NR 1 Phenology Blog – Winooski River Walk

I am very sad to report that this is my final official visit to my phenology spot. I have developed a much deeper connection than an anticipated and I would definitely say that this experience has played a role in the development of my sense of place here in Vermont. A corner where I know all of the species and visualize their interactions together.

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I think every place has been effected by humans in some way so I definitely think it is a space where a culture and nature intertwine. For so long the area has been forsaken and taken for granted. I was exploited by the timber industry and then further destroyed by the dumping of trash in the mid 1900’s. Only in recent years has it begun to regain its independence as a natural area. It has now taken its rightful place has a forest flood plain and only slightly exploited as a recreational area. Culture and nature intertwine here through recreation, a place where people can enjoy the beauty of the river and view ecological systems at work. The area is also a wildlife habitat in a developed area. Long uninterrupted areas of natural area are integral to wildlife populations in more urban areas.

I would say that I am a part of my site in the sense that I feel a string connection to it and believe that it needs to be protected and left to grow as it pleases. I would also say that I am a part of it in the sense that know a great deal about the area and the history which has definitely fostered my connection to area. But it is not my

The Boxelder Arch Over the Months

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Everything is continuing to grow and I am excited to see how things look after then bloom. Maybe there will be more flowers in the area and MORE BIRDS!?!?

Thank you so much for documenting the phenological changes of this beautiful spot over the past year! I have truly enjoyed this assignment and I am glad I had this opportunity. I think I will continue to visit and pay more attention to the phenology of other places I frequent.

WELCOME BACK TO THE SPOT!

It’s been a while and Im happy to see you weather this winter. Over the past couple weeks the rivers of Vermont have been inundated with water as the snow from the mountains continues to melt and the rain starts to pour. My site is a an sIlver Maple – ostrich fern floodplain but is actually a large collection of Boxelders and no silver maples but there are ostrich ferns! I fortunately visited just after the flood had receded but the area was quite muddy. The path there was also quite flooded and almost created an access issue.

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Though the calendar has said its spring for a while now we all know it is only just beginning. There were unfortunately no wild flowers poking through the ground there were fiddle heads and bud on the trees. All of the trees were budding, even the boxelder whose trunk snapped this past fall and has buds emerging. I was also happy to see that the beech sapling has made it through another winter and is on its way to becoming big and strong. In other news I also found some raccoon track on my journey back.

Thank you for visitng this week! Next week we will look at the final phenological changes of the season.

YAY ITS REALLY SPRING!

Over this past break I was in a stressed and angry place and really needed a change of pace, so I drove to the beach. The north shore of Massachusetts is only 50 minutes away so I headed up for a day of coastal exploration. I did have a few set destinations in mind, but I mostly drove around with the windows down, slowing to look at the scenery. What I found incredibly beautiful was the salt marshes at this time of year. I can not remember that last time I went to the beach in the winter, it is quite peaceful and arguably just as beautiful. Because of the time of year the grass has died back and though one could argue the brownish yellow grass pales in comparison to the lush green of the summer and fall this time of year give a unique opportunity to view the topography and soil. The tide was also very low at this point which also gave a unique view.

The Massachusetts North shore was carved by the Wisconsin glaciation and was later inhabited by Indigenous groups that migrated seasonally through the are utilizing its various different ecosystems. During colonization, Cape Anne and all along the coast became a large collection of small fishing villages. The area, specifically Rockport, was home to large granite quarries and they used the small port town to transport these large masses of granite to other ports in the country. The are was also home to agriculture and grazing. During low tides, cows would be lead across sand bars to other nearby islands to graze. Now the north shore is still home to local fisheries but also caters to tourism as well. Some other areas I visited are now protected land due to their high levels of biodiversity. The Mass Audubon Society has multiple sanctuaries in the area. There are also many beautiful historical homes, light houses and estates that are now historical monuments.

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As for species, I should have paid more attention to the bird species as I didn’t do much listening. At this time of yer it is a pretty barres place and the only thing inhabiting the area are some phragmites and grasses. On the waters edges the rocks were covered in sea weed and the beaches littered with shells of mussels.

Thank you so much for visiting this beautiful place with me!

Welcome back to the site!

Over the past month we have gone through cycles of warming yet we still trudge through winter. This past we have received a few fresh inches of snow which brings the world back to stillness. Despite the recent melting, the Winooski River is still frozen and there are still many inches that cover the ground.

Wetland Woodland Wildland Assesment

The book Wetland Woodland Wildland, written by Elizabeth Thompson and Eric Sorenson, give detailed analysis of the natural communities of Vermont. The book has a second categorized by region. My phenology spot falls into the region of the Champlain Valley. The book describes the weather of the region as having higher temperatures than the mountains due to the lower elevation. The lower elevation of the valley determines the weather for the majority of the year meaning it can be much warmer than areas in the southern portion of the state. This however, is not true in the dead of winter when “latitude takes over as the controlling factor in temperature”, and Burlington is often colder than the southern portions of the state.

Based on the natural community classification guide I think my phenology spot could be classified as a forested floodplain. It is in close proximity to the river and over the course of the winter I have watched water levels rise with precipitation. Next to my site is a more open wetland area at a slightly lower elevation and has been flooding recently. Though the area has not flooded yet this year I do think it still qualifies as a forested floodplain. Water is still a main component in the site and plays a large role in the soil type of the area. The water level of the river is constantly changing throughout the year and at various times throughout the year there is a small lower bank of the river where plants do grow and the soil is often flooded. More specifically It can be classified as a Sugar Maple-Ostrich Fern Riverine Floodplain Forest which is known to have boxelder, ostrich fern and diverse herbaceous layer.

Despite the hardwood trees present, the edge of the site could be considered an erosional river bluff. The bank of the river is quite steep and has the clear effects of erosion. This area of the site does meet these qualifications however, this is only a small portion of my site and I think when taking into account the larger area, it should be classified as a forested floodplain.

Phenological Changes

There has only been slight changes in the past month but mostly winter has remained the same. The buds are marginally larger than before signaling the spring will eventually come. But there were no new signs of wildlife and any that were there have been covered by inches of fresh snow.

Thanks for visiting, ill be back with a new site next week!

Welcome back to my spot!

It is a new year and I am excited to continue documenting the changing of the seasons and discovering more about the ecology of my location.

First order of business is describing the changes that have occurred. Over the past month and a half the site has turned into a silent sanctuary. A thick blanket of untouched snow covers the entire landscape. The ground is completely frozen and all decomposition of the fallen trees and mushrooms has slowed. The river has frozen over and the industrial output down stream has stopped further contributing to the silence of the place. Most excitingly I have found some tracks!!! The tracks seemed to originate from across the river and continue across the ice to under a large piece of ice on the shore. Unfortunately, I could not get very close to the tracks but I was able to take some photos. From the pictures is looks like a galloper. Originally, I hoped it was a rabbit but after looking at the prints under the ice where the snow is thinner it looks as though there are toes and maybe some claws, which would indicate it could be a squirrel.

 

Since the trees have lost all their leaves and buds have begun to grow, I have been working on my tree identification. I have only discovered two deciduous trees at my site but I could work on expanding the list to include those on my walk to the site.

Boxelder Bud:

Sugar Maple Bud:

See you next time!

Welcome Winter!  After a long summer we have been awaiting your arrival and finally you have come!

In the recent weeks there has been a considerable amount of snow, more than November has seen in a long time but before visiting my spot, the snow turned to rains and the snow was gone. Luckily a light dusting has been falling over the past couple days almost returning the landscape to its former beauty.  Over the past month, major changes have occurred.  The wall of Japanese Knotweed that I once though would never change has shrived almost nothing which has completely changed the feeling of the landscape. The fungi has all rotted and fallen to the ground, ready for new life. The wet wood of the fallen trees has hardened and dried, in summary the land has prepared itself for winter. Icicles have formed on the snags and the thin layer of snow mean everything is crunching underfoot. Unfortunately, I could not see any tracks. The thin layer of snow left some grass and sticks poking up and therefore it was incredibly hard to tell what was what in the ground and understanding the depth between the tracks and pieces of snow falling from the trees.

The Land use History:

After the Wisconsin Glaciation, the land was inhabited by hunter gathers. Around 1400 AD, the Abenaki people inhabited the area and began the agricultural industry, planting corn along the banks of the river. In the late 1700s settlers started coming into Vermont. With settlement came changes to the landscape, this meant huge amounts of logging and clear cutting. the Vermont economy became dependent on their exports of timber and animal products. Burlington became a trading hub after Ira Allen built a sawmill, forge and gristmill all powered by the Winooski falls about a mile upstream. his investment lead to major development in the state of Vermont.

Major development in the state of Vermont lead to a boom in the agricultural business. Sheep grazing along the river then turned to cattle and dairy production. However in the mid 1900’s there was a major decrease in the amount of agriculture and the low lands of Burlington became abandoned. In the 1980’s Burlington bank of the Winooski river became a dumping grounds for trash, furniture, old cars and other large debris. Then in 1986 Will Raap, the founder of Gardeners Supply Co. began the Intervale Project and bringing about another major land change. The area along the river has returned to its roots and is now the Intervale is a major hub of sustainable agriculture. A little further down the river to my spot is not part of the Winooski River walk and is conserved and protected land. Thought he area has not been a dumping ground of 30 years there is still evidence of the dump it was before. The Winooski River has gone through an exodus of land changes and is a perfect example of humans impression on the land. There is still evidence of every event.  it has been 30 years since the majority of trash was removed and those tires have not even begun to biodegrade. Let this be a sign that how we treat our land needs to change to one of respect and gratitude.

 

Sources:

(n.d.). Human history. Retrieved from Friends of the Winooski website: https://winooskiriver.org/human-history.php

(n.d.). History. Retrieved from Intervale Center website: https://www.intervale.org/about-us/#top

 

 

Welcome Back!

This week I will be showing you all the joys of discovering a new location. This past week I visited a site  I frequented as a child with neighbors and friends. The site is located in a large expanse of woods between my neighbors house and the nearby highway.  For years I have waked these woods and only now have I really been able to analyze the landscape and use the tools I have learned to understand its history.

Describing the Land – Leopold:

As I follow the faint path down the hill I can hear the harsh background of car white noise getting stronger. It interrupts what would be the sweet stillness of a sleeping forest. The November wind rustles through the trees above, clicking and clacking the bare branches together. The winter sun  is peeking through the clouds casting a subtle shadows on the forest floor below. A scuttle emerges from somewhere in the trees. Little feet pitter patter, pitter patter, dancing on the top layer of the fall leaves. The last of the squirrels foraging for the last of the harvest. The remnants of a summer harvest remind me of the hidden root cellars dug by the original owners of the property. The rolling hills suggests a simple life of cattle and grazing was lived here. It is strange we can shape our land. We can dig, mine, clear but Mother Nature still wins. Life always finds a way back. From pasture to forest  and back again. Soon I turn back, the noise of the cars turning from a harsh rushing to a faint music.

Comparison of the Land – Mabel Wright:

Falling all the day, the leaves falling all the day. Home, the leaves continue to fall. With a gust of wind the maple and oak leaves fall to the ground. Unlike my spot in Vermont the forest floor here is bare. A very cold picture of what life is. Water is the start of life.  There is no visible water here. The sky is grey, the trees are grey, the life is grey. A mix of tall, sentinel beings scatter the landscape into a thick canopy. It is no surprise the ground in Vermont is thick with grass, a sparse canopy. The spot at home has no magic. But my spot by the river, an oasis. The curved trees, the fungi, the magic of a beech growing in a flood plain, everything is magic. Both lands touched by the hand of man, but both in different ways. At home, reaping the benefits of changing life. By the river, once a wasteland now a teeming bank of life and protection. The land so different, yet the ecology quite similar. The same bas of species. Maples rule. Pines guard. Geese the out casts and squirrels just behind.  Now as the season turn both seem to lose all life but this is quite the opposite, they are in fact recharging, preparing to come back even stronger.

Link to New Location:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/42%C2%B030’38.0%22N+71%C2%B015’14.7%22W/@42.5105649,-71.2562697,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!1m2!11m1!3e4!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d42.510561!4d-71.254081?authuser=1

 

Welcome Back!

Over the past few weeks the area has been getting considerable amounts of rain. Because of this the river was extremely high during this past visit. The water was completely covering the beach (about 4 feet) and was 1 and 1/2 feet deep over the beach as well. The wood pile extending from the beach has floated a bout 10 feet down stream. The river was also moving extremely fast carrying large pieces of wood down with it.

WE HAVE DOWN TREES! One of the large boxelders creating the natural arch entrance was down covering the path. Luckily I do not think it has really changed the feel of the over all space. But we will have to wait till next spring to see the full effect. In addition to this tree there were a few down trees over the river. One in the cluster of boxelders to the left of the central maple and a few at the edge of the clearing on the right.

In other news, the grass is almost completely dead and covered in a layer of maple leaves. Now that the grass is dead the overall topography of this sight is much more visible. The Japanese knotweed has begun to turn yellow and it is officially stick season, no more leaves on the trees.

Another cool thing, there has been some major fungi growth these past two weeks. With all the moisture there are toadstools popping up everywhere!

This is a journey of all the major points along the trail and to my site!

I have also added a few galleries which can be viewed on the side bar documenting the major events and visits.

Hope you enjoyed the post! Ill be back soon…

Welcome back to the blog!

NEW SPECIES ALERT!

Every-time a new species is discovered at the site it will be displayed here at the top of every new post.
Today’s new species was found hiding below the grasses.

To give you all a better look at the larger picture of the landscape, here is birds eye view map of my location.

In addition to the new species I would like to show off some pictures of some pretty cool fungi I have found. Unfortunately I am not a fungi expert so I am not able to identify these species but I will keep working on it!

Finally, I would like to talk to about the overall changes to the landscape. The grasses have almost entirely lost their color as well as the other herbaceous plants. The Japanese knotweed is still green and looks like it wont ever change color. It has been 2 weeks since my last visit and I have observed some migrating geese trail their feathers along the water as well as a few songbirds, in my previous visit however, I did not observe any wild life.

Thank you all for visiting and observing the phenological changes with me!

Hello and welcome to my phenology blog!

I have chosen to study and explore an area along the Winooski river walk located approximately 0.7 miles up the river from Salmon Hole. My spot is a shaded clearing above the river. There is a natural archway created by two boxelders. In the middle of the clearing there is a large sugar maple shading the area. To the right of the clearing there is a wall of Japanese knot-wood about 4.5 feet tall stretching to the hill. To the left of the tree there is some grass and then a steep drop off to a thin bank and then the river. Jutting out of the bank is a fallen boxelder and large pile of wood in the water.

I chose this spot because I thought the bending boxelders made it look quite magical. The trees are large with many patches of interesting moss and mushrooms. The height gives a good vantage point of the river. The Japanese knotweed provides a natural wall to the space almost creating a room between the river and the knotweed.

The woody species and plants:
Sugar Maple
Boxelders
Golden rods
Panicled Asters
American Beech
Japanese knotweed
Ostrich Ferns

How to get there:
If you are starting from Salmon Hole, follow the trail 0.6 miles up the river.
From the Intervale, follow the trail about 0.6 miles down the river.
If you are starting on Waterman Green, Facing the Waterman Building, take North Prospect Street north approx. 0.6 miles until you reach Route 2. Then cross the intersection to Intervale road. Approximately 500 ft down the road on the left is a trail head. Follow the down the stairs and cross the bridge. Continue along the river until you reach a fork in the trail. Take the left and YOU HAVE ARRIVED!!! You will know you are there when cross under an arched tree (a boxelder to be exact) and reach a shaded clearing covered in grasses. Around and above you will be beautiful arching trees!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/44%C2%B029’20.0%22N+73%C2%B011’58.8%22W/@44.4888807,-73.2018507,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!1m2!11m1!3e4!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d44.4888769!4d-73.199662?authuser=1