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In doing my make up lab last semester I was tasked with learning about the natural history of Centennial woods and how it has formed over the years. It has been found to have Native American objects in it as well as once holding militia men during the revolutionary war. Then since its farming days, Centennial has taken back what was there’s and has eternalized the Native Americans that were once there. Since the lecture of how the god of Champlain arose I can see the brook as part of his arise and how much it probably meant to the Abenaki. I see the regrowth of Centennial as the reentrance of the Abenaki people into society after they were forced to assimilate. Other than the connection to the Native people Centennial leaves out a lot of culture that should be welcomed.

As sad as it is to say, I don’t feel as if I became truly part of my phenology place. I have gotten a very detailed and deep lesson on Centennial since my first visit there, but I still am at a loss of it providing a sense of place for me here. I believe my places at home hold a greater sense of place compared to here ultimately because of the larger amount of time spent there and the many memories made. For centennial to become that for me its necessary that much more time is spent there enjoying it rather than going for an assignment.

When I visited my phenology site at Centennial brook this week I notice life returned since the last winter visits. The grass is slowly greening, but sadly no wildfires were in the vicinity of the brook. The shores and edges of the brook are mainly covered in leaf litter that is not allowing the flowers to break through as seen in the pictures below. The trees showed similar disappointing, but hopeful signs for spring fully arriving. The buds of the many maples are greening and growing slightly while the red maples are gaining a more red color. However, none were observed to be fully flowering yet.

Over spring break I decided to revisit the same site, Oakland Town Forest, as I did over winter break due to its many similarities to Centennial woods. This forest had a similar beginning to Centennial because the land was converted from farms to conserved forest once they were eventually sold in the 1900s. Now that it has become a forest, it’s main uses are for conservation and recreation for the town of Exeter just like Centennial’s uses in Burlington and the campus.

The observations made at my site show the similarities in species composition of Oakland and Centennial and few differences. Directly around my site, there are Eastern white pines, Eastern hemlocks, American Beech, red maple, and many paper birches. The range of these species covers most of the northeast which would explain why southern New Hampshire has almost identical compositions. The two species that are found in Centennial but not the Oakland site are buckthorn and Norway maple. The issue with the two sites is that they are used heavily for recreation and dog owners, so the only animal tracks visible are dogs (also due to the melting of most of the snow). For animal sitings, there was only black crows and unknown insects crawling in the snow (seen in a picture below).

The Wetlands, Woodlands, and Wildlands resource provided information on how exactly to classify my phenological site. The Centennial Brook area where I have studied seems to be a mixture of woodland and wild land. While Centennial Brook does not have black bears or wildfires, the rest of the qualifications are met. As you walk on the trail past eastern hemlocks, spruces, sugar maples, Eastern white pine stands, birches, and beech are covering the surrounding area with spring flowers soon to come. The Brook area is also a wildland as it is not managed and many think of it as a healing place as it is used for recreation and hammocking. The only qualification it is lacking is the cliffs and gullies aspect. That is why I would classify Centennial Brook as a woodland-wildland mixture.

Now that winter is coming down from hitting its peak, Centennial Brook and its surroundings have changed greatly from the first visit. The recent precipitation has resulted in the Brook to flow very quickly and loudly under the packed snow. Most of it is not visible but you can hear and get glimpses of it under the snow. The only real color of life is found on the red maples buds and the green eastern white pine stand you can see in the distance behind the buckthorns. Activity for both humans and species are still much less than spring and summer months. Finally, no animal tracks were found again, just the common dog prints on and around the walking trail.

Since my last visit to Centennial Woods the brook and the area around it has changed a great deal. The brook is covered by snow and ice, but it can still be seen flowing in some spots. The only green that remains is held by the eastern white pines and the eastern hemlocks. Some berries still remain on the buckthorn over by the bridge that crosses over the water. Animal life was hard to see as a fresh coat of snow had just fallen and Centennial is heavily traveled on by walkers with their dogs; this makes differentiating tracks very difficult. Below is a picture of tracks I found earlier in the week of some form of mouse it seems.

Deciduous trees Identified:

  1. Buckthorn
  2. Yellow birch
  3. Paper birch
  4. Box Elder

The two pictures below are of the buckthorn (one on the left) and sugar maple (one on the right).

Below is the picture of tracks and of the area I have returned to.

 

The history of Centennial Woods holds so much human history within its woods that occurred long before UVM designated it as its natural area in the year of 1974. Although it was privately owned from the late 1800s to around 1968 it was used for recreation one year for ski trails in 1963. 100 years later the farms that were in place of it were abandoned by the farmers and old growth trees such as the eastern white pines. These farms that left signs such as rock walls and the fact that it was clear-cut years before which peaked right around the time they left. The most recent history found in Centennial Woods was the discovery made by UVM students that found Native American tools showing that their history in Centennial Woods has deeper ties than ours. Today Centennial is used by UVM and for trails and bike rides to show now how it is used for studies as well as recreation. The history of Centennial Woods has surprised me during the lab makeup and this phenology project.

(In the style of Leopold, Oaklands forest was the choice of my phenology place over the break) As you enter the clearing of the parking lot you are taken back by the clearing of trees for the parking lot as well as its proximity to the road and two houses. This modernization would deter most as it takes away from the beauty of the forest. However, as you enter and walk the trail all sense of modernization is lost with the stream trickling beside you and the snow crunching between your feet. As you stumble upon the place you are greeted with sunlight and the snow providing a great contrast to the dark greens of the eastern white pines and eastern hemlocks that dominate the area. In the shadows of these great overstory trees, there are forested field edges providing great habitat for the small mammals that are still active in the deep snow. Many grey squirrels are still frolicking around and scavenging under their habitat from the fallen down trees and brush that remains. From the last visit to this spot the activity of the birds has died down, but like the squirrels, they are busy at work to survive the cold winter months. The beauty of this spot is accentuated with the partial clearing created by understory trees creating a sunlit area and is why nature is held so close to my heart.

(Written in the style of Wright) This phenology place was chosen as it holds meaning to me due to the amount of time I have spent walking those trails and its resemblance to my place here in Burlington. Centennial woods and Oaklands forest hold so many similarities you can noticeably see walking the trails. The tree species include many of the exact species found in Centennial woods such as eastern white pine and eastern hemlock. A brook runs right through the middle of both creating similar riparian areas and the same beautiful sound that plays on as you trek through. The wildlife inside the Oaklands forest is much busier than that of Centennial woods in my findings and much more forested field edges could be the reason for this difference. Oaklands forest allows for much sunlight to pierce through allowing for the beginning of understory growth whilst Centennials over story creates much shade that prevents a lot of understory growth. This provides contrast between the forests in the composition as many trees have been cut in the past in Oaklands until recently. The two phenology places share many similarities and create a great comparison between the two with the aid of some contrast between the two.

 

 

 

 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/KEb3agTCmKt

Just like the last visit to my site the Brook was flowing at a much higher velocity than previous weeks due to the immense rainfall. The leaves that are still on the trees keep a yellow color like the Norway maple, but other trees have almost all lost their leaves. The Buckthorns are still “dominating” the stand area around the bridge and still reaching over the brook.

 

The Burlington area has been experiencing many rainy days in a row and in return, the brook has grown in width and depth. Most vegetation has lost its fullness and green color while some deciduous trees have almost fully turned to yellow, orange, or red. The only noticeable wildlife change would be the lack of flies in and around the brook as the temperature drops. While I visited the site the only wildlife seen were crows.

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