Centennial Woods is a University of Vermont natural area.  This means that there are rules posted at the entrance of the woods telling visitors what they cannot do in the woods.  These rules curb the behavior of those who choose to enter the woods because there are likely consequences for violators if those rules are broken.  This brings about an ethical paradox for me when visiting my phenology spot.  The rules encourage me to stay on the path, yet I must stray from the path to get away from people in the “natural area.”  This is an ethical choice, for I know that by straying from the path, I am violating the rules, as well as potentially damaging the young plants below my feet.  My yearning for a quiet, “natural-looking” place in the woods combined with my need for a good grade in the class pushes my to overcome the ethical obstacles of disturbing the ecosystem and breaking the rules of the forest.

As human beings, we tend to create societal social constructions of our ideal of nature.  For example, why did I choose the spot I did in Centennial Woods to signify nature?  Why did I pick an area of the woods off the trail and absent of visible human impacts?  Why did I not choose a spot closer to my dorm, or even just look out my window to pick a phenology spot?  Seasonal changes would still be visible, I would not have to travel so far, and I would not disrupt the natural environment of the woods if I had chosen a spot on campus.  Perhaps it is all in my perception of “nature,” or what I consider to be “natural.”