Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.

- Albert Einstein

"In a Relationship"

Over Spring Break 2011, the inaugural Quest: Everglades team will venture to South Florida to explore human interactions and relationships with wildlife. We will ask questions about the boundaries between human and animal, about various methods of caring for and preserving species, and about animal rights. The Everglades are an ideal location to probe such questions due to the fragility of life in this disappearing ecosystem. Through experiences volunteering with area environmental groups and working the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks of the Florida Keys, trip participants will come away with a better understanding of how they can contribute to the flourishing of all the diverse forms of life that we find in this world.

Students on Quest: Everglades will get a first-hand look at this exotic location in a way that goes far beyond the typical experience of the beach vacationer. The funky and friendly Everglades Hostel will most likely be our gateway to exploring this unique part of America, as it provides easy access to some of the region's most fascinating locales. While learning about the dramatic effects that humans can have on the natural world can be a discouraging experience, we hope that the Quest: Everglades experience will empower participants to tread gently over the beautiful and fragile ecosystems that we have in our care.

Applications for this Quest will be due on Sunday October 31, 2010, but we welcome inquiries of interest at any time. Please feel free to contact Polly Bolland with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Trip Schedule

Quest: Everglades will take place over Spring Break, 2011. To save on costs and to allow ourselves more flexibility once we arrive at our destination, we plan to drive a large van or two mini-vans down to Florida City, stopping overnight at halfway points both there and back. We will leave early in the morning on Saturday, March 12 and return to Madison on Sunday, March 20.

• Saturday, March 12: Pre-dawn departure from Madison; drive to Tennessee
• Sunday, March 13: Pre-dawn departure from Tennessee; drive to Florida City
• Monday, March 14 - Thursday, March 17: Volunteering at Everglades National Park, Everglades Outpost Wildlife Center, and Biscayne National Park
• Friday, March 18: Spend a day snorkeling and enjoying the beach, and an evening in Miami
• Saturday, March 19: Pre-dawn departure from Florida City; drive to Tennessee
• Sunday, March 20: Pre-dawn departure from Tennessee, drive to Madison

Planning the details of this trip is an ongoing process, and since this will be our first Quest to the Everglades the group will signficantly shape what activities are included.

Pre-Trip Meetings

Each Quest trip requires group planning and preparation before departure. This not only allows for trip participants to shape the trip into something unique for their group and its desires, but it's also a great way for fellow travelers to get to know one another and get excited about the experience that they will share.

• Sunday, November 14: Introductions and preliminary planning
• Saturday, November 20: All-Quest group workshop
• Sunday, November 28: Group fundraising meeting
• Sunday, January 30: ALPS workshop
• Sunday, February 13: Group meeting and guest speaker
• Sunday, February 27: Group meeting and guest speaker