My spot today was lightly covered in snow. The trees around me were thin and bare, letting the sunlight penetrate to the forest floor. Almost all of the understory species had disappeared. The sound of the stream was still prevalent. I found some holes in trees that looked as an animal or bird was nesting in it to get away from the cold weather. Many more trees had fallen down, covering the pond and my walkway to my spot. I found mushrooms on trees as well that looked frozen in place.
My spot in Centennial woods has gone through many changes over time. In the 1800’s major deforestation was happening in Vermont. In centennial woods large amounts of trees were cut down for a pasture. This is seen in the succession of the area. Though there has been much time for the trees to recover they are still young and thin. This is seen in my spot in Centennial Woods. The pine trees are thinner than if one were to go to an old forest.
Today the land is used for recreational activities for the Students at the University of Vermont. The area was bought by the school and is used for labs, hikes, classes and more. Runoff is prevalent in the land as seen by the field. It is said to come from the Harris Millis dining hall.
Though I have not seen any wildlife in the area I know that it is there. Woodpeckers are common in these woods such as the Pileated Woodpecker, and the Downy Woodpecker. Many other birds are common in the area and hawks have been spotted as well. Racoon and White-tailed deer are also common though they have not been spotted by me.
Work Cited
Centennial Woods Natural Area Check List. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2018, from https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/57424-Centennial-Woods-Natural-Area-Check-List
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