An Introduction to the field of ferns nestled by a brook within Centennial Woods
˚ ༘ .˚🌱୭ ˚. For my phenology project, I decided to choose a little corner of centennial woods, off the more beaten path. Once you get to the big Centennial clearing, you go to the left and slightly downward; that is where my place is. I like to think of it as a field of ferns (although it is not big enough to be a field) nestled by a brook. The reason I chose this corner of centennial is because ever since my first week of classes, I felt copnnected to it. I found it during the Centennial Woods Self Guided Tour lab from the first few weeks of classes, and ever since then I have just fallen in love with it. It is so peaceful, especially after going mulitple times in the year and seeing all of the different weather conditions and phenological changes in the woods. You can get there by following the directions in the first lab guidelines to get to the clearing in centennial, and then once you are at the clearing you go left & slightly down a hill and it is quite easy to stumble upon, especially with the sounds of the running stream so close. Some of the overstory vegetation I found during my most recent trip to my phenology place include multiple Eastern Hemlock trees, White Oaks, Red Maples, Yellow Birches, and a Common Buckthorn tree. For the more understory woody plants in the area, I was able to indentity some Intermediate Woodferns, Sensetive Ferns, Polished Maidenhair Ferns, Barberry, small Glossy Buckthorns, Black Tupelos, as well as some Carallawood. There were also plenty fallen leaves, pine cones, and pine needles on the ground while I was there – making the area look like Vermonts key fall beauty. I am constantly enthralled by my location with each visit, and I can not wait to continue visiting over the semester, as well as having some of my peers visit as well.
