I was unable to take photos during my most recent trip to my site so I will try to explain observations using past photos as references to the current conditions with the caveat that all trees all have minimal to no leaf cover remaining and that most seasonal herbaceous plants have disappeared for winter as a result of the early snowcover and unseasonally cold temperatures. The day that I visited my site was after the warming period of last weekend had melted the snow so I was unable to observe animal tracks
.
These two photos show the forest conditions and river level that were at my site when I visited it, these aren’t photos from my site visit, but are references to explain site observations.
Some notes about the human history of Burlington Intervale
A Changing River in the Intervale:1802-1894 created by Connor Stedman
This short slideshow shows the impacts of 19th century land usage upon the Winooski River within Burlington Intervale. According to Burlington Geographic, “the course of the Winooski through the Intervale shifted dramatically—600-1000’—over only 80 years.” This was a result of the deforestation and agricultural practices which caused increased surface runoff and flooding which resulted in the deposition of sediment along the Burlington Intervale and within the Winooski River Delta. In the 1980’s a shift towards organic farming within the Intervale started, this results in the current farming community within the Intervale. Photo below is from source listed below.
Burlington Geographic. THE INTERVALE : CULTURAL CONTEXT. FOCAL PLACES IN BURLINGTON. Retrieved from: http://www.uvm.edu/place/burlingtongeographic/focalplaces/int-context.php
As a result of the semester ending, this is my last post until next January. I am saddened to miss a whole month of potential observations, but am excited to see the site in winter conditions when I return. I hope all that followed or read my posts enjoyed my site and will want to explore Burlington Intervale as a result of my posts. This is an area with rich cultural and natural history and a place that I am happy that I picked for a phenology site.