REFLECTION
As I sit here, reviewing my blog posts, sorting through information that will hopefully soon become a wikipedia article, I can help but feel a little bit accomplished. It might not be much, but this blog took me through some new tools that I had either never heard of, or never had the chance to use. Using google maps to create a map of the Opequon Creek watershed, to include highlights of the area, was the first time that I even knew that was an available tool. I can see the value in it as I continue my journey in the natural resources field, where ever that might take me.
Second, the ecology section was very enlightening in a way that I didn't realize it could be. My husband has been by my side every step of the journey for this course. He has had to listen to me talk about things that are probably very boring for him, but he always took the time to stop and hear what I had to say. The ecology training from this blog was an instance of this. I kept asking his opinion on things to add, knowing that I might have some knowledge on the subject, but he did not. It was a chance to see things from the eyes of the audience was I was trying to reach. It was an invaluable experience.
Biodiversity is such a fascinating topic to explore. It can be from the smallest ecosystems working together, to genetic diversity, different species, and everything in between. Each one as complex as the levels below and above. Opequon Creek is just one part of a much larger system, the Potomac watershed, which feeds the Chesapeake Bay. The relationships between these two areas cannot be understated and each one relies on others to survive.
Overall, this was an incredible opportunity, and I found myself learning a lot about a small little piece land that makes up a much larger system. With this final post, I wrap up both this class, and my time as a student at Virginia Tech. For anyone who reads this, I couldn't have had a better time and I learned so much. Find your passion and stick with it.
For those who want to visit the watershed and see some of it wonders, I would highly recommend viewing this site (https://opequonwatershed.org/events/). The organization takes the time to put together events for those in the area in an effort to share the beauty of the area and to help get people involved in their community.
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