Hello everyone! My phenology site is in Centennial Woods. This expanse of forest has beautiful walking trails and I often frequent it for a morning run. Running through it’s winding trails, I am introduced to a number of different forest stands. There are deciduous and coniferous forests, meadows and wetlands. However, I found one place I liked especially. After entering the woods at the corner of Spear Street and Carrigan Drive, one only has to follow the trail, take a left past the eastern hemlock clearing, until they are at the site I am studying. I call this the pine clearing. The floor of the clearing is coated in golden pine needles which have fallen from the dominant species, Eastern White Pine. Along with Eastern White Pine, there is Striped Maple in the understory and Eastern Hemlock in the overstory. The sight is edged by a wide stream with rapid stream flow. The soil by the stream is very sandy which indicated permeability. This means that likely whatever is in the water, ends up in the soil of my Pine Clearing whether it is runoff, or dissolved nutrients from further upstream. There is also Hemlock Hill Fern growing in large patches. One of the reasons the site caught my eye is the lack of small vegetation on the ground, either covered by needles or too small to see as well as the beautiful movement of the river. The forest composition is decidedly evergreen and is mostly located in the overstory. I am excited to share more about this beautiful place!
https://goo.gl/maps/EH1HzMrTfEz to see map!
