Over the Thanksgiving break, I stayed in Burlington enjoying the Church St festivities. Towards the end of my break, I went on an early morning walk through Rock Point Natural Area. As I began down the trail I couldn’t help but admire the lake peeking through the trees. Thankfully, I found a short trail leading down to a gorgeous beach. As I sat on a dilapidated log bench I reflected on the differences between this natural area and my phenological place. The most obvious difference is the human impact on the landscape. As I walked I saw cut logs, concrete retaining walls, and driftwood shelters. As I continued along, I noticed pine needles littered the ground among maple and oak leaves. Although I have noticed Eastern White Pines in my phenological place, they are not as prolific as in Rock Point. This goes to show a major ecological difference between these two spots, the bedrock and surficial geology. Both spots are made up of glacial till, but Rock Point is aided by calcium rich dolostone that breeds rich hardwood forests. It was interesting to observe the minor differences that contribute to species makeup in certain areas.
