Gabby's Phenology Blog

This project was one of my favorite assignments that I’ve done this semester in all my classes. I loved that we actually had to choose and visit a spot of your choice and grow a connection with this area. One aspect of this project that I have yet to discuss is the human history part of this. There’s clearly evidence of human history in my spot because there are many old car parts/scraps, a new growth forest versus an old growth, so there are a lot of young trees, meaning that this land may have been used for agricultural purposes. It’s really crazy to think that someone may have sat in the same exact spot as me, noticing the bird that flies by, the plants that surround you, and the trees that shade the sunny day. Although this project is over, I hope to continue reflecting in my phenology place for my next 4 years in college. I definitely took away a lot of new knowledge from this, which I’ll continue to use in my life.

Goodbye to my treasure in the depths of the Intervale, for now. Hello to new memories and ecological knowledge to come!

The spot that I chose definitely differs from my spot in Burlington. I purposely wanted to select a place where it would be different, so I’d expose myself to a new form of land and a place where even though it’s not the same, I can still find peace and a calmness to it. My thanksgiving break spot has more Sugar Maple trees and birches compared to my spot at the Intervale. Additionally, there’s more wetlands, so there are a lot of ferns, a stream, fungi, and lichen present throughout my site. The bizarre part about my place for thanksgiving is that it’s a space where there’s wetlands/woods right next to open fields, which I found really interesting. The open land has many types of field grasses and small rodents that hibernate in these grasses.

A similarity between the two spots is that they both have Beech trees, wild asters and Japanese barberry. I visited my thanksgiving spot twice, once when it was snowing and another time when it was not. It was cool to see the differences in the land when it was covered in snow versus when it was not.

I decided to let my mind destress here, so I did some art when I was here. I based it off of the environmental/natural artist named Andy Goldsworthy, who designs and produces art using natural materials in order for the creations to blend in with it’s environment. He inspired me to do the same. I stacked stones and cloaked my creation with moss and acorns. Here’s a photo:

The place that I chose holds a lot of significance to me because I’ve grown up hiking and running at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, which is essentially why I ended up selecting this spot. Here are some photos that exemplify why I love this fantastic, phenological forest. At my location, there is both forest ground, a stream, field land, and many different types of species present.

Over Thanksgiving break, I found another phenology spot that I adore. It’s a piece of home  to me, which is why I initially chose this location. Here’s a link to where it is:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MV1p_OUTY9XOURdylpF5rg_XgbY&usp=sharing

Strolling,

Leaving footprints,

I look up to see night birds weave beneath the tree canopy.

The dimly lit sky surrounds me

As the silver moon breathes.

Sheltered by the comfort of wild asters, I lay in the amber light.

Cold to the touch,

The ground is blanketed.

Gold glistens by the river bank

And captures this brilliance of Earth.

As I pick up a fallen Maple leaf,

I am in peace.

This secluded spot is my autumnal home.

-White and purple Wild Asters (Native)

-Japanese Barberry (Invasive)

-Goldenrod (Native)

-Northern Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Silver Maple, and American Beech Trees

-Squirrels, Blue Jays, Chipmunks, Deer, Chickadee, and Pileated Woodpecker

I love the spot that I ended up choosing, it’s a great place for me to reflect and relax when I’m stressed out. To get here, I walk to the Intervale Road and sneak into the woods- the same path we took during lab. Once you get into the fantastically, flora-filled forest, keep walking on the main path until you reach the old, metal cars and debris. Once you reach this fork in the path, choose to continue exploring left. Take that road and follow it until you have a nice view of both the greenhouses and the woods.

I chose this specific spot out of everywhere because it’s a spot where I can see both the woods and the farm land, which fits who I am as a person really well. I’ve been interested in agriculture for the past few years and I’ve worked on a menagerie of farms around New York so this passion of mine definitely influenced my phenology blog spot decision. I’m excited to see how this place changes over the season and how connected I can be to this private paradise.

I picked a secluded spot buried within the forests near the Intervale. I found peace in these woods, and the balance between farm and forest really persuaded me to choose this place.

Here’s a link to my location:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=13rmy_GFfonPxi15WO6Yr0LoEN-M