I cannot believe that I have been visiting rock point for almost nine months! It has been such an honor to document the phenological changes that have occurred at this breathtaking spot. I was able to visit my spot for the last time on May 12th. It was a gorgeous, sunny morning. I was able to document the changes that have occurred since my last visit. It was so exciting to see the leaves on the deciduous trees start to leaf out.

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The relationship of nature and culture is so rich at Rock Point. Because of its ownership by the Episcopal church, the land has had a plethora of cultural uses throughout the years. This has helped enhanced the landscape through the many uses that the land has possessed. Additionally, the recreational use of this area helps add another flavor of culture to this area.

I would consider myself a part of this place. I say this because I consider myself a part of this landscape through my recreational uses of the land. This connects me to the land and vice versa. The bond that I have made with this place would not have been possible without the recreational opportunities that are available at Rock Point.

To end off this blog I want to include a panorama from my first visit to Lone Rock Point and a panorama from my last visit to the site. Enjoy!

References

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Adirondack Mountains].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Growth on Forest Floor].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Buckthorn Bushes].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Deciduous Trees].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Bird Feather].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Human Interaction].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [View from October 10].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [View from May 12].

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to participate in the City Nature Challenge. Since I had a lot of work to get done, I made observations on campus. I explored the biodiversity that is present on the Waterman Green. I was able to photograph over 10 species in this area. I also made an observation outside Aiken next to the staircase that runs between the Davis Center and Aiken.

While participating in this challenge, my most memorable observation was a magnolia tree on the green. This is one of my favorite trees. The blossoms in spring are absolutely breathtaking. When I see magnolia blossoms, it has always reminded that spring is in full swing.

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I really enjoyed using iNaturalist. I found it easy to navigate, and also very informative. I could not identify most of my observations, so having this platform with a plethora of experts was so helpful. Within a few days, I knew what species I had observed. I found it so inspiring to see the sheer amount of observations that were made around the globe. I found it especially interesting to see the enormous amount of observations that were made in Cape Town. This just goes to show how powerful biodiversity coupled with community involvement can be in producing an ample amount of observations.

Reference

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Lapland Azalea].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Maple].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Red Pines].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Tulips].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Magnolia].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Labrador Tea].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Crab Apple].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Elm].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Honeysuckles].

Wow, it’s been a second since I’ve visited this magical spot. Now we are well on our way into spring, and the landscape is really starting to show that the seasons are changing. One of my first observations was a plethora of buds in the buckthorn bushes along the path. Additionally, I observed multiple woodpecker holes in the hardwood trees along the path.

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As you can see, the woodpeckers have been very busy. The leaves on the buckthorn bushes are making their first appearances of the season.

I discovered more signs of spring when I finally arrived at my designated spot. I noticed much more small vegetation on the forest floor. I also noticed many deciduous trees that are beginning to bud. I was also struck by the physiology of the northern white cedar roots. Last time I was here, there roots were not visible. It was fascinating to observe the red hue that is present in many of the roots.

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When I visited my spot, it was a very dreary day. This was apparent when I looked out over the lake. The Adirondack mountains were not visible. This really made Lake Champlain feel like a sea since the shoreline was not visible. To really highlight the changes that have occurred in the last two months, I am going to juxtapose the view from Lone Rock Point this week and February.

Another interesting observation that I made while visiting my spot was some foam on the side of a deciduous tree. I am not sure what caused this foam to form, but I was intrigued. I also found a small plant that resembles a cultivated columbine flower. I am not sure of the species, but it was very exciting to see yet another sign of spring.

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In addition to the changes to the landscape, there were also changes that I observed related to human activity. On my way down the trail to the parking lot, I observed some gnomes that were placed at the base of trees.

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To highlight some of the species interactions that occur in this landscape, I have attached a species diagram that highlights six species.

References

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [woodpecker activity].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [buckthorn buds].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [more woodpecker activity].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [northern white cedar roots].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [small vegetation on the forest floor].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Dolostone rock visible in my spot].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [View from my spot in April].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [View from my spot in February].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Foam on deciduous tree].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [New vegetation].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Buddha gnome].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [gnome with sheep].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Human interaction with land].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Species interaction diagram].

The city of Burlington is now in the midst of winter, but there are multiple signs that spring is just around the corner. While walking around the city, I found many examples of the approaching season change.

I was hoping to observe bird activity on my exploration; however, I only saw a few crows flying overhead as I walked up College Street. In weeks past, I have observed Robins along the waterfront. My assumption is that the lack of bird activity next to the waterfront was due to the cold and windy conditions. As the days get longer, I cannot wait to observe the phenological changes that occur in Burlington as spring unfolds.

References

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Human activity in Burlington].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Berries on a prolific tree].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Ice by the Waterfront].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Basswood Tree by Waterfront].

Koval, A. [Amelia Koval]. (2021, March 6). Lake Champlain Ice Movement [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k75uG34tiSk

It is so good to be back at Lone Rock Point! I cannot believe that it has been three months since my last visit to this magical location. So much has changed in the phenology of this sight since November. There is now snow and ice covering the forest floor. All of the deciduous trees have no leaves. The only woody plant that still possesses leaves is the northern white cedars along the shore. To highlight the changes that have occurred, I am going to insert two photos of the view from my sight, one from November and one from February.

Evidence of wildlife activity was rather hard to observe due to the large amount of human traffic that this spot receives on a daily basis. In addition, the temperatures were warmer causing the snow to melt and the prints to be less distinct; however, I was able to observe a few prints. I am not 100% sure of the animal that these prints belong to, but according to the Mammal Tracks and Scats Life-Size Pocket Guide , these prints could belong to a weasel, mink or marten. I came to this conclusion because the prints have five toes, claws, and no “X” in the print. Although this could be a case, I also think these prints could belong to a dog due to the high volume of recreational traffic that this spot gets. I hope to improve my tracking skills over this semester so that I can be more confident in my identification of prints.

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References

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Fall view of Lone Rock Point, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Winter view of Lone Rock Point, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Animal tracks, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). Untitled [Signs of human activity, photograph].

Levine, L., & Mitchell, M. (2008). Mammal tracks and scat: life-size tracking guide. Heartwood Press.

The 200 acres of land that are included in the Rock Point peninsula possess a rich human history dating back to the Abenaki tribe. These people used the land in a minimally invasive manner before European settlers arrived. Once Europeans arrived, much of the land was logged. This was especially true on the southern end of the peninsula during the mid 1800s.

Today, Rock Point is owned by the Episcopal Church of Vermont; however, the church allows the public to use the land. The church prioritizes environmental stewardship which positively impacts the natural communities found on the peninsula. In addition, the land is used to build community which is emphasized by the community garden that is on site. A more complete list of the land uses of Rock Point are summed up in the vision statement found on the Rock Point Website. It states: “To be a welcoming sanctuary of spirituality, creativity, community, education, training, and environmental stewardship” (para. 4). Because of this vision, the pristine landscapes found at Rock Point (such as my site at Lone Rock Point) will be maintained and cherished for many years to come.

References

[Map of Rock Point]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.uvm.edu/place/burlingtongeographic/focalplaces/rockpoint.php.

[Military school]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.uvm.edu/place/burlingtongeographic/focalplaces/rp-landuse.php.

Berrizbeitia, I. Focal Places in Burlington. https://www.uvm.edu/place/burlingtongeographic/focalplaces/rockpoint.php.

About Rock Point: Burlington, VT. https://www.rockpointvt.org/about-rock-point.

Now that I am back home in Ashby, Massachusetts, I have been able to spend some time enjoying the reservoir next to my house. This body of water acts as a backup water source for Fitchburg, MA, the city adjacent to my town. Since this water source is intended for drinking water, the shoreline has not been developed to reduce the risk of contamination. Although swimming and boating are prohibited, there are many trails around the reservoir that make it an ideal spot to enjoy the serenity of nature.

The spot that I chose at the Fitchburg Reservoir is on a point that looks out over a small island. The overstory of the forest is dominated by eastern white pines and red pines. In the understory, a plethora of wild blueberry bushes can be observed. In addition, a sprinkling of mountain laurel bushes add greenery to the understory. When thinking about this place in relation to Lone Rock Point, some striking differences and similarities can be noted in the ecology of these two locations. At Lone Rock Point, the dominant species in the overstory are northern white cedars, northern red oaks, and shagbark hickory. In the understory, the common buckthorn is the dominant species. These differences in species distribution and abundance are driven by many factors including the different soil types of these two locations. At Lone Rock Point, the soil contains a high concentration of magnesium and calcium ions due to the presence of the dolostone bedrock under the soil. Since northern white cedars require these two minerals to thrive, the soil conditions at Lone Rock Point directly influences the high abundance of this tree species. In contrast, the pH of the soil at the Fitchburg Reservoir must be acidic since the dominant species in the overstory and understory thrive in acidic soils. Thus, the different soil types in these two locations directly impacts the distribution of species.

When thinking about the phenology of these two locations, some interesting comparisons can be made. At both locations, the needles on the coniferous trees are still intact. At the Fitchburg Reservoir, all the wild blueberry bushes in the understory are completely bare; however, at Lone Rock Point, the common buckthorn bushes in the understory still posses some leaves. While at the reservoir, I spent some time observing the forest floor to understand how the changing seasons has affected the organic matter that is present. I noticed a multitude of pine needles and wild blueberry leaves. As I observed the forest floor, I thought about how the composition of the organic matter differed from what I observed at Rock point. I also considered how the high winds at Rock Point increases the amount of organic matter that accumulates on the forest floor as the seasons change from summer to winter. The similarities and differences in the phenology of these two locations show the impact that geographical location has on the progression of the seasons.

To help you understand why I enjoy spending time at the Fitchburg Reservoir, I have included some photos.

References

Koval, A. (Photographer). 2020. Untitled [View of Fitchburg Reservoir, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). 2020. Untitled [Red pine, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). 2020. Untitled [Pine cones, photograph].

Google Maps. (2014). [Fitchburg Reservoir. Ashby, MA]. [Satellite Map]. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=116qPJMX-beqKqm6OHGsvxxBm-4mh6Jia&ll=42.65119977618572%2C-71.84143105335811&z=18.

Although we are now approaching winter, the weather has been incredibly warm for the past few days. When I visited Lone Rock Point yesterday, it was almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This is quite a change from the cold temperatures and snow that we just received on Monday night. This goes to show the wide fluctuation in weather events that can occur during this transition month.

In addition to changes in the weather, there have also been changes in the landscape. When I last visited my site, the leaves on the deciduous trees were mostly intact. This was not the case yesterday. Most of the leaves had fallen off the deciduous trees, and I observed a multitude of them on the forest floor. I also noticed that many of leaves on the common buckthorn bushes were no longer present; however, there were still some green leaves on these bushes which gave my site a feeling of vitality.

Since the experiences that one has with a place are so important, I have attached an event map so that you can vicariously interpret my time at Lone Rock Point.

To help you experience the sounds of Lone Rock Point, I have included a video of the view from my spot.

To me, pictures are worth a thousand words. I have added a new gallery of photos so that you can experience the changes that this magical location has undergone in the last two weeks.

References

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Event map, photograph].

Koval, A. [Amelia Koval]. (2020, December 4). Rock Point Video [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpUz8e83Bts&feature=youtu.be

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [View of Lake Champlain, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Understory, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Forest floor, photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Overstory, photograph].

Since my last visit to Lone Rock Point, a lot has changed in the landscape. I noticed a large increase in the amount of northern red oak leaves on the forest floor. In addition, I observed many needles on the forest floor from the northern white cedars. The deciduous trees looked much more bare, and the overall landscape looked much less green and vibrant. The only vegetation that still looked green was the common buckthorns found in the understory and the needles on the northern white cedars; however, there were some leaves that were starting to turn yellow on the buckthorn bushes. There were few signs of wildlife that I could identify.

The only sign that I observed was a few spots of fecal matter from birds. These were found on some of the dolostone bedrock that is pokes through the soil. Although signs of animal life were slim at my spot, I had the pleasure of seeing a red fox while walking on the Rock Point trail. I am sad to say that I wasn’t able to take a photo of this beautiful animal; however, it was a thrill to see such a sly mammal.

To emphasize the changes in the landscape, I am going to insert 2 photos from my spot, one from 2 weeks ago, and one from this week.

To further help with understanding the geography of my location, I have inserted a hand-drawn, birds-eye view map of my location.

References

Koval, A. (photographer). (2020). Untitled [old view of Lake Champlain, photograph].

Koval, A. (photographer). (2020). Untitled [current view of Lake Champlain, photograph].

Koval, A. (photographer). (2020). Untitled[Event map, photograph].

Hello Everyone! I have decided to do my phenology project at Lone Rock Point. I now have my bike on campus, which makes getting to Lone Rock Point much easier. Although it isn’t the closest option to campus, I felt such a connection to the landscape when I visited this area for lab #2 of NR1. I have always found peace while looking over a body of water, so I am elated that my location has a magnificent view of Lake Champlain. In addition, I have many personal connections to water since I have been a competitive swimmer for seven years. I also enjoy sailing, so I am very passionate about protecting water resources since I have personally benefited from the recreational uses that these spaces provide. Thus, studying the changes that occur in the landscape right next to Lake Champlain was a natural choice.

Getting to my spot takes some time since it is roughly 3.5 miles from campus. Start by heading down College St., and then take a right onto the bike path. Once you get to North Beach, prepare to take a right into the North Beach Campground. Once you are through the gate of the campground, take your first a left into the main Rock Point entrance. Follow the paved road until you locate the bike rack. Lock your bike at the rack next across from the community garden. Walk over the bridge that crosses the bike path and take your first left. Follow this trail until you enter a clearing. Continue onto the Rock point trail, and walk straight through the parade ground. Continue on the trail until you notice a set of stone steps off to the right. Climb the steps and enjoy the view from my awesome spot at Lone Rock Point.

References

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Thrust Fault, Photograph].

Koval, A. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Woody Plants, photograph].

Google Maps (2020). [Lone Rock Point. Burlington, VT]. Retrieved October 11, 2020, from https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=1ce2ie-G8gJjTYhSiTmUfBBdhaE0L2eze&ll=44.48923158235482%2C-73.24788169204241&z=18.

Berrizbeitia, I. Focal Places in Burlington. https://www.uvm.edu/place/burlingtongeographic/focalplaces/rockpoint.php.