When assigned to find a peaceful, natural area, and observe it as the season changes, I chose my favorite place in Burlington, Rock Point. After attending a brief lab there, I went back a few times to have lunch and enjoy some time to myself. I would walk by the waterfront and skate park until arriving at Rock Point, where I would walk to the top of the cliff before walking down to the water. Here I could isolate myself in my thoughts while also getting a taste of back home in Marshfield, MA, right on the water.
Rock Point is full of life, with a plethora of cedar, birch, and oak trees. Being so close to Lake Champlain, calcium is an abundant nutrient that allows for these trees to thrive. As well as that, There is an abundance of eastern serviceberry, maple, and American beech saplings growing all around. Closer to the water, the primary woody plants, Cedars, are growing out of the cliff face and the rocky ground. It’s astounding to see such plants growing in areas where one would think nothing could grow out of.
Some common woody plants include:
- Cedar
- White Oaks
- Sugar Maple
- Red Pine
- Shagbark Hickory
