Taylor Walters - April 25, 2026: Noland Trail (Free-Choice Entry)

A few friends and I have walked the Noland Trail a couple of times and it's one of my favorite things to do when I need to reset. The trail is about five miles and loops around a reservoir. It's very beautiful, especially in early spring when everything is just starting to come back to life! I think that outdoor spaces like the Noland Trail are important to me because it's where I can apply the ideas that we're learning in class to a real environment. The last time we walked it I kept noticing a lot of different things about the water. I noticed how it looked different in shade versus sun, how the trail would get closer to the edge and then further away, and how the birds were louder when we were closer to the water. I think that this class has taught me to pay more attention to nature and the outside world. Instead of just walking the trail, I'm noticing relationships between the water and the trees, or the trail and the ecosystem around it in general.

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