I feel as though culture in very intertwined with my sight. My sight is in between a college and a golf course. I don’t really know how to define culture in this. situation. but the sight does have its own. kind of culture. In the golf sense hitting the ball into nature is not good but is part of the golf culture. And Plenty of people leave blunt wrappers because they smoke outside to enjoy “nature”. The sight itself though I find very interesting because it manages to be in between two areas highly impacted by humans and human infrastructure. The site manages to stay mainly untouched besides from the smokers and still is home to animals that you might not expect in such a small forested area. I do feel as though I consider myself part of my sight. After long being there long enough most of the tracks became solely mine. I was the only person walking around this area so seeing everything change in. front of me made me feel as though I was part of the site.

While walking around my phenology sight I was able to come to the conclusion that it is an oak-hickory forest. This. is mainly due to the dominance of oak in the area. Although still young oaks there is a clear takeover of oak trees. Not an invasive way but in pure numbers alone. With all the recent precipitation the sight is beginning to change for the spring. The snow is beginning to melt and the plant life looks like its beginning to breathe for the first time all winter. The ground is still covered in what snow is left before the next storm and the dead understory that didn’t make the winter. There are areas that will clearly hold large amounts of new life this spring.

Over Spring break I made a trip to where I work over the summer to look at the phenology and compare them to my sight. Endicott just like most of Vermont was a farm for the majority of its history before it was turned into a park for everyone in the community to enjoy. Due to this a lot of the forest in and around the park are new-age forests. This does not mean that it lacks in biodiversity. The park used to be. home to a lot of elms but sadly there is only one left which I believe has dutch elms disease. The park also consists of many oaks, shagbark hickory, paper, and yellow birch, cherry trees, and now is home to a newly planted apple farm which I helped plant last summer. Endicott park is home to a greater amount of biodiversity than my sight which may be because it is a protected sight and people may be activly planting trees to sustain the beauty of the park. My phenology blog is a lot more untouched being in between a college campus and a golf course.

It has been quite some time for me since I’ve returned to my sight but unfortunately not as much has changed. The winter has been rough so it is not early enough for me to see any beginning of spring occurs. I can agin see small signs of animal life occurring with a small trail off red fox around my sight and. few signs of rabbits in the area.

A swamp, places not easily navigable by humans but where the outside world thrives. All different organisms coming together in land that man normally does not destroy. But an equilibrium has been met where man and nature can co-exist and man can experience this once not very explored ecosystem. This should be an example for how many should enjoy nature. The walk brings you into the depth of the swamp without hurting any of the life there. Even with the cold there is still abundant plant life and what looks to be a lively spot when the water is warm enough for animals. I am able to walk through this ecosystem and connect with the life around me without hurting it. This bliss is how humans should live their lives. This swamp walk is the best of both worlds. Animals are able to live in peace without being disturbed by man, and man is allowed to enjoy nature in a way without destroying it. If humans lived their lives with this sense of bliss then we could better connect with each other and the world around us.

(Attempt at Leopold)

The comparison that I am getting from both of these sites is that it becomes much more cal m in the winter. With the change in the season came the falling of the leaves and the migration of birds for my Vermont site and in the Massachusetts site the birds have also migrated and the turtles have gone into hibernation. What I did notice that was different was the size of land untouched by humans. The site in Massachusetts is protected by the town so there is not much human interaction besides the boardwalk going up. The swamp walk make you feel as though you are just a small piece in the world. Walking along the path you feel as though you are no more important in this world than the. tall grass next to you. You are almost reminded of how big the earth is. The Vermont site is more cramped in between man made places which makes you feel as though the land is dominated by man. You do not get the enjoyable experience you would as feeling as though you are just another small piece in the puzzle.

I have not been able to positively identify the other track but the one above appears to be a grey fox. The size matches up and both have the similar X by the palm if observed closely. Also has 4 toes with the possibility of claw marks.

I was not able to identify this but will continue looking for better tracks.

Since the last time I went to the site the amount of leaves that have fallen has decreased. There are a lot less chirping from the birds as well. In the understory a few plants have died but mostly remain healthy. There has not been many signs of wild life possibly due to the human impact from the golf course and the ponds.

Here is an event map showing the main things that you notice when you go to the site.

The site consists mostly of Conifers in the overstory with a few deciduous. For deciduous all Eastern White pine. For conifers, it was almost all American Beech and sugar maple with red maple as well. The understory is dominated by American Beech with a few maples.