How does it feel to really bond with 400 square meters of pure nature? Students of Environmental Imagination report that doing hands-on research in their own plots within Principia's 2,600 acres of prairie, river bluffs, and forests is one of the most special experiences of their college careers. Nature is central not only to the Biology component of this FYE, but to its English and Studio Art components as well. In English, students read, discuss, and write about humans' relationships with nature, becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their own attitudes and choices on the environment. In Studio Art, students learn to perceive the nuances of nature and use them to design compositions through understanding the underlying principles that uphold high-quality expression. In Biology, concepts of ecosystems, ecology, as well as local plant and animal identification are emphasized. Nature is always a source of inspiration. Each student creates a journal filled with written, measured, and drawn ideas gained by responding to nature as writer, scientist, and artist, synthesizing all three into a unified whole.