My phenology blog site is directly after the bridge along the brook within Centennial Woods. This brook really defines the area. I know I am there once I get to the end of the bridge, and I get there by walking from my dorm, Harris Hall, to Centennial Woods, and follow the main trail. There is lots of leaf litter now that the leaves have fallen from the trees. I also noticed there was a small piece of glass by where I was sitting. This was a small part of human impact I noticed. Plenty of people passed by while I was at my site, and the soil is very packed down in the surrounding area because of the traffic. All of the human impact has shaped the character of this area into an arguably less natural place, though it should still be appreciated. It does make the experience of being there a little less special though. When trying to get to know a place without distraction, while the addition of water is pretty, being right off a trail probably wasn’t the best choice. Across from the small brook is an eroded bank. This has likely impacted the water quality and the small fish I saw that primarily stayed under the bank. On this bank across from me there is dismal looking grass, and more leaf litter from the tree that stands there too. Further down the stream, there is a fallen tree across it. However, the ends of the tree rest on the banks on either side, and the water isn’t high enough to reach it. There is also a beautiful red oak tree that is one of the last trees to still have its leaves in the area.
