The spring 2026 Environmental Leaders Fellowship (ELF) students participated in a series of spring break field experiences.
As part of the spring cohort, the ELF fellows attended three days of immersive field experiences exploring food and water systems, plant ecology, and art in nature, to name a few.
Continue reading to learn about the ELF spring break field experiences.
Monday, March 16
Location: Natural Areas Teaching Laboratory (NATL) / McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity
Activities:
The first day of three spring break experiences centered on the intersection of art and science through the work of Dr. Vaughn Shirey at the Florida Museum. They led the students in creating pinhole cameras out of soda cans to capture photos at the UF Natural Area Teaching Laboratory (NATL). These cameras use natural light and photo-sensitive paper to take a photo across the span of a week.
After lunch, fellows pinned butterflies in the McGuire Center with Dr. Andrei Sourakov and Dr. Deborah Lott. This delicate art is critical for studying butterflies and moths; preserving specimens properly makes a huge difference in what data can be collected from them in the future.
Tuesday, March 17
Location: McCarty Woods / Dickinson Hall / Giving Garden
Activities:
The second day of the spring break field experiences consisted of a variety of activities relating to plant ecology and food systems. The day started out at McCarty Woods, a key campus conservation area thanks to hard work by students and faculty in restoring the area. Two of the McCarty Woods coordinators, Pam and Doug Soltis, led a morning of activities exploring the woods and the conservation project. A few years ago, UF planned to use the area for a new development, but the Soltises were crucial in preventing this natural space from being lost. 
The fellows gathered at the Reitz Union to reflect on the plants they observed and do some nature journaling. Nature journaling is a way to connect with nature and interpret the world around you in a creative way, such as collecting scraps of plants and turning them into art or using them to inspire a poem. Try it the next time you’re out in nature and find a cool plant or see some neat creatures!
Fellows also got to experience the history of connection between nature and people through a tour of the Anthropology collection at Dickinson Hall.
The day was concluded with a trip to Giving Garden / Working Food. The day focused on sense of place with plants. Learning about the environment around us can deepen our connection to the places we live and help us better appreciate our part in the ecosystems. The themes of the activities were plants as art and plants as food and medicine. The former included creating fibers using plants.
The latter included a tour of the garden and exploration of fresh produce and how food systems function. The food system can be complex and it is easy to lose sight of where food comes from. This experience helped to enhance the sense of place of the ELF students in this system. Fellow Azhalia Pottinger reflected on this event saying “Seeing how people turned an abandon[ed] parking lot into a highly productive community garden was inspiring. It showed me how communities can come together to work towards more sustainable futures.”
Wednesday, March 18
Location: Ocala
Activities:
The third and final day of the ELF spring break experiences focused on the path of water in Florida from the Floridan Aquifer through our drinking water, and finally to water treatment and reclamation facilities, before eventually returning to the ground.
The day started at Silver Springs State Park, where fellows got to explore the function of springs as outlets from the Aquifer which support a variety of plants and wildlife in Florida. This included exploring the boardwalk through the spring and enjoying the sights.
A highlight of the day was getting to go on a glass-bottom boat tour led by famous Captain Bill. These boats are a great way to experience the springs from a unique perspective and see all of the wildlife underwater. A few manatees decided to make an appearance as well! Fellow Zoey Papanikolaou especially enjoyed this experience, saying “The springs were so beautiful and I felt so grateful to have the opportunity to visit and learn more about the area. In addition, it was so awesome to have our glass bottom boat tour led by Captain Bill, who did the voiceover for the Florida museum exhibit glass bottom boat tour. I really enjoyed my time at the springs and felt very connected to the nature around me throughout the whole experience!” 
After leaving Silver Springs, fellows traced the path of the water to the Ocala Wastewater Treatment Plant and Water Reclamation Facility. Both of these facilities are crucial for recycling water that has been used by people.
The final step for water to return to the Aquifer is for it to be recharged into groundwater reservoirs. One way this occurs is through wetlands like the Ocala Groundwater Recharge Wetland. This wetland was man-made and helps to improve Aquifer recharge. Wetlands act as natural water treatment plants, filtering harmful substances out of the water before it goes underground.
These experiences together helped the ELFs grow in their connection to Florida’s environment. Fellow Ren Leihy reflected on the trip to Ocala, saying “…I had no idea how absolutely stunning it would be and how immersed I would feel in the Florida environment by being near so many beautiful creatures.”
images courtesy of Megan Ennes
This project is funded by an Early Career Research Fellowship from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.”
Support for these events was provided by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
