Phenology Blog- Salmon Hole

This visit to my phenology spot in Centennial Woods is somewhat bittersweet. New Spring changes are beginning to become more noticeable as more and more color is returning to the forest, but this is also likely the last time I’ll be spending time in Centennial woods this year.

As I walk to my spot, I see wood ferns and many leafy plants covering the forest floor. The twigs on the trees are budding and the precursors to leaves are starting to become visible. I see some of the same buds I have noticed on previous visits, boxelder, sugar maple, and norway maple, but this time I also saw some buckthorn near the stream part of my site. Buckthorn is an invasive species in Vermont and can be harmful to the ecology of an ecosystem. Birds eating the berries of buckthorn help to spread the seeds, but they can’t be digested well by birds and the spreading and cause the buckthorn to out-compete native plant species. Also, I have seen some bright yellow dandelions start to blossom in the area.

I also saw some wildlife out and about on this visit. Initially, I saw a grey squirrel run up a tree, then later I also some some birds. Most notably I saw a male cardinal, distinguished by its bright red coloring. I also saw a black-capped chickadee, distinguished by its small grey-ish body, and the black top of its head.

Nature and culture are notably intertwined in Centennial woods. I don’t think there has been a visit on which I didn’t bump into other people exploring the woods. I think this is a very important factor of this natural area. People and the natural world are not separate, they function and interact together. Centennial woods is a great example of this, one of the thing that defines it is the trail winding through it and the close proximity to human development. The ecosystem of this forest continues despite this proximity, and with the maintenance and study from the University.

I think it’s hard for me to consider myself a part of place because Centennial Woods can and will function entirely independent of myself.

There have been many big changes to my Spot in Centennial woods since the last time I visited. With the recent rains, the landscape was wet and muddy, but these showers haven’t brought any flowers yet. As I walked through my site I kept an eye out for wildflowers blooming through the brush, but I didn’t see any. Rather I saw a number of buds starting to open up. I also saw a lot of green poking through on the forest floor. Many ferns and leafy underbrush were looking bright and growing. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any wildlife on this visit.

The budding sugar maple, boxelder maple, and the wood ferns on the forest floor can be seen below. Also, a green leafy plant I noticed scattering the ground which I posted on iNaturalist and was labelled as garlic mustard (allaria petiolata). Also, before I entered the woods I saw the bursting buds on the branches of a tree, I also posted this on iNaturalist and did some research, but I never found an identification.

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Over break I decided to hike up Mount Wachusett in Worcester County Massachusetts.  The Mountain is home to a popular ski area as well as several hiking trails leading to the summit.  A friend and I hiked the longer winding Harrington trail, taking note of the nature around us on the warm(ish) sunny day.  The warmer weather caused some of the snow and ice to melt, and also lead to all the icicles from the tree branches to fall, littering the ground with hundreds of small chunks of ice.  On the way up, we passed four other hikers all walking with dogs, so there were many dog tracks especially on and surrounding the trail.  As well as these, we also spied some deer tracks cutting across the trail, I saw that the tracks direct registered.  As for plant species, we saw some Hobblebush, American Beech, Sugar Maple, Spruce, Yellow Birch, and some others.  We could tell how the forest structure changed on the way up as we saw more evergreen trees at higher elevations.  The forested nature of Mount Wachusett and the human interaction makes it similar to my Phenology spot in Centennial woods, but the higher elevation of the Mountain makes the structure of the forest different.

            The area has an interesting history of human interaction, with the ski area, and wind turbines more recently, to its past as home to the Nipmuc Native American tribe that gave the mountain its name.  The ski area has provided a great source of outdoor recreation on the mountain for many years, but it is very important to remember the injustice and mistreatment of the Native Americans due to the colonization of the area.  Also, prevention has had to take place in preventing the ski area from sprawling into the natural area of the old growth forest on the opposite side of the mountain.  That space is used for hiking, but it is important to preserve the landscape for its environmental benefits.  At the base of the mountain, near the entrance to the hiking trails, there are two wind turbines.  Added to the landscape between 2009 and 2011, the wind turbines provide power to the city of Worcester Massachusetts.  The usage of renewable energy sources is a vital way of moving away from fossil fuels.

When I first began to consider the classification of my phenology spot in Centennial Woods, I was stuck because while the spot is in a forested area, there is a stream running through it.  But through looking into Wetland, Woodland, Wildland, I noted that the water in the system “moves through the area in surface streams (81).”  This classification fit my natural area making clear that it is an Upland Natural Community.  For further specificity, it is a Woodland due to its forested nature.  The landform structure of the space made this distinction clearer. 

Unfortunately, having switched to a new phenology location second semester, I still haven’t become totally familiar with the ins and outs of the space.   But since my last visit, there have been some changes.  While there is still snow on the ground, it is not the same as last time, it is less deep, and crisper.  Following the precipitation and the below freezing temperatures afterward this makes sense.  The ground is also very firm and feels notably frozen.  Because of the thinner snow, more of the ground underneath is visible, mainly in patches of observable dirt.  The stream that runs through my spot is an important piece of the puzzle.  The added precipitation led to more water running through the stream, it is not frozen, but there are pieces of ice on the edges around it.  Because my area leads downhill into the stream, and because of the below freezing temperatures the ground isn’t oversaturated with water. 

I had an exciting first visit to my new Pheneology location in Centennial Woods today, this is some of what I saw…

I have chosen to explore a new spot to learn about the phenology of another natural location in Burlington.  My new location is a spot in Centennial woods, down a small incline and in the bend of a small stream, it is just off the trail and shows an interesting mix of plant species as well as some evidence of wildlife.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chittenden+County,+VT+05401/@44.4792179,-73.1876295,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x4cca7a4064285555:0x358e20dba74277!8m2!3d44.47781!4d-73.1845861

This area can be reached from Harris Millis by walking down Spear street, across Main street, continuing down East Ave. and onto Catamount drive.  Down this street you will see the entrance to Centennial woods if you follow the path you will see the stream, my phenology spot is right by the edge before the stream as well as in the bend of the stream.

Around my phenology spot I saw the evidence of a few different species, a couple shown in this photo.  The track on the left appears to have been left by a white tail deer, indicated by the shape and size of the imprint.  The tracks on the right and second picture on the other hand shows a paw print, with the claws visible, showing that it is a dog-like animal.  This size of the print could indicate either a dog or coyote, but the erratic path shown by the tracks means it is more likely that it was a dog.

These tracks were seen passing directly next to my location, but due to the warming weather, the snow the tracks were in had melted some leaving the tracks deformed.  Because of this none of the imprints were clear enough to get a clear image of what animal may have left them.  All I can tell is that it was a smaller animal.

This twig has opposite branching, green and red buds, and keeled scales, these factors show that this twig comes from a Norway Maple.  I also saw a twig that I think could be a sugar maple because of its pointy end.  On top of these, I also saw and Eastern White Pine, Eastern Hemlock, and Paper Birch.

 

This sketch is of a Norway maple twig, based on the twigs I observed while at my phenology spot.

The human impact through history is clear at Salmon Hole, with the highly developed area surrounding the Winooski River, trails, and fishing.  With the paved high traffic roads sitting uphill from the site, the idea that runoff would go right into the river isn’t far-fetched.  On my visits, I have noted litter on the side of the road and some throughout the trails around Salmon Hole.  The human interaction that occurs in the area is direct and notable, but not as notable as the past.  Salmon Hole used to be frequented for salmon fishing, hence the name, but now there are regulations that help to protect the fish population, especially during the salmon spawning season.  As well as this, there used to be more large industrial building surrounding the river, which no doubt greatly effected the water quality of the Winooski.  Mills and textile plants outlined the river, especially in the late 1700s and through the 1800s, this was followed by the introduction of hydroelectrics on the Winooski in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  The Winooski River and the surrounding area has had a rich and interesting history of human activity that has certainly impacted the ecology of the place in different ways.  But the persistence of the area is clear, with the squirrels, beavers, chickadees, fish, and other animals, the natural space has managed to survive.  It is important to take note from the past of the site and help to perserve it for the future.

 

Source:

https://winooskiriver.org/human-history.php

Over Thanksgiving I was home in Northern Massachusetts.  There was snow on the ground and still a lot of animals choosing to stay for the winter.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/13+Surrey+Rd,+Littleton,+MA+01460/@42.5272721,-71.4365523,19z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e396f92d1aef37:0xa0f3b5d4fcb4cea5!8m2!3d42.5272711!4d-71.4360051

Behind my house is a large field full of tall grass, thorn bushes, wild flowers, and rocky outcrops, the field is frequented by a great variety of animals, both living and passing through.  The many bird feeders surrounding the field bring in many birds and rodents, as well as the animas that chose to prey on them like foxes and hawks.  On top of this, there are also the occasional deer and even turkey.

Leopold:

The movement of conservation was created for the inherent purpose of protecting the landscapes held dear to people.  The usage of the land and for its aesthetic value that it holds by nature.  As an individual, I appreciate this land, with its rocky outcropping, thorn bushes, wild flowers, and for every animal that frequents it.  The nature of this land is in its integration with human life.  Rather than a separation, its existence is surrounded and supported by the human residency that engulfs it.  But in what ways must we consider how humans effect the lives of the wild world every day?  The cardinals, blue jays, robins, chickadees, squirrels, and hawks depend on the feed laid out by people.  The rabbits, foxes, deer, and turkey all depend on the land, just the time they pass through is a notable interaction, each leaving its own personal impact.  But the question must be posed, how would the land be without us?

Wright:

The lands are different yet the same,

the same feeling and air, the people near.

The river flows through one,

tall trees sway with the wind, the wet ground is soft.

Another, with its sharp edges and rocks,

gravel and dry grass.

Threatening thorns lay menacingly.

The hidden creatures wander through,

calling to one another with the wind.

 

 

As for wildlife, I mainly noticed grey squirrels, as well as a number of chickadees.

Welcome Back!

Changes-

Since my last visit to Salmon Hole, the vegetation has changed significantly.  As the past couple of weeks have passed the weather has changed greatly.  The colder temperatures have led to the further changing and falling of leaves, along with the overall lessening of color in the plants.  On the 21^st there were even many snow flurries from the dropped temperatures.  Because of this, the ground is more covered with dead leaves and other organic material, and the trees are much barer.

Evidence of Wildlife-

On this visit to Salmon Hole, I also saw some evidence of wildlife in the area.  While not much, I did see a couple squirrels and I could see some birds in the sky above, but they were too far to identify.  Otherwise, there weren’t many clear signs of active wildlife in the plot.

Birds-Eye Map:

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