Who Learned The Most At Summer Camp?

Summer is a busy time for humans and critters. As a counselor at the Pascagoula River Audubon Center's recent summer camp, I learned as much as the 1st - 5th graders who attended. Examples:

Barnacles have feathery appendages that rhythmically sweep out into the water to gather food - plankton.

The Pascagoula River and surrounding bayous are filled with microscopic life, evidenced by us under a microscope. For that, the barnacles are grateful.

Impervious surfaces like asphalt and hard concrete near our water systems are a problem. They allow oil, gasoline and pesticides to roll right off into the water. Pervious surfaces would be much better - they allow a firm surface, but are somewhat porous and absorb chemicals before they sink through to the soil or run off into the water.

We take for granted that nature can rebound from what we throw at it. It can to a point. The more of us who inhabit wilderness areas make it harder for it to rebound, though. For that reason, if we choose to live or spend time in these areas, each of us must be responsible for doing what we can to minimize impact - for the critters and for us, too.