In storytelling, it is a common occurrence for the protagonist to gain insight or make a personal breakthrough by retreating to nature.
Regardless of majors, UF students ought to be all too familiar with this trope, having read Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” and Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” in What is the Good Life? “Walden” in particular has inspired many a nature outing, with countless readers finding Thoreau’s two-year foray in a solitary cabin as particularly rousing.This trope exists for a good reason: nature provides an opportunity for simplicity, a quality scarcely found in human interactions and day-to-day life.
Nature is enlightening; nature is serene; nature simply is. Even in more chaotic natural environments that have remained relatively untouched by man, the dichotomy between life and death is far less complicated than sorting out one’s 401k account.
In 21st century America, where you can’t seem to throw a rock without hitting a Starbucks or Wal-Mart, nature ought to be preserved and celebrated.Here in Gainesville (or Micanopy, if you’re going to get technical about it), we’re lucky enough to have Paynes Prairie, a 22,000-acre nature preserve.
For many UF students, the first encounter with Paynes Prairie, which also happens to be Florida’s first state preserve, is when driving up Highway 441 to begin school, where the state road finds itself smack in the middle of the preserve. Despite the presence of a wooden lookout pier along this strip of road, it is not an uncommon sight to see couples or families pulled off ahead of the area, seeking to experience Paynes Prairie without the aid of man-made structures.
There’s a good reason for this: The view, which stretches for miles, is absolutely breathtaking.
Paynes Prairie offers a number of ways for visitors to not only immerse themselves in its marshy environment, but also be privy to the array of flora and fauna that lurk in the area.
For instance, there’s the La Chua Trail, a brief trek that concludes with a lookout tower. On this trail, it is not uncommon to walk past several alligators resting alongside the bank of the path. On other trails, such as Bolen Bluff, mammals such as horses and bison often rear their heads. For those looking to spend an extended period of time in Paynes Prairie, different campsites host different experiences depending on the location.
In my estimation, the beauty of Paynes Prairie is that there is no universal experience. What you get out of Paynes Prairie is directly correlated to what you put into it: I’ve gone in search of rejuvenation after particularly emotionally exhausting days; I’ve brought guests of mine there in order to show them that Gainesville has much more to offer than just Midtown; I’ve gone simply because I can.
Unfortunately, I’m not writing this article solely to speak of Paynes Prairie’s myriad wonderful qualities. As reported by The Gainesville Sun on July 22, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection — how’s that for an ironic name? — has been considering a proposal to open Paynes Prarie up for cattle grazing and other commercial uses. Said commercial uses would include timbering, berry harvesting and of course, hunting.
The mere notion of privatizing Paynes Prairie is offensive for a number of reasons. From an environmental perspective, the introduction of cattle would further alter a plot of land that has already seen a multitude of manmade changes, negatively affecting the surrounding wildlife.
In turn, this would hamper the experience Paynes Prairie offers, robbing Floridians of a rare opportunity to observe and admire one of the few remaining echoes of a world long since past. Morally speaking, the destruction of natural beauty in the name of profit is so cartoonishly evil that it’s hilarious — but then again, we are talking about the Rick Scott administration.
For readers who find value in what Paynes Prairie offers the Gainesville and Micanopy area, I encourage you to write and call all relevant parties, namely local politicians and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Additionally, there are a number of ways to get involved with pre-existing efforts to maintain Paynes Prairie, such as “Friends of Paynes Prairie,” a nonprofit organization whose page can be found on Facebook.
Finally, there is a petition circulating titled “Paynes Prairie in danger,” which as of press time has just more than 6,000 signatures — those numbers ought to be far higher. We’re absurdly lucky to be Gainesville residents; let’s not lose one of the qualities that make Gainesville such a wonderful place to call home.
Zach Schlein is a UF political science senior. His column appears on Thursdays.
