On April 18, EcoLogic hosted a nature hike as one of the many events during EarthFest. Three EcoLogic members met with a total of seven students on a beautiful spring afternoon in front of the Union at 4 pm. With water bottles in hand, we set off towards Grafton.
Our first stop was what is called the Peace Pagoda. A short walk through the surrounding woods led us to the pagoda. It is quite a structure, elegantly decorated with engravings telling the story of Buddha. After enjoying the surroundings, complete with fields, a small pond, and a stunning view of the local countryside, we moved onto the nearby temple. It was built to symbolize and promote world peace. Work began on the Buddhist shrine in 1985, and was completed in 1993 with nothing but donations and volunteer labor. The inside was magnificently ornamented with Buddhist symbols and worship elements. The walls also told the story of world pollution and war, hung with newspaper articles and collages.
From there we drove to Grafton Lakes State Park. There we found one of its many lakes, where people had come to relax and play on its beach. The park is a great place to spend an afternoon. Bring a Frisbee, some hotdogs and hamburgers, and some friends, and forget about classes for a while. If time permitted, we would also have followed one of the tranquil trails that head into the forest around the lake.
I would definitely recommend spending an afternoon at the Peace Pagoda or the park to just get away. The visit was not only entirely relaxing and a great escape from the opposites of Troy, but educational and enlightening as well. Based on my experience, I encourage EcoLogic to hold such nature walks more often. By bringing students into the outdoors, they will hopefully raise appreciation and concern for out environment.
