A UVM blog 2024 Phenology of Centennial Woods Creek

This week was my first official visit to my spot and I wanted to share some initial observations about the plants living there. I went on October 8, 2024 and was there between 3 and 4pm. I’m not 100% confident on my identification skills and this is only a start to the vegetation in this area. However, here are some of the woody plant species that I noticed were common in the spot. I linked my entries to iNaturalist below so feel free to review them and correct me on any mistakes.

Barberry

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247417419

Honeysuckle

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247418587

Eastern white pine

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247418863

Buckthorn

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247420405

Green ash

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247421800

Norway maple

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247421065

Northern red oak

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/247422217

Hello fellow nature lovers and welcome to my blog! I will be taking you on a journey as I document the phenological changes of a single spot in Centennial Woods. I will be focusing on changes in the vegetation in particular, but also overall changes to the spot and other wildlife from time to time.

Where to Find it

My spot is located in the Centennial Woods Natural Area in Burlington, Vermont. To find it, enter on Catamount Dr and follow the main path until you reach a less densely wooded area that comes upon a small brook. Take the path down rather than upwards and it will take you parallel to the brook. Where the brook begins to turn away from the path, go down to the water and follow the stream to the right where you will hopefully find this spot.

Introduction to the Area

For this project, I wanted to observe a spot that was near the brook in Centennial Woods. This was not just because I wanted to see frogs and fish, but I am interested in how the stream influences the surrounding vegetation and the vegetation affects the stream. I am also curious to see how the drop in temperature over the next months will affect the area and everything living there once the water freezes.

Once I reached this particular section of the stream I knew that I wanted to observe here. I will be focusing on the area about a 20 meter radius from where I am standing in the above photos. This area is cut through by the Centennial Brook which is small but currently relatively fast moving. The brook is frequently disrupted by fallen trees and branches as well as bits of land. Closest to the brook there are mostly small trees and shrubs such as barberry, honeysuckle, and young green ash. A little farther out from the stream are more mature trees such as Northern red oak and Eastern White Pine.

The land at the edge of the creek is currently pretty damp and muddy with lots of ferns, and other small non-woody plants. What intrigued me about this particular spot is how it begins to open up from a more wooded area to a much sunnier field. Slightly farther downstream, young trees stretch over the brook and older trees tower overhead. Upstream however, non-woody vegetation begins to take over. It will be interesting to see how both sections change over the future months.