Yet here I am, starting the one year Masters program at Bangor University in Wetland Science and Conservation.
During this year I hope to gain exposure to the vast and complex subject of Wetland Science and to take with me a deeper knowledge and some very practical skills that will help me progress in my career.
In the mean time, here are some pretty photos of some wetland landscapes that I have had the pleasure of exploring during my travels, and that have inspired me to undertake my Masters in Wetland Science and Conservation! Enjoy!
Walls of Jerusalem National Park, Tasmania
This selection of images is from a hike I took in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park in Tasmania. (Follow this link to the Parks Tasmania government website for more information).
There were some amazing examples of Cushion Plants. The colours were spectacular and it was fascinating to look at the variety of species and see the changes in the apparent biological niches as the elevation, topography and surrounding vegetation changed.
We quickly (though not quite quickly enough!) learnt to read the signs that the landscape presented. An apparently soft, dry, flat area, free from vegetation, though a little muddy, has the potential to turn into a rather damp water bed in the morning after heavy rain over night.
The benefit of having a waterproof camera meant we were able to get some interesting photos from under the surface of the water to see how these rafts of vegetation were built up, encroaching on the ponded water.
Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru
This selection of images is from a series of hikes I took in the Andes in Peru. The scenery was much more dramatic than what I encountered in Tasmania however the principles of wetland science are very similar with some impressive riparian wetlands and even some peat forming bog areas.
We found very familiar looking Cushion Plants though at much higher elevations than where they are present in Tasmania. This photo was taken at around 4000m a.s.l.
It is important to realise and remember the dangers of working, exploring and enjoying wetland areas. This small area of land looked very similar to the surrounding ground with only a little more surface water visible giving a suggestion that there was something different about it. This happy looking chap is not in fact kneeling but is up to his knees in mud. (photo taken by author, before giving any assistance to the guy stuck in the mud).
The beauty and scale of the landscapes in this stunning area made for a very memorable trip.
Photo credit for all images, unless otherwise stated: Kevin Wells (see www.flickr.com/photos/xuberantnoodle for more amazing photos)
No comments:
Post a Comment