Centennial woods has become a valued tool for teaching and learning about the natural world. It is a natural place that is easily accessible to all students but it is separate from the hustle and bustle of daily campus life. This phenolgy spot that started out as nothing more than an assignment for class became a place that was a much needed escape from the stress and tension found on campus. It is a place that feels so separated from campus that it allowed me to detach from the stress of classes and just enjoy the quiet calmness. It became a piece of me that I could use to ground myself when everything else became too overwhelming. Being able to imagine sitting on a fallen tree with my feet dangling above the water, hearing nothing but the running water, feeling completely calm was much needed at time when I couldn’t go out to the woods. This spot became a same spot where I could let go of everything and just relax.

Upon returning to my phenology site after this long winter I was met with the soothing sounds of running water indicating that at long last, the stream had melted. This is the fist sign of the coming spring, unfortunately, this is the only sign so far. None of the trees have started to flower and there are no flowers that have bloomed or even begun to push their way up through the muddy ground. Though there is nothing in full bloom yet, the site is still a beautiful and calming place to relax and reflect.

At first glance, the phenology in Franklin Massachusetts is not that different from the phenology in Burlington Vermont. Upon closer inspection many differences can be seen. The main tree species found in Franklin is American Beech with few other species. There is much more variety in Vermont tree species. The woods are also more dense at my Vermont phenology site whereas in Franklin the trees are quite spaced out. There is more evidence of wildlife at the Vermont site although that is most likely due to location. The wildlife signs that are visible in Massachusetts are similar to those in Vermont with little to no species variation that I could see. There were few signs of birds so I could not determine any differences in bird species between Massachusetts and Vermont. Spring is right right around the corner but it isn’t quite close enough for wildlife to come out again.

I would identify my phenology site as a Hemlock- Northern Hardwood- forest. It can be identified by the tree species in the area. it is mainly red maple, and Hemlock trees with some beach trees scattered around. The site could also be classified as a partial wetland because it has a stream running through the middle of it. The soil surrounding the stream is always muddy and provides habitat for multiple species that prefer wetlands.

A lot of phenological changes have occurred since the first visit to my site. There are fewer signs of animals; not very many fresh tracks and less species variety. All the deciduous trees have shed their leaves, leaving the coniferous trees the only spot of color. The stream has frozen over completely, no more spots of open ice or running water. It is no longer possible to see any signs of aquatic life in the stream.

I returned to my phenology site after the break to find it transformed into a snow covered paradise. There is a thick coating of snow cover in everything. The stream has frozen, enough to be walked on in most place. There was a small hole in the ice where running water could be seen. All the muddy areas were also covered in thin layers of ice that crackled when walked over. There were a lot of tracks, including some deer, some squirrels, and more. By looking at twigs I was able to identify the deciduous trees on my site. There was white oak, red maple, hawthorn, eastern hemlock, and a few more. The snow and cold has sent many animals into hiding but has made it more clear where others have been.        

The phenology  site is supposed to be a place that has been minimally touched by humans. Today that is what centennial woods seems like but, it has a rich history full of human interaction. There is some evidence that Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire’s militias used the area for training purposes. It is suspected that it was the group called the Green Mountain Boys that used the area in the 1760s (Mamrak). In 1904 UVM bought what is now Centennial wood but the previous landowners, the Ainsworth family, used it as farmland (“Three ecosystems”). My site, being a small stream, most likely had a number of uses on the farm. It could have bee used to water the crops, or the animals might have drank from it. Though Centennial wood is now just a place for learning and fun, it has a rich history of important use.

References

Mamrak, Andrew. “Wild Burlington: Bunker in Centennial Woods.” Wild Burlington: Bunker in Centennial Woods. N.p., 25 Oct. 2012. Web. 08 Dec. 2018.

“Three Ecosystems and Their Organisms.” Woodland, Wildland, and Wetland Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2018.

It is silent in the woods, isolated. The only sounds being the crunch of snow underfoot and the rustling of branches overhead as the wind pushes them around. A path leads deep into the woods but you must venture off eventually to find the peaceful isolation of the phenology site. All the leaves have dropped from the trees, scattering spots of brown and gold onto the bright white snow. There is not much tree species diversity in this area. All that was found were American beech, and white and red oaks. A single Red Maple stood, dead for who knows how long. Another fallen tree lays across, half buried in snow and covered in fungi. Evidence of bird and deer passing through can be spotted but there is no sign of them now. Standing in the cold, surrounded by the silence of nature, watching ones breath, one feels completely alone yet surrounded by peace and comfort.

There are obvious similarities and differences between the phenology site in Franklin, Ma, and the one in Burlington, Vt. They both have a peaceful feel but in Vt it’s a busy peacefulness due to the constant movement and happenings of the stream and in Ma it is an isolated peacefulness with nothing around to break the silence. Oaks are the only trees that overlap with these areas and while Ma does not have much diversity, Vt has a wide variety of plant life and different species of tree. The predominant species in Vt are the maple whereas on this site, the main species in the American Beech. There are deer in both places although there was more evidence of their passing in Ma than in Vt. This could be because the snow in  Ma made the tracks more obvious. There are more tree types that keep their leave in the winter in Vt, making it look denser than Ma, especially now that all the leaves have dropped form the trees.

(All photos taken personally by Jenna Goodman)

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=1oxbBVVF1zEeG0u6HAvne3OikUKpuOT6_&ll=42.095980289530544%2C-71.41531980000002&z=18

Peace and quiet calm

Fish dart around in the stream

Phenology site

Today when I visited my site it was cloudy and overcast, with occasional rain showers while I was there. Other than the Hemlock trees, Norway Maple and Oak trees are the only ones that still have leaves on them but, those leaves have changed color and look like they are going to fall very soon. Most of the under story has died with the exception of ferns and some barberry. The barberry leaves have changed to a nice red color. The recent rain has given the stream a nice flow that I have not seen in any of my previous visits. I didn’t see as many fish in the stream today but I saw a few darting around. There also seemed to be a few fresh animal prints in the mud. There were definitely some dogs and possibly a deer and another type of animal with paws.

(All photos taken by Jenna Goodman)