by Caroline Abide, Contributing Writer
BILOXI (GG) — On Monday, January 26th, Master Naturalist and ecotherapist Alexis Foust led a community discussion on local coastal ecology, with a focus on the wetlands, as part of the Science Cafe on the Coast program. Foust’s talk, “Walking the Wetlands,” was hosted at the Margaret Sherry Library in Biloxi. A group gathered in the library’s reading room, away from the main area. People greeted each other familiarly – the nature-curious community appears to be small, though not exclusionary.
At the front of the room, Foust had arrayed a selection of plants common to the wetlands, some that anyone could recognize – palmettos, cat tails, magnolia – and others, like black needlerush and bushy bluestem, which one might pass along the way without ever taking the trouble to examine. Foust emphasized the value in getting to know these “more-than-human neighbors.”
“A lot of times, we think about animals, insects, because, you know, they move around, right? But in our relationship with plants, you have to be a bit more observant.”
Foust gave some pointers on how to be more present in nature, including unplugging devices, slowing down, and going solo in order to develop a deeper relationship to the environment. Throughout the discussion, Foust encouraged participants to chime in with any fun facts or anecdotes they had about the plant specimens on display.
“There are no experts,” Foust explained. “We’re constantly learning, and no one person can have all of the knowledge. That’s why community is so important.”
Events like these that bring together nature-enthusiasts can function as a space to share observations, whether one has professional scientific credentials or not. This in turn makes the study of local ecology more accessible, which can be key in creating support for nature conservation efforts.
Foust finished her talk by giving a brief introduction to nature journaling, a process of documenting the plants and animals one encounters while in a natural area. Participants were given the opportunity to begin their own journals, and Foust demonstrated some tactics for recording impressions of wildlife.
Science Cafe on the Coast holds events on a monthly basis in collaboration with the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Libraries, Harrison County library system, Hancock County library system, INFINITY Science Center, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Together, these institutions are able to provide a variety of free science-related events across the Gulf Coast. The intention behind these events is to bring the community together, including those with a minimal science background, to discuss issues in a relaxed social setting.
(Photos by Caroline Abide/The Gazebo Gazette)
