Centennial Woods has a diverse history of human land-use, and there are many pieces of evidence there today that indicate what that land-use history included. One piece of evidence that can be seen in the forest today is the barbed wire that is embedded in a large oak tree. This barbed wire indicates that the land was once used as an agricultural site. This is because barbed wire is commonly used as a property boundary and to keep cattle inside a certain area (C. Schaffer, personal communication, September 14, 2020). Another piece of evidence in the forest is the cement wall that is covered in graffiti. Although the origins of the cement wall are disputed, it is believed to be part of a bunker that was formerly used by the ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program (Brooks & Poleman, 2020). Additionally, there are the burned remains of the rope tow shed from the former South Burlington Kiwanis Ski Area, which was active from 1962 to about 1967 (South Burlington). Even more evidence of land-use can be seen in the form of the many trails and footbridges throughout Centennial Woods. These trails indicate both recreation and education as uses of the forest. For recreation, people travel these trails in ways such as hiking and running. For education, many classes conduct labs and other hands-on learning experiences in Centennial Woods, like NR 001 for example! Along some of the steeper trails, there are large logs embedded horizontally across the trails. These were put in place by humans in order to redirect water off of the trails to prevent erosion (C. Schaffer, personal communication, September 14, 2020). Finally, the vegetation gives clues to how the land was used by humans in the past. For example, pine and birch trees are considered to be pioneering/early successional species, so they indicate that the land was once cleared and is now being reclaimed by nature (“The Changing Landscapes”).
Although there is not clear evidence of it, the land originally belonged to the indigenous Abenaki people. They valued and respected the land, and used it much differently than the people after them. Then, the European settlers arrived beginning in the early 1600s. Europeans settlers used this land in many ways including logging, agriculture, forestry, and harvesting natural resources. This caused massive deforestation in the late 18th and early 19th century. In the late 19th century, the farmland in this area was sold and divided. From 1891 to 1968, the University of Vermont slowly accumulated the area by buying it from five landowners. At one point, Centennial Woods consisted of 216 acres, but has shrunk over time to its current size of approximately 65 acres. Sadly, before Centennial Woods was reclaimed as a natural area to be preserved by UVM in 1974, it was used as a dumping ground for waste and other things (Brooks & Poleman, 2020).
References
Brooks, C., & Poleman, W. (2020, September 10). NR 001 Lecture 4. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT.
(2004, July 23). South Burlington Kiwanis Ski Area. New England Lost Ski Areas Project. Retrieved Dec. 5, 2020, from http://www.nelsap.org/vt/sburl.html
The Changing Landscapes of Centennial Woods Natural Area: A Field Guide. The University of Vermont Libraries. https://researchguides.uvm.edu/centennialwoods/guides#s-lg-box-5912660