Choosing a spot for my phenology project was no easy task. This journey meant observing and bonding with a natural area through all its seasonal changes, so I knew I had to find just the right place. After some browsing on Google Maps, I discovered a lush path of vegetation alongside the Winooski River – next to what is called the Salmon Hole. I hadn’t yet explored that part of town and thought it was a great opportunity to do so. It was close to my dorm, making it accesible to go walking and by bus – so I wouldn’t freeze to death on winter. Plus, the variety of vegetation and the presence of the characteristic river added to its appeal.
To get there, I walked down a trail that began between two columns. The land has a significant inclination, due to the presence of rocky formations, that have been sculpted over thousands of years by the flowing water of the Winooski River. Which in turn, impacts the wildlife and vegetation here.
As fall had started, many trees had their leaves covering the floor already, and the colors weren’t all green – orange, yellow, and red leaves painted the lanscape. Troughout my spot the deciudous trees were mostly Norway Maple, Northern Red Oak and American elm. Invasive species, however, were the stars of the area, such as; common and alder buckthorn, japanese barberry, white sweetclover, tartarian honeysuckle, and some multiflora rose. Lastly, interesting finds included riverbank grape and tall goldenrod.
Though in this first trip I wasn’t able to observe much wildlife – apart from some fish in the river -, I’m looking foward to further exploring this beautiful place.
The links to INaturalist are embeded in the photos