliff sides. It was all fun and games until someone stepped on a hornet’s nest. I was stung two times. I was so happy that Caroline, who is deathly allergic to everything, was not stung. It was painful but it wasn't something benadryl couldn't fix. The hike was difficult and we were drenched by the time we reached the van but it was so worth it.

I've only been here for two days and I'm so happy to be here. The people and the scenery are amazing, not to mention the amazing professors who run the sessions. It already feels like forever. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Addy

Sewanee Fairytale

2011-07-07T08:15:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time, there were thirty teenagers from all over the United States of Good Ol' America (plus Bulgaria!)
We all met one-by-one, trying to remember characteristics about the person to associate with their names. After icebreakers, card games (Egyptian War), a very large game of Apples to Apples we all were able to get to know each other very well. Currently, we are in the common room, all hanging out-- enjoying everyone's company :)

Addy is currently serenading us with her ukulele and her wonderful singing :)

With Professor Smith (he told us to call him Smith), we learned about indicator species and certain objects that can enable us to predict a rough road map of where buildings, houses, churches, schools, etc. used to be. We used our new journals to make the list. There were glass bottles, an old football helmet and so much that could tell us so much about the history of the land. Smith even discussed to us the importance and coincidences of the Fibonacci Series, and how it occurs in nature. (As evident in the crucifix-like leaves of the Post Oak tree).

Then lunch!

Caroline fell today. She sprained her ankle and it was a very sad day...and as I write this, due to the lack of ice in the building, she is icing her poor ankle with a frozen concentrated limeade. But it's okay, she had a fun day! YAY.
It was during our second hike of the day with Dr. Evans. It was really really really really really really hard and intensive for our small unable bodies :( Dr. Evans was a really interesting and fun person to be around. He knew everything about everything in the forest!
We learned a lot in the field-- such as identifying different types of species (white oak, a cave cricket, tulip poplar, basswood, buckeye, and even a scorpion!!) We encountered dusky salamanders, and even the habitat of the rare green salamander.

After dinner, we met a kitty named Muffins/Tim who followed us on our adventure to get frozen yogurt at Sweet CeCe's. Passing by the locals, Southern hospitality was definitely evident in this small, community-based town.

Bellies full of good frozen yogurt, we headed over to our dorm at Hoffman Hall (where we are now!). A handful of ambitious students headed out on the bikes reserved for SEI. A few were determined to find Jane's great uncle's grave right here in Sewanee-- she has a lot of history in this town. :)

Also, apparently we had rocking chairs missing from our dorm, so our counselor Charlotte took us on a little journey, while Caroline brought her cheese balls to share.

SO much happened today, but rest assured, it was a very productive day. I don't quite remember every detail of the day, but it was a very great experience in Sewanee!

Thanks for reading,
Rosalyn

Like Monkeys

2011-07-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

So today was definitely an experience. I had my first tick check. Like monkeys, a few of the girls and myself checked one another’s hair for ticks, which if you are like me and don’t know, they are these little bugs the bite you and can cause Lyme disease. We learned though that the ticks at Sewanee can’t actually cause Lyme disease because they first feast on lizards rather than mice and then move on to the deer. Although the ticks and chiggers originally freaked me out I still haven’t experienced them thank goodness. We started the morning with a hike that was over three miles up and down and in-between the mountains where we looked at insects, amphibians, plant life and fungi. After which we enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria, followed by a shorter hike through the ruins of what was left of old African- American homes, and their church. We learned how to identify land marks and plants that signify such ruins, and what the purposes of these plants were when the housing was originally built. Next we went to the cemetery - a place that I personally found extremely interesting because of all the history and cultural customs that each old cemetery has. After which we got to SHOWER  to scrub off any poison ivy we might have come into contact with, followed by the fore mentioned tick checks . Overall a great first day especially because we are going to the new frozen yogurt place tonight and NO TICKS !

Maggie

Astounded by the sheer amount of green everywhere!

2011-07-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

Today was the first full day of the SEI Pre-College Camp, and it was quite a rush. We woke up at what seemed like the crack of dawn for a quick breakfast at McClurg (some brave souls ventured out even earlier for a morning run) in full field gear – long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and long socks - to protect us from the ticks and chiggers we might encounter on our hikes. We then were whisked off, in our respective groups, to our activities. My group, group B, went on a three mile hike to Piney Point with Professor Evans through the various biomes of the Cumberland Plateau, and all the while Maggie, today’s other group B blogger, and I annoyed everyone by snapping as many pictures as we could. We learned the differences between a sandstone forest and a limestone forest (sandstone is poor for conventional plant growth, while limestone is perfect for it), constantly passing samples of tree branches and leaves back through the line. I was astounded at the sheer amount of green everywhere we went, a clear marker of the remarkable diversity of life forms found on the plateau.

After examining salamanders, ant-lions, and crawfish, we had lunch at McClurg and went through our second activity of the day, the one which group A had just done. We were still hiking, but this time, we hiked close by campus, we were with Smith (he’s very particular about being called Smith, and nothing more, by everyone he knows), and were examining not animal and plant habitation, but human habitation, and how the land is affected by it. We toured the remains of an old African-American settlement and the graveyard, all the while learning about what Post Oaks have to do with the Fibonacci sequence, how one can mark the boundary of old abandoned cemeteries by identifying certain species of trees, and why there aren’t very many red cedar posts in the area. I was again astounded at the information Smith could derive from the landscape. The Domain is so unique. So are this camp’s total of three ukulele players, myself included. I can’t wait to continue exploring it, while learning so much, and making so many friends. I can already tell that this camp is going to be very memorable.

Jonathan

SEI 2011

2011-06-25T22:58:00.001-07:00

Here we are rolling out the 2011 blog. Check back later in the week to catch a glimpse of this summer happenings.

Invasive species and literary discussions

2010-07-08T19:24:00.001-07:00

Today groups A and B split up again after breakfast. Some of us went with Nathan on a hike through campus discussing invasive species of plants and conservation biology. After our hike, Nathan treated us to smoothies and soda drinks at Stirling’s. Nathan and I had a wonderful literary discussion today. The others went with Dr. Evans for a canoe trip on Lake Dimmick. During free time today we finished watching movies and went for bike rides. We had dinner with the admissions staff, in which we discussed the ins and outs of college applications to Sewanee and other universities. After dinner we had a session about the Land Trust for Tennessee. Some of us just finished up a game of Ultimate Frisbee, while others spent the last hour curled up on the couch watching Myth Busters. Clark got stung by a bee today and had an allergic reaction-- I’d say she’s having a rough week.

Danielle Feerst

A run to the "Pig"

2010-07-07T12:11:00.001-07:00

Tuesday morning we headed out with Dr. Smith to examine the species of white pine and loblolly pine which are invasive in the Domain’s forest and the method that Sewanee faculty, students, and alumni are testing to discourage the spread of these pine species and encourage native species and biodiversity which are thinning. The forested areas on the Domain are home to many species that depend on natural fire disturbances in order to grow and reproduce (Oak for example). Sewanee is currently experimenting with controlled burning on the Domain, which we examined and discussed with Dr. Smith. Although the areas have been burned fairly recently, there are already some signs that the controlled burning might prove successful.

We had a super fun and chill afternoon, visiting Professor Haskell’s home, the Sewanee student’s organic garden, the local farmer’s market, and making a trip to the Piggly Wiggly for snackage. Dr. Haskell and his wife run their home in an effort to live “green” and in accordance with sustainability practices. They have their own organic garden, and raise ducks, goats and rabbits. All of us SEI students found their home to be incredibly well thought out, efficient, but mostly fun. The Haskells are also currently raising a woodpecker which they found injured, and recently adopted a new puppy!

Maddie Divine

Controlled burning

2010-07-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

Today, the SEI students began their day like any other with a trip to McClurg Hall for breakfast. We all headed over to Spencer Hall for our eight a.m meeting time for our morning session with Professor Smith. We toured an area of land which Sewanee students had chosen certain unwanted trees and plants to be logged out to try to restore the land to its “ natural state.” Certain pines such as white pines and loblolly pines were the ones removed. The college students also began controlled burns to kill the underbrush and destroy extra debris. The goal was to help the hard-wood trees such as oak, maple, and hickory make a come-back in the woods. The case study was created to see if the logging and burning of the introduced trees would help restore the land to what we believe it was like before European contact. We hiked the land and saw what plants and trees were making a comeback. After the morning session, we hopped back into the vans and headed to McClurg for lunch.

After lunch, we were able to tour the biology and chemistry departments and their laboratories. The SEI students also helped out at the school's organic garden. Following these events, the students were able to visit Professor Haskell’s home where we saw his impressive garden, livestock, and his adorable new puppy which is still unnamed. It would appear that he and his wife are almost “self-sufficient.” Finally, before the end of the day, a small group, including myself, chose to try and conquer a sand-stone wall on the Domain. This is commonly known as “bouldering.” After a full day, we are grateful to return to our dorm to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Joe Gonzalez

Musings by Jeff

2010-07-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today we experienced the joy of killing trees to make way for new, far more superior trees. I am of course referring to forestry. We traveled by van along a shady gravel road. Later we learned that it was shaded so well because the treacherous Eastern white pines along it had leaned in, trying to deny us of sunlight so that we would die like all the other living things it had conquered. The professor leading us was Dr. Ken Smith, who had come to Sewanee after seeing too much sap shed in the tropics. He was determined that the Eastern white pine would not suck the life out of the native oaks. At least, not while he had a breath left in his body.
Once at the site we toured around, and saw the ruts where Dr. Smith had been forced to call in reinforcements in the form of loggers. He showed us the blackened wood piles where he had burned bodies of trees that had fought against his students through the cold winter months and the long hot summers. We identified many native trees, or as I will call them, the good guys. Also, we compared the sites where Dr. Smith had simply burned the camp of the enemy rather than cut them down.
After seeing the aftermath of this great battle, all of our twenty-five thousand troops (at least it felt like that) crammed into one van and we left. As we rode down the ridiculously bumpy road we mourned for the compromises made, the lives lost, the necessary community networking that ultimately led to compromise (didn’t see that coming).
We had lunch. I ate food. It was good. That’s all you need to know.
Next, our grand adventure led us into the realm of Dr. Bachman, head of undergraduate research. We toured around the Biology and Chemistry labs in Spencer Hall. We saw many wondrous things with names that cannot be pronounced. And, we managed to stumble upon a prime specimen of the most rare kind. The summer laboratory assistant. Luckily, these dangerous creatures were kept in a locked room with wide, reinforced windows so that we could examine them in safety.
With our hearts pounding from this close encounter of (almost) the third kind we continued our journey to the organic garden of Sewanee. Sun, lots of sun. I was given the job of whacking the long grass with some type of tool, don’t ask me why, I just enjoyed trying to kill grass and any living thing that came in reach of my awesome, manual, weed whacker. On a completely unrelated topic, I noticed that while I was working, many of the other students chose to take a break. Although, when I stopped the continued to just sit there. I tried to faint of heatstroke to get their attention but it did not work. The fainting, not the getting their attention.
Then, as a reprieve from our many hours of labor, we were taken to the farmers market, to stare at vegetables. I, personally, had a lot of fun.
I know you are waiting at the edge of your seat to hear the end of this epic tale. But, I must take a moment to make a personal shout-out to my friends and family. You people I’m supposed to have been inspired by have really inspired me in so many ways. I just can’t remember any of them at this time. Don’t ask me later either ‘cause you know I’m bad at pop quizzes. Or any quiz. Did any of you teach me how to study? Wow, I am bad at this shout-out thing.
Quick, back to the story of our day. After all of this drama, we finally made it back to the safety of Spencer Hall. There, we listened to a talk by Martin Pate, the guy who makes people pick up litter and tells them to be green. He told us that if we don’t become green soon, we face the end of the world. This made me pause and think. First, who cares? The year 2012? Hello? It’s a little too late. Then, I thought to myself, Why should we be green? With envy? That guy has a better Smart car. Or, that guy only takes a shower once a week to minimize water usage. Personally, I am envious. Imagine what it must be like to be able to knock anyone out by simply lifting your armpits. Hmm… Maybe that’s not it. Perhaps someone didn’t brush their teeth today. Uh-oh. Now we really are talking about loss of human life. Us.
With this valuable change in perspective, I wandered back to the dorm thinking about sleeping when I saw a post-it note telling me I had to write this blog thing. It is now three o clock in the morning. I hope you’re happy.

Jeff Hoagland

(editor's note.. overly-dramatic Jeff submitted this at 9:12 pm - don't believe everything you read)

Just a typical day at SEI

2010-07-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Today we hiked down into Lost Cove with Dr. Haskell. We had our eyes peeled for the rare tiger snail species among the limestone outcroppings. On the way we encountered snake skin, mountain laurel, buckeye, sour wood, yellow wood, bass wood, witch hazel, raccoon tracks, sycamore, walking ferns, iron wood, sweet gum, and many other species. We found hand fulls of snails and snail shells, and a lucky few SEIers found some of the rare striped tiger snails. On the hike out we found hundreds of delicious red raspberries and I found an arrow head. It is very interesting to think about all the people that have lived here before us. Back on campus we completed the day with swimming, bike riding, and star gazing. Just the typical kind of SEI experience.

Thomas Walters

Limestone and Kidney Stones

2010-07-05T22:32:00.001-07:00

Today we went snail hunting in Lost Cove. It was a very long walk and we had tons of fun walking down the side of the plateau!!! Once we got to the bottom of the plateau we walked through a riverbed, which was very challenging but fun! We were looking for the rare tiger snail… we found a few but not much. They mostly live in the limestone rock.

This weekend was very fun as well. On Saturday we walked around the arts and crafts show. There were some EXTREMELY cute puppies that we were all tempted to take home! After that we went to the parade and hung out for the rest of the day until our scavenger hunt at night. On Sunday some of us went to church and out to breakfast but we all met up at one o’clock for a hike to Fiery gizzard where we went cliff jumping and swimming! Then we all got back and headed out the see the fireworks show at Lake Cheston which was great!

And Clark Courtney passed her kidney stone!!!!!!!!!!

Rachel Durkan

(editor's note..no puppies will be coming home on Saturday)

SEI celebrates the Fourth of July

2010-07-05T22:29:00.001-07:00

Weekend: On July 3rd, the town of Sewanee held its annual 4th of July celebration. My friends and I enjoyed having breakfast at Stirlings, a local coffee shop, and browsing the different attractions like the craft fair and the mutt show. Then, at 1 pm, the SEI group met up on the quad and watched the town's parade together which was a lot of fun. On the actual 4th of July, the SEI group went down to Fiery Gizzard, a local state park, and went on a short hike that ended at a small lake where we jumped off of cliffs and rocks into the water. That night, our group went and listened to a local band called "The Culprits" who played at Lake Cheston, which was followed by an amazing fireworks display. It was a great weekend!

Monday: Today, the whole group went on a hike with Dr. Haskell, a biology professor at Sewanee. We were trying to locate endangered tiger snails that live in Lost Cove, a recent addition to the Sewanee domain. We hiked for the most part in a dried up riverbed where we stumbled over large, moss covered rocks while looking for rare snail shells. We would occasionally stop and listen to Dr. Haskell talk about a distinct bird call or animal species that we encountered. The hike was exhausting: we left at nine in the morning and returned at three in the afternoon. However, it was fascinating and I had fun navigating the rough terrain with the other SEI students.

Lily Watson

Deep thoughts by Joe Hollingsworth

2010-07-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

This morning we went on an extravagant journey through the canopy of the Sewanee jungle. As we ascended into the precipice of the canopy, we also reflected on the heights; we will ascend in the future. We descended from the canopy and got Dr. McGrath's insight on photosynthesis and the rates of photosynthesis and respiration. The afternoon was a transcendence of our mind and soul into the spirit of the wilderness. Dr. Brown led us in an exuberant experience on how to channel environmental focus through religion. Also Danielle fell off her bike.

Joe Hollingsworth

End of the first week

2010-07-05T22:22:00.001-07:00

Had a blast today!!! First my group studied the photosynthesis of plants with Dr. McGrath. We went into the woods and measured the rate of each species’ photosynthesis. We also went into the tree canopy, it was so beautiful!!

Our second field session was with Dr. Brown. We rode our bikes to the cabin and did some enlightening meditating exercises, it was so much fun!
Tonight we are going to a concert, can’t wait!!

Kiera Patanella

MacGyver shows up

2010-07-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon session, the kids from Group A studied the ecophysiology of the plateau forest here on the domain with Dr. Deborah McGrath. After a brief introduction to the equipment we'd be using, one for testing the tension that evaporating water creates in plants and another for controlling and measuring the environment around a leaf in order to observe how quickly that particular plant was carrying out photosynthesis, we headed out into the field to observe the different ways domain plants use to survive in a plateau environment that isn't too friendly to plants.

We arrived in the forest and discovered that the plants down beneath the canopy survive because, unlike a fig plant we tested in a garden outside the science building, they conserve the few resources they have and don't allow extra resources to kick them into photosynthetic overdrive. While at the forest research site (after using the van we came in, an adapter, and a very long extension cord to power our equipment in a very MacGyver-esque fashion) we went up into the forest canopy on wooden platforms attached to the tops of trees. Despite fears of heights, the vast majority of students climbed up the ladders into the canopy (using safety equipment and harnesses of course). After a short talk with Dr. McGrath about the connection between the molecular biology within each plant to the ecosystem as a whole, we packed up the vans and headed back to the main campus for showers, dinner, and free time before the weekend and the 4th of July celebration.

Memorable Quote of the Day: "I would support a violent uprising if it led to a peaceful transfer of power"

Jack Albright

Caving

2010-07-05T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today’s highlight was a hike with Dr. Knoll, a geology professor. It started at a rapid pace down a steep slope, with multiple stops along the way revealing caves with chimney like rock formations. It culminated in a tour of an enormous cave, which we first learned about, and then were turned loose to explore. Me and some others were almost left by the group, because we had delved so deeply into hidden tunnel systems beneath the cave, that I would never had guessed at if Joe hadn’t already dived into them. I may end up going to Sewanee just for the caving and climbing around the campus.

Andy Daverman

(editor's note.. no money was exchanged for this endorsement!)

We are family

2010-07-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Today was rather eventful, in lack of a better term. Each morning it seems everyone appears more and more exhausted, yet once we reached Spencer Hall this particular morn, it seemed that everyone was a little more excited. Garbed in their swimsuits and soaked in a sunscreen/bug spray mixture, we all were anticipating the swim at the lake on the Saint Andrews campus. Nicki Hubbard and I, Emily Jackson, were prepared with our infant-sized, CVS innertubes either covered in cartoon sharks or, my personal favorite, with a dinosaur head protruding from my tube. Much to our dismay, our swim time was cut short, as Dr. Evans spent all but about 30 minutes informing us on the evolution and identification of plants. Though I did in fact enjoy his lesson and ended up learning a lot despite my background in AP Bio, some of my enthusiasm was lost when I came close to being rudely bitten by the large black widow traipsing near my foot, protected by a mere Chaco. We finally made it to the swimming portion, where we learned most of us have much trouble treading water for more than 5 minutes at a time. After lunch today, we climbed back in the vans for a geology lesson with Dr. Knoll. Possibly the steepest, most precarious hike I’ve ever been on. This only added to the excitement! Finally, on the way back uphill, we were given the opportunity to submerge ourselves into a cave tucked into the limestone. Many ventured, of course, into the forbidden areas within the cavern, while I was only mildly adventurous by traveling past the slippery rocks almost an entire story above the main crowd. After several attempts of sliding down a steep rock to exit the cave, I decided it would be best to go back the way I came up. The teamwork I witnessed today was awesome, as everyone was basically forced to assist someone else in order to ensure their safety. Overall, everyone’s been bonding incredibly. Though it may only be the fourth-and-a-half day, we’re all really beginning to feel like family.

Emily Jackson

56 degrees

2010-07-05T22:13:00.001-07:00

In the morning we learned about plant evolution, which was really interesting. Once we got to the end of the hike we got to go swimming at a lake, which was great. I liked watching the others try to climb up the cliff to jump off, although I did not attempt to myself.
In the afternoon we went on a very steep hike down to a cave. At one point we were right by the edge on a narrow path and I think we were all freaking out. Once we got into the cave though it was incredible. Even though the professor said it was a small cave it seemed huge to me. It was also kind of refreshing from the hot air because it was only 56 degrees in the cave. The hike back up was exhausting, but I’d say it was worth it.

Kenley Patanella

Archaeology Day

2010-07-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today we were at King Farm doing an archaeological dig, which I must add was AMAZING!

The group was spread out between 5 different spots- Snake Cabin, King House, Green's Cabin, a rock hangover, and one group was looking at graffiti on the rock walls. In every group you were placed with a couple college students, all of which are here at Sewanee for a Field School in Archaeology Program. It was fun working right next to them, even though you had no clue what you were doing. It was really easy to get the hang of though. All in all it was a great day out in the field, but I think it was even more interesting to come back and clean our artifacts.

We came back to the lab and washed and scrubbed our artifacts. Basically we were just trying to get all of the dirt off of them. It was really cool to see what everyone found though. There were a lot of rusted nails, what looks like chips of a china set, tons of glass, and lots of chert (which is the chips of rock that fly off when you are making an arrowhead). It was all very interesting. I learned so much, and I hope the group that goes out tomorrow finds even more!

Kali Thompson

Indiana Myer

2010-07-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the Low Ropes were pretty....memorable to say the least. From the guide wires course, which left me with a few physical memories (Note to self: let GO of the rope when falling), to the Rope swing course, where people were starting to call me Indy (He’s still better with the ladies than I am.) All in all, just a typical day.

Jack Myer

Tuesday happenings

2010-07-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

This morning after breakfast the two groups divided up and went off to do their days activities. My group proceeded to go to the low ropes course and complete the intended obstacles with only a few minor problems. Since we had a fair amount of time left after the course we played ultimate Frisbee. After the game we went to eat lunch and then back to Spencer hall. We met our professor there and we then proceeded to walk several of the trails. During this hike we learned about earlier peoples and how they lived, as well as the importance of water. We also visited a coal mine. Then we hiked to the van and went home. Now I’m about to go eat dinner.

Forrest Wilkerson

Trees, Trust and Teamwork

2010-07-05T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today, I went with counselors Katie and Nathan to the woods. There, we played many games that involved trees, trust, and teamwork. (Wow, that’s three t’s)! We helped each other swing across a chasm of lava, climb a wall, get everyone on a small island, get from tree to tree on tightropes, and we even did the trust fall. I think that these exercises strengthened us as a group.

After lunch, we went on a hike with history professor Dr. Willis through Abbo’s Alley and followed the Beckwith and Piney Point trails. We stopped to see the very cool inside of a coal mine. Dr. Willis told us that some of the structures, even this university, were made mostly out of sandstone and have been around for many years. He also told us how the university began and how the lives of people who lived in this area worked many years ago. This hike was very interesting and educational. Overall, today was a very fun day and I can’t wait to have more!

Katie Depperschmidt

Up at 6:30 this morning

2010-07-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today was our first full day at SEI, and we did a LOT. My roommate and I stumbled out of bed at 6:30, got our backpacks packed full of waters and Gatorades, and set out to the dining hall to claim our breakfast. After breakfast, we met Dr. Smith, who led us through sites where houses and churches once stood, and told us how to “read the land like a textbook” by looking for indicator species of plants that could tell us where buildings or other man-made objects once stood. After lunch, we journeyed through the northeastern part of the domain with Dr. Evans. We started by discussing the differences in the soil in the plateau versus the lowlands, and learned that while the lowlands’ soil consists mostly of limestone, the plateau’s soil is mostly sandstone. Sandstone, however, is a poor Ph buffer which makes the Ph of the soil very acidic, and is more prone to erosion than limestone, which makes the plateau’s soil quite infertile. Afterwards, we hiked a trail which ran through multiple ecosystems, which were all linked by their differences in water retention. Although the trail was only a couple of miles, there were astonishing differences in each ecosystem. The Domain is likely one of, if not the most, unique and diverse lands I have ever seen.

Kevin Farmer

Our First Day

2010-07-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

We spent the start of the day with Dr. Evans learning about the ecosystems that are around Sewanee. It was fun to take a hike and see the different kind of habitats that are in the area and learn what kind of plants and animals live there and why. The second part of the day we spent with Dr. Smith and learned to search the landscape for clues to people who lived in the area and what they may have done with their lives.

Tamura Dunbar

Sweat

2010-07-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

Today, while resting, I looked around and noticed a design printed on everyone around me's lower back. It looked like lungs. Lungs of sweat. I touched my own back in fear of whatever grotesque sweat-pattern had emerged from my skin. Only after I realized the extent of my back sweat did I come to terms of how well-deserved it was. I had spent the morning bounding through high ground covering plants, using them as clues to decipher the lives of those who were at Sewanee before me, and after pausing for lunch, I hiked through the Cumberland Plateau and observed the diversity of the habitats there, all in high temperatures with still, humid air. No wonder I was so sweaty.

Simona Zappas

SEI 2010

2010-07-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

Here it is - our blog for 2010! Every day we hope to give some snippets of what goes on at the SEI Pre-college Field Studies Experience. So let's get started!

July 8, 2009 - Group A

2009-07-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

The twelve days(counting today) that have gone by seem to be moving too fast to even stop for a minute to think about the experiences that have happened while here at Sewanee. It is hard to imagine that only three days are left to spend with our newly developed friends. Despite being extremely tired from the intense learning done on the previous day, everyone was able to get up, and in some way or another, everyone was able to get to class. Groups switched for the first time today, so everyone was able to spend a little more time with the people they hadn't previously spent time with. The new group A participated in the class titled, "Water: A Reflection of our Environment," with Dr. Rob Bachman. In this class we were able to visit the water treatment plant for Sewanee, and learn how clean water is produced to be supplied to the whole town. Following the field trip, we ate lunch, and returned to Spencer later in the day for a Chemistry class. In the class we participated in an experiment that tested the iron in different water level samples. On top of learning about water, we were able to have answered interesting science related facts, for example, "why does diet soda explode when frozen?" So far today has been very interesting, and later today we will be having dinner with the admissions Staff, as well as prepare for an intense group project that will demonstrate what we have learned while participating in the Sewanee Environmental Institute.

- Anna Stachura

2009-07-07T15:24:00.001-07:00

Today Group B woke up early for a long hike down the mountain to the cove. We biked down to Morgan Steep to begin our hike. We examined biodiversity, focusing particularly on snails, in several different locations at varying elevations. Dr. Haskell explained the importance of snails to the surrounding environment, emphasizing their calcium content as a critical nutrient for female birds. We listened for different species of birds in the forest and were able to get responses from the scarlet tanager and the yellow billed cuckoo using recorded bird calls. We were able to find and identify several species of snails throughout our hike. In addition to all of this, our group discovered several small ponds overflowing with tadpoles. We ate a quick sack lunch before the difficult hike back up the mountain.

After we arrived back on the central campus, our group went canoeing on Lake Dimmick. We had a great time exploring the lake, paddling, and swimming.

Tonight after dinner, we are going to the Culprits concert at Lake Cheston. The band is local and includes two of Dr. Evans’s sons. We are looking forward to meeting some of the members of the Young Writers program, another pre-college program currently taking place at Sewanee. All of us are excited for Fourth of July tomorrow!

-Joanna

Archaeology

2009-07-07T15:04:00.000-07:00

So we woke up and did the normal thing: shower, breakfast, and meeting in the atrium. We picked up out sack lunches for one of the culmination events of the SEI program. We were going to dig at the old King's Farm site. The site was home to the King family until the late 40's when Sewanee bought the area and bull-dozed the site to the ground. Our main excavation focus was at the cellar site, where most of the artifacts were to be found. We were seperated into three groups when we first go to the King's Farm site. One went to a former dump, another was to dig shovel test sites that might lead to later full excavation areas, and the last group went to the cellar site where the archeology was already underway.

At the dump site, we set out into three smaller divisions. Kyle and Sean started a 1 by 1 meter test area where they dug up the soil and sifted it with these big screens in search for glass, pottery, china, and other various dump items. Gaby went out about 15 meters and walked in a giant loop around the entire dump site in search of interesting artifacts. Jane searched through the main dump site. The test area group didnt find much other than some shards of broken lightbulbs and an interesting bead. Gaby found some really interesting water jugs and teacups around the perimeter. Jane found an old Coke-a-cola bottle and a whisky bottle with the top still attached (sadly for us, no alcohol).

At the shovel test sites, each group that rotated through did a 1 by 1 foot digging where they went to the B horizon (the bright orange clay material). The material taken out of the pits was screened out and the items were collected. Will Noggle found a bunch of nails in one hole, but that was probably the most interesting finds. Most other people found small bits of glass, clayware, or pottery. After the digging and sifting was done, we filled in the holes (so the little deer didnt break their legs or anything). The plan was to have both groups A and B dig around 16 to 20 test holes to see where future, larger-scale excavations were to be made.

Lastle, the large cellar excavations site was everybody's favorite because of the "loot" they found. The site was sectioned off into three areas with different depths at one of the areas. The digging consisted of around 4 or 5 people digging and scraping at the soil with trowels. Once 10 litres had been dug up and put in a bucket, the dirt would then be sifted out and the smaller goodies would then be uncovered. A ton of things were discovered at the site. An old 1930-1940's toy car was unearthed along with some matching pieces of china, a knife, and some other silverware. A ton of other things were found, but it is simply too much to list.

After the collecting, we went and brought the artifacts to a lab where we washed and seperated everything onto plates. It was rough and tedious, but we survived. After that, we went along to dinner at McClurg and ate our various food. After dinner, we went back to the lab, took up the artifacts to another lab. We documented most of the artifacts and looked up dates and cross compared them from the cellar to the dump. Most of the things in the dump and the cellar were closely related time-wise, but we've only been at the top of the cellar, not the bottom where most of the original King's Farm items are. But that was the field activity for Monday. Group A will be repeating what we did tomorrow, except for the dump area. The archeology was really interesting and we all learned a lot about the King's Farm homestead.

-Sean Altendorf

Thursday July 2, 2009

2009-07-07T15:02:00.001-07:00

Today “Group A’ spent the morning with Dr. Haskell learning about the animal diversity on the plateau, cove, and valley. We mainly focused on the species of snails and birds in the area because they are related by the need for calcium in the snails’ shells and birds’ eggs. The group only found one snail on the plateau which we learned was a result of the sandstone which is low in calcium, and little moisture in the area. After a hike off trail down the mountain a little ways we found a larger population of snails in the cove. As we approached the limestone valley which is rich in calcium carbonate we found hundreds of snail shells. Mark scared the girls in the group by taking a tumble down a slope but was fine and impressed many of the guys. We all enjoyed sack lunches in the valley by a stream and rested before the trek back up the mountain. Instead of taking the easy way up, we all decided to climb up the empty stream bed full of huge rocks and boulders. Needless to say at the top the entire group was drenched and exhausted but had a great time with Dr. Haskell.

After a short break the entire group set out with Dr. Knoll to study the hydrology of the limestone in the valley. We returned to Morgan’s Steep where we had been with Dr. Haskell that morning and set out down the other side of the mountain. Along the trail the group saw many caves and vertical shafts formed by the gradual erosion of limestone by acid rain. If too much erosion occurs the caves fall in on themselves and form sink holes which were also along the trail. We saw many house-sized sandstone boulders that had fallen from the plateau above into the cove. The group learned the underground air in the caves is constantly 56 degrees by hanging near them to escape the heat of the day. The limestone in the area is a sedimentary rock from an ancient shallow sea so we saw many marine fossils. After the second hike back up the mountain we all enjoyed a much needed rest and got ready for tomorrow’s activities

-Mark and Kenzie

Week 2 - Day 1

2009-07-07T15:00:00.001-07:00

Today we went back to learning with a long, hard day of archaeology. We got to be the first group to see what lay beneath the soil of the old king house which was knocked down in the 1940s. We found plates, spoons, pieces of glass, marbles, a toy car, and an old battery. We also visited a dump site where the forest floor was littered with tons of plates, glasses, bottles, and other types of glassware. It was really cool to be working on an actual archaeological dig and learn the methods and tools used by the professionals. One method was where we would dig small deep holes to sample the artifact density and see if we would want to do more digging there later.

Lunch was had at a Native American rock shelter near the dig site. There we were tasked with finding the cave painting on it. Turns out the cave art was of a man. It was extremely faded and pretty hard to see unless someone points it out. After lunch we worked on the site for about another two hours and came back to wash the artifacts and try to figure out what they were. Some things that looked like one thing, turned out to be completely different. For instance, what we thought was a nail turned out to be an old chicken bone that had somehow been turned slightly green.

Later, when we had everything cleaned off, everyone got together to try and date some of the artifacts based on words or makers marks on them. Most thing we dated turned out to be from the 1920s-1940s. We discovered that we had found an old toothpaste bottle for something called “Teel” which was the precursor to Crest. One of the bottles found was and old historic whiskey bottle by Frankfort Distilleries Inc. And on some items we could find almost exact pictures of the artifact, like the toy car. Tomorrow group two gets to continue the dig and I know we all can’t wait to see what they unearth!

Swimming at the Res

2009-07-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

A lazy Sunday was welcomed after an eventful Fourth of July. Most of us rolled out of bed around ten and made our way to Stirling's for a quick breakfast, and some coffee. Later that day, due to threatening skies we resorted to the Fowler Center to pursue our athletic interests. Some ventured to the tennis courts for a friendly game, or to the weight room to pump iron, however most of us ended up participating in an interesting game of soccer. There was a wide range of ability level represented in this particular game, ranging from Hannah who had not played since kindergarten, to Will and Doug who did their best not to mow anyone over on their way to an upper ninety shot on goal. All in all the teams worked together to find a good balance, and if nothing else were interesting to watch. After an eventful experience in the Fowler Center, we decided to venture to the Reservoir for a swim.

Despite the overcast sky almost every member of SEI jumped from the Sewanee conglomerate (rock) into the refreshing water of the Reservoir. Once everyone was in the water the fun was able to start. Between the rope swing, Frisbee, and “dock rocking,” there was something for everyone. On the dock in the middle of the Res was an active game of four square, which ended in what has been duped “dock rocking.” This particular activity consists of as many people as possible flooding to one side of the dock and essentially sinking it, while being careful not to fall off. This proceeds as soon as someone decides to make a move to a different side of the dock, followed by everyone else, and their weight, resulting in a seesaw like motion. After everyone had sufficiently tired themselves out, we made our way back to the vans. However, a day at the Res would not have been complete without a belly flop contest. The SEI campers are proud to report that one of our own, Will Vaughn’s stomach was more red than Bentley’s and
thus he brought home to gold for the campers.

-Ellie Renner

Snails and Culprits

2009-07-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Today our group went down the side of the plateau to look at birds and snails. We had to get up early so we could bike to the location. The hike down wasn’t bad we had to do a lot of climbing. Our guide was Dr. Haskell who teaches a class on birds and enjoys studying snails. We climbed to different levels looking for snails. The further down we went the more snails we could find. We also listened for some birds on the way down.

When we got to the bottom we searched for snails for a while then we finished we climbed around on the rocks and looked at waterfalls. Gaby found a turtle shell. We ate lunch before we made the climb back up to the top. The climb up wasn’t nearly as easy as going down. We went up a steep slope and had to climb several waterfalls. Then once we got to the top we had to make the journey on bike back.

Later that night we went to a concert for a band called The Culprits. It was really fun. There was another group of young writers there as well. The band was really good and we ran around and through a Frisbee. After the concert we headed back to Hoffman and watched some TV.

-Patrick

Fiery Gizzard!

2009-07-07T14:56:00.001-07:00

Fiery Gizzard was the best activity I did so far! We hiked with Dr. Evans down a really steep trail with lots of rocks. Along the way he told us about different trees like the fungus hemlocks and rotting logs. All through the trail we could hear the stream. Finally after a good bit of hiking, we reached a deep water hole with a waterfall flowing into it. The water was a lot clearer than Lake Cheston, but also colder. It was fun to go underneath the waterfall. Later, after we all cooled down in the water, we dried off and started the accent up the mountain.

-Sara

Day 5

2009-07-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

Friday we went to do some research on plants and find their photosynthesis rates and make hypothesizes about the sun's effect on plants low to the ground and up in the canopy. The coolest part of the day was when we got to climb up into this awesome tree house and walk around with harnesses. The tree house was 60 feet high and the crows nest was 75! It was pretty scary to look down and also when someone would shake it! Once we were done with the canopy we went on the ground and wrote in our journals and talked about why we think some trees grow better up high compared to the ones down low. We also measured the stress/water tensions in plants by cutting a leaf and putting it inside this pressure bomb box with nitrogen inside. Then, when you turn it on it pressurizes and little water droplets come out of the stem. After that we got back in the van and went to McClurg for LUNCH!

Friday night we had a fun little mixer with the Young Writers! So we all got dressed up and went to Lake Cheston to see THE CULPRITS! It's a boys band and two of them are Dr. Evans' sons. They are actually pretty amazing and their songs are on iTunes! At first no one would go up and dance but when the writer's camp came down everyone started dancing. They sang songs like superstition, and steady as she goes, also Jason Mraz, OAR, and even Dave Matthews... We got to meet a bunch of new kids that were at other Sewanee camps and also some local kids that are our age, which was pretty cool. We even danced on stage until they got mad because someone unplugged the drum set thing, but other than that, it was pretty crazy. We had way better dance moves (especially Hannah!) than the writer. Everyone behaved though, so don't fret. After the concert was over we all went back to Hoffman and watched movies and ate leftover cupcakes from Will's birthday (Mrs. Noggle - Will has been eating them for breakfast!) Then we all went to bed.

-Gaby

Day 4

2009-07-03T05:43:00.002-07:00

Today we woke up early and went to breakfast. The bacon, eggs and hash browns were delicious! Dr. Smith, a forestry professor at the University of the South, took us to Lake Odonnell in Sewanee. At Lake Odonnell recent clearing of trees has occurred. The clearing was done to try bringing the Oak population back as the dominate tree in the area instead of the Red Maple. We took measurements on the height and the amount of trees growing back in three different locations: the edge, clearing, and forest. After finishing all of the measurings, Dr. Smith took us to the edge of the lake where we collected so many salamanders. After returning from Lake Odonnell we grabbed some lunch at McClurg. We then headed to the low ropes course. At the low ropes course we did some team building exercises. We helped each other climb a 10 foot wall. We also built team spirit working together to pass through a maze of wires. We also did trust falls. This is where one person stands on a platform and falls backwards. The team stands as a group to catch the person. It was pretty scary falling back. Luckily, the other students could be trusted and successfully caught us. We came back and did this blog and chilled for a bit until Team B returned from hiking and swimming at the Fiery Gizzard.

-Doug and Kevin

Day 3

2009-07-03T05:43:00.001-07:00

June 30th consisted of a hike in both the morning and afternoon. The first hike was centered around collecting and identifying various flora. This hike at Lake Cheston was led by Mrs. Mary Priestly and Mrs. Yolande Gottfried of the Sewanee Herbarium, with each taking one of the two groups. My group, led by Mrs. Priestly, walked around the lake learning to properly indentify collected specimens by various distinguishing characteristics. The other group had a similar experience. After a few hours of this, we reconvened and drove back to campus with our bags of collected plant specimens to organize what we had found. Back in one of Spencer hall's labs, Mrs. Priestly and Mrs. Gottfried taught us the proper method to catalog and press our collections. Our collections have been left to press, and we will return to them soon to finish our catalogs.

After a lunch break in McLurg, the two groups separated again to hike with either Dr. John Willis or Dr. Jerry Smith. Because my group had hiked with Dr. Willis the day before, we joined Dr. Smith for a hike around the Domain to learn about identifying the characteristics of the land, or as Dr. Smith put it, to learn the "vocabulary and grammar" of the land so we may "read its text." We started at a past home site long devoid of any indications of human activity save for the natural growth in the area. There we received our first instruction in the identification of certain characteristics of the land that tell the secrets of the area's past, such as age of trees in the area, unnatural alterations of the land's topography, and indicator species. Our group continued on foot around various areas of the Domain such as another abandoned home site, the cornerstone site, and the local cemetery. At the end of the hike we all felt confident in our ability to divine the secrets of the land--a skill that will come in handy later on in the camp experience.

-Parker

Day 2

2009-07-03T05:42:00.000-07:00

For morning session, Dr. Evans took us out to Greens Field to launch his lesson on Biodiversity on the Plateau. First, he had us play teacher and say a fact about the landscape as seen from the cliff. After relating our fact, we had to ask a question to prompt the next ‘teacher’ from the group. Then Dr. Evans took over. “There is no balance of nature. There is only change!” he announced as we overlooked the spectacular view from the cliff edge. Then, he marched in full field gear straight for a trail. The tour of biodiversity was on. He asked us to pay attention to distribution and abundance (“D ‘n’ A”), topography, substrate and disturbances in each location. As a group, we explored Old Growth Cove Forest, Plateau Forest, plateau streams, ephemeral ponds, sandstone outcrops, and stands of short leaf pine. To finish, Dr. Evans led us to Piney Point, a tiny sandstone cliff surrounded by pines.

That afternoon, we split into our groups. I’m in Group A so that’s all I’m qualified to comment on. Group A includes Kenzie, Audrey, Tiff, Angie, Lauren, Kate, me (Hannah), Doug, Kevin, Mark, Parker, Scott, Will Vaughan and John. Group A went with Dr. Willis to discover Landmarks in Time and Place. Basically, he took us on a tour of Sewanee’s natural history centering on the importance of water, sandstone and coal.

After dinner, Angela Galbreath lead us in a case study of Haiti focusing on the links between poverty and the environment. She challenged us to solve one of 7 problems (Clean Water, Education, Environmental Issues, Health, Hunger, Political Instability and Weak Economy) based on the situations in Haiti.

-Hannah

Day 1

2009-07-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO THE SEWANEE ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE – PRE-COLLEGE FIELD STUDIES EXPERIENCE 2009! (SEI 2009)

Today is the first day of a brand new pilot program for high school Juniors and Seniors. Each day, we (the first class of students EVER through this program) have to update this blog thing. And it’s my turn. So:

For the first day, we all met and went to an Opening talk held by the Dean of Undergraduates Eric Hartman and Dr. Jon Evans, Director of SEI. It was a cool overview of everything we’re going to be doing. The two weeks of field studies culminating in Group Projects on the King Farm where we’ll have to apply all the skills we’ve learned to figure out why the King Farm succeeded onto of the plateau while the others failed. It should be very interesting and educational.

After the Opening, we had a campus tour led by our awesome ‘camp counselors’, Bentley and Allison. Sewanee is really pretty (but most of you parents have been here so I don’t need to tell you that…) We’re staying in Hoffman dorm because it has air conditioning. It’s comfortable. Everyone seems to have settled pretty well. We eat at McClurg’s which is the big dining hall in the middle of campus. They have almost everything. According to Bentley and Allison, whatever they don’t have now, they have during the school year.

After the tour and dinner, Dr. Evans introduced us to SEI through a presentation called Sewanee Landscape Overview. He covered what we were supposed to expect, field safety guidelines, vocabulary, and the basic geology of the Domain. Following Dr. Evans’ introduction to the plateau, Allison and Rachel performed a comical skit designed to teach field safety.

And that was Day 1.

-Hannah

Getting ready for students!

2009-06-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hello all,
Bentley here. I guess I have the honor of making the inaugural first blog post.
Everyday I will grab one or two students to come to the computer lab before dinner to update this blog. We will try to include as much information about our daily adventures as possible! We will also be uploading photos to the flickr account so that others can share in our experiences!
Be sure to also check out our collection of geo-tagged photos here. As of right now we only have some sample photos from a lab tagged, but Sunday night we will try uploading a few new ones to get things rolling. Additionally, feel free to check out our flickr account for more photos from the Sewanee Environmental Institute.
That is all for now!