A hike over the swamp
on an elevated trail.
A carnivorous, Pitcher Plant
eats insects that live in the bog.
In the book Walden, Thoreau says, "You only need sit still long enough in some attractive spot in the woods that all its inhabitants may exhibit themselves to you by turns." Nature holds many treasures in its forests, parks, and beaches.
I recently went to a forest preserve in Western Michigan. This forest had an interesting ecosystem called a bog. The pictures show the way we were able to walk above the water of the bog and observe some of the carnivorous plants that lived there.
The sounds of snakes, frogs, birds, and insects were all around us as we hiked along the path. At one point along the trail I was taking pictures and was startled by the rustling of an animal in the reeds. I heard loud croaking as the animal moved closer towards me. This animal showed itself to me in a way that caught me by surprise. Afterward, I couldn't help but think that this may have been a bear, moose, or other large animal letting me know that I had crept a little to close to its home.
It was interesting how this forest preserve was so untouched by human influence. As my family drove into the forest we noticed just a few other cars. The gravel roads that winded through the forest were surrounded by trees and didn't any have houses or businesses. The isolation allowed plants and animals to flourish without competing with people for space. In looking at the images on this webpage about Western Michigan there are some similarities between this area and how Chicago was a swamp before it was developed into a city.
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