Over thanksgiving break we were tasked with visiting a site near our homes to compare with our phenology spot at UVM. I chose Nelson Lake, a forest preserve about ten minutes away from my house. This preserve offers a protected forest centered around a marshy lake, offering trails many use to run, walk, bird watch, cross country ski, and more. It is a great spot for recreation and accessible to any who want to visit. Also, it provides needed preserved natural land within an area that is highly covered in farmed, open land.

This spot has differences and similarities to my spot in Burlington. The trees in this spot are mostly deciduous hardwoods. This is different than the diverse mix of deciduous and coniferous trees and species found in my spot in Burlington. Also, the ground cover is (as my mom explained to me) dormant understory vegetation, while in Burlington it is heavily covered in ferns. I do think that the soil composition has a large role to play in this. Also, while I didn’t observe specific tree species, I would like to go back again over winter break and see what species I can find of trees to further examine the area.