Session 11/DL
Colloquium/Spring 2006
March 27 - April 2
An evening with Mikhail Gorbechav - FGCU Lecture Series, Alico Arena Tuesday, March 28th, Alico Arena, 6:00 P.M.
Field Trip to Babcock Ranch - Wednesday, March 29th, 1:30 to 3:30 P.M. (see below)
The attitudes and values that shape people's concepts of nature come primarily from religious worldviews and ethical practices. The moral imperative and value systems of religions are indispensable in mobilizing the sensibilities of people toward preserving the environment for future generations.
As the historian of religions, Thomas Berry, has so aptly pointed out, what is necessary is a comprehensive reevaluation of human-earth relations if the human is to continue as a viable species on an increasingly degraded planet. In addition to major economic and political changes, this will require adopting worldviews that differ from those which have captured the imagination of contemporary industrialized societies that
view nature as a commodity to be exploited.
From "Religions of the World and Ecology: Discovering the Common Ground"
by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, Bucknell University
Internet
Reading:
At the website below, you will find an essay entitled "Religions
of the World and Ecology: Discovering the Common Ground" and
in the left hand margin of the website you will find links to 10 different religions.
Please read either this overview article or choose ONE of the 10 religions
from the menu and read about that religion. Take notes as you read. For Session
11's WebBoard discussion, I would like for you to report about the religion
or overview article that you read about. Report on the key themes that the religion
is based on. What environmental value systems do these religions have or lack?
Do you think religion plays a large roll in the human-earth relationship?
http://environment.harvard.edu/religion/religion/
FIELD TRIP TO BABCOCK RANCH - MARCH 29th, 1:30 TO 3:30
Straddling the border between Charlotte and Lee counties, the 91,000- acre Babcock Ranch is one of the largest remaining undeveloped tracts of privately-owned land in Florida. Decades of responsible land management and environmental stewardship by the Babcock family have maintained this diverse stretch of cypress domes, swamps, mesic flatwoods and open pastures as a true environmental treasure.
Babcock Ranch has long been a top priority of the Florida Forever land acquisition program, but the dream of preserving the Ranch appeared to have reached an end when the State and the Babcock family ended all negotiations last spring. One of the reasons that the Babcock Family rejected the StateÕs offer was because it wouldnÕt sufficiently cover the tax liability incurred after selling the Babcock Florida Company. Many would-be purchasers courted the family with significant offers, eager to buy the land, divide it into ranchettes under existing zoning rules and then sell the Ranch piece by piece. This scenario, however, was not the Babcock familyÕs vision for the property that they had so carefully managed for decades. Syd Kitson, Chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, LLC approached the Babcock family with a proposal that would not only solve the familyÕs tax liability, but would maintain stewardship of Babcock Ranch. Syd had two goals: 1) develop a plan that ensured the preservation of the environmentally sensitive land on the property, and 2) create a community that exemplifies how preservation and responsible growth can complement one another.
In July 2005, Babcock Florida Company contracted to sell the Company to Kitson & Partners. As part of the agreement, Kitson & Partners worked with the State to develop a contract that would permanently preserve more than 80% of Babcock Ranch (a tract of land the size of Philadelphia). In November, Governor Jeb Bush, the Florida Cabinet, and Lee County, collectively, approved $350 million to buy 74,000 acres of Babcock Ranch from Kitson & Partners for permanent preservation. While the legislature still must approve funding for the purchase, the State is on the verge of completing the largest land acquisition in Florida history. The significance of this environmental achievement cannot be overstated. The purchase will ensure that a wildlife corridor stretching from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico will remain untouched. The existing business operations Ð cattle ranching, sod farming, ecotours, rock mining and timber cultivation - will continue. Kitson & Partners will retain management of the ranching operations for ten years. By then, the State will have an established management plan and there can be a seamless transition.
Read more about Babcock Ranch at http://www.babcockranchflorida.com To prepare for the upcoming field trip, go to Ê"About the New Babcock Ranch Community" . Here you will be able to see the design of the new town through several maps and listen to what is planned for the town. This may help you prepare questions for the Q & A time with Mr. Kitson following the ecotour.
DIRECTIONS TO RANCH:
From the South: I-75 new exit 143 (old exit 26) East on Route 78 to State Road 31 Go North 9 miles, entrance on right - BABCOCK ECOTOURS
From the North: I-75 new exit 164 (old exit 29) to Highway 17 North, one mile to East State Road 74 15 mile to State Road 31 South, entrance 6 miles on left - BABCOCK ECOTOURS (make sure you don't drive into the lodge entrance that says (Crescent B Ranch)- go past this entrance a few more miles.
If you are coming from campus, carpooling is encouraged. Please let me know if you would like to carpool. Allow one hour drive time.
~Sorry to those who cannot make this trip due to being too far to drive to or a conflict in schedule~
Final
Project
Email your final project ideas ASAP!
Journals
Continue to regularly make journal entries. The journals are to either be dropped off at FGCU or sent to me during the last week of class. (Details on dropping off journals or mailing will be forthcoming).
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