Introduction to Casavant Natural Area

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October 17, 2016

Getting There:

My spot is in the middle of Casavant Natural Area, right near Winooski. In order to get there, I need to take a bus from the UVM Medical Center to Winooski, and then walk five minutes along the Winooski river to get to the forest. Once inside the natural area, I walk for another minute and then I cross a small river, which is part of the Winooski and at this point in the year is very low, to get to a small island. After crossing the stream, I walk along the muddy bank for about fifty yards and then climb up the bank to get to my spot.

A mostly dry river bed that I need to cross to get to my spot

Standing at my spot looking over the bank

Why I Chose this Spot:

My spot is on the edge of the bank and the island, and is surrounded by some trees and a lot of shrubbery. I chose this spot because the vegetation is beautiful and luscious, and is also near the the river, which I think will be interesting to observe in the spring.

This is my the view from my spot facing the small island. This is why I chose my spot.

Vegetation:

The vegetation in my spot consists mostly of shrubbery, with a few large trees. There are almost no small trees, only medium to large trees. There are only two types of woody vegetation in my area, Green Ash and Silver Maple. The Green Ashes grow closer to the bank and are covered with ivy. The entire ground is completely covered with shrubs that almost come up to my ankles. Some the shrubs are ferns, but most of them are a species that I have not been able to identify yet. Within a few feet of the river bank, the vegetation changes, and taller shrubs that come up to my stomach take over. There are also a few large patches of tall leafy shrubs that are about a foot taller than me. These patches are very curious because they only grow in large clusters near the river bed.