A UVM blog NR 1 Phenology Blog – Centennial Woods

Centennial Woods:

Spring Changes:

Centennial Woods is fully in bloom now that it is spring! The leaves on the sugar and striped maples are budding and some leaves have started to unfurl! The grass has grown back and many ferns are also unfurled at this point. I heard birds like the American Robin and Song Sparrows chirping nearby. I walked by a small stream on the way to my spot and noticed many minnows swimming around too.

Above are some images of ferns unfurling and new plants such as the Chelidonium pictured in the second image. There was also the invasive species, garlic mustard, growing nearby.

Species Diagram:

As seen above, there are numerous species interacting with each other in Centennial Woods. As seen in the diagram the Eastern Hemlock and the White Pine compete for space and sunlight but also provide seeds and habitat for the American Robin and Grey Squirrel. The Red Berried Elder also provides food for them. The White Pine Weevil however attacks the White Pine and is invasive.

Nature and Culture Intertwining:

Nature and culture intertwine at Centennial Woods because of the educational and human benefits it provides. Nature provides us with this space and sustains this natural area which enables us to be able to go and study it. Throughout all of NR1 and 2 we have become tied to our places and learned what it means to create a sense of place somewhere. Many people in the area use it to recreate, relax and recharge. Without nature we would not have this spot to create memories and educate ourselves in. The outdoors-oriented culture of Burlington as a whole is heavily integrated with nature such as Centennial.

Am I a part of Centennial Woods?

After learning about how interconnected humans and nature are this year, I do believe that I am a part of Centennial Woods. In the past I had been taught that humans and nature are two separate entities but now I see them as a part of one big system. I think that the memories and connection I created in this place have an impact on it and therefore, I have become a part of the social-ecological ecosystem of the woods.

Where I Explored:

I decided to walk from Wing-Davis-Wilks to South Prospect Street and then down Maple Street to Perkins Pier Park and Roundhouse Park by Lake Champlain and observed plant and animal species on my walk. On the way back, I wanted to go through the more suburban area on South Willard Street and Cliff Street. I looked at how this area that is mainly houses differed from the more developed and business-based part of downtown Burlington. I found that there were a lot more trees and plants in the neighborhoods and a larger population of squirrels and small animals.

Species I Encountered

The first animal I saw near my dorm was a groundhog. I haven’t seen any so I was surprised to see him running around and going back into his burrow.

On Maple Street I saw an American Robin sitting in a nest on someone’s porch. I haven’t seen a bird in a nest in a long time so it was interesting to see it calmly sitting up there. I also saw some grey squirrels in the area but could not get a picture of them before they ran away.

I saw a lot of White Oak trees on my walk downtown and as you can see in the image the leaves are beginning to sprout as the temperature rises and we move further into spring.

I saw a line of Norway Spruces in front of the Willard Street Inn on my walk home and in that entire area up to the houses on Deforest Ave there is a larger population of other coniferous trees like White Pines in people’s backyards. I can conclude that the soil is acidic and moist in these places. I also saw Red and White Oak trees, and Sugar Maples in people’s back and front yards.

I found a lot of Siberian Squills in people’s gardens as well as growing by the road on my walk. This is a hearty and cold tolerant spring ephemeral that blooms shortly after snow melts.

My Experience with iNaturalist:

I encountered about 10 species of plants and animals that I could identify quickly on my walk. This included various animal, plant and tree species such as those mentioned above. Using iNaturalist was easy and a fun way to interact with my classmates and see what they were finding on their own journeys. I also enjoyed seeing the reports from other cities and observing how different their “phenological clock” is from ours in Burlington. In many cities the trees are all green and more flowers have bloomed while we are just starting to see buds on trees here. Overall, I enjoyed seeing all of the posts and it gave me a wider view of how different places are changing as we shift seasons.

I chose to explore the property I stayed on over break located in Adirondack Park. This is a 104 acre property in Keene, NY in the high peaks region. This land used to be known as Clifford Falls Farm in the 1700s and 1800s and is now protected by the people who live there who try to leave the land alone as much as they can. There is only a house where they live, a barn with a stable and a lean-to on the property. They have a “no mow zone” field and the only mowed area is directly in front of the house. There are many Sugar Maples on their property that are tapped by a local syrup company.

Observations

The large field used to be a potato farm that the Clifford family lived and worked on. The rest of the property is almost entirely forested. By Clifford Falls, there are mainly Eastern Hemlock, White Pine and Eastern Red Cedar trees. On the other side of their property there is a stone wall suggesting there may have also been a sheep pasture on the farm. The trees there are also planted in rows and much younger than by the water. There are Paper Birch, Sugar Maple and some Eastern Hemlock and White Pine trees in that area as well. Many of the pine trees are very young and barely a couple of feet tall.

Animal and Bird Activity

The first day I was there I went for a run and saw what we believe was a wolf running across the road. It was huge, I thought it was a dog at first but the gray coat led me to believe it was a gray wolf. When we were eating dinner we looked out to the field and saw a coyote eating something in the snow. The tracks were gone sadly soon after because of the warm weather. There were many deer too that went in and out of the woods and tried to eat the growing apple trees that were planted. In regards to birds, I heard many robins while I was there and saw a few hawks. I unfortunately wasn’t able to get any pictures before they flew away. I saw a blue jay and a cardinal almost every day in the woods that are visible from the house as well. On the warmer days there were significantly more robins in the yard and in some of the trees.

Tracks

Most of the snow with fresh tracks was melted while I was there but I was able to catch a red squirrel who kept coming up to the window. He seemed to live on the side of the house or in the woods by this overhang. The recycling was over there so it appeared he was visiting it often. There was also a chipmunk that came up to the side of the house.

Comparison to Burlington

There are many similarities and differences in these two areas. Overall, The Adirondack Park has a similar phenology to the wooded and mountainous areas around Burlington. However, being in such an isolated area makes it so that much more of the wildlife is visible in my new location in comparison to the city-like atmosphere of Burlington. They are relatively close and just across the lake so many of the same animal and tree species are seen there. One big difference is that where we were in Keene was at 2,500 feet of elevation. Therefore, there were many more conifers and fewer majority hardwood forests like the ones we see in Burlington which is barely above sea level.

Redstone Pines Observations:

There is a thin layer of snow now covering the area that is the Redstone Pines. Due to the increase in temperatures the past week and the rain, all the snow previous to our recent small blizzard has melted. The White Pines that make up this small area are doing well as coniferous trees often do in the winter.

Animal Tracks and Sightings:

During my time exploring this area I was able to find a couple of tracks. I noticed that they were around 2 inches long and had tiny claws and narrow toes as you can see in the image above. This led me to the conclusion that they belonged to a grey squirrel. The tracks also led to multiple trees which further justifies this claim. I did spot one squirrel running but I was not able to get a good picture before it ran away back into the bushes.

Many of the shrubs and plants here were dead, including this rhododendron which I identified using iNaturalist. Any other tracks there were human or dog and in many areas there were no tracks at all.

Centennial Woods in January

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It’s finally January in Centennial! It looks similar to last time I was here in December before break, but there is significantly more snow on the ground.

Changes in the Woods

Some changes I’ve noticed are mainly about the snow coverage and ice. This one section of a stream that runs through the woods was frozen over in some places or covered completely by snow except for in a few spots. Some tracks were around the stream, along with lots of human footprints.

Tracks and Patterns

Many of the tracks were hard to identify because it had snowed lightly a few hours before I visited. However, as you can see in the first image of this series there were lots of deer tracks going uphill in this section of the woods. I also saw some longer tracks that could have belonged to a rabbit or squirrel.

Conclusion

Overall, there weren’t too many significant changes in the landscape. Temperatures have been dropping so there are changes taking place for plants and animals in the area. Some insects go dormant and many animals in hibernation. There will be more changes in patterns as winter progresses and eventually spring arrives.

December in Centennial Woods

The Changes of Early Winter

Centennial Woods is now experiencing winter and colder temperatures! There are many changes associated with the first snowfall and dropping temperatures for any environment. In Centennial Woods, all trees have now lost their leaves and any that were still hanging on, such as the Red Oak leaves pictured, are now on the ground due to the snow. One change I noticed was that the White Pines that seemed to be missing a lot of needles back in September now appear to be much fuller again. Overall, The woods are barren now that nearly all leaves are gone and the plants on the forest floor are now dead.

Tracking Photos

Tracking Observations

I had to walk into a less-traveled section of the woods to find any tracks. I came across a pattern of tiny tracks that were in clusters of four. I assume this is front and back legs of an animal that appears to be a squirrel. I was able to follow its path for some of the trail and could see when it stopped and walked around on a log. It looked like it was bounding through the snow because of the distance between the clusters, but it traveled in a direct line to conserve energy. When it was on the log the tracks were more sporadic and it may have been looking for nuts or seeds.

Other Observations

Many animals hibernate at this time but there are also many visitors in Centennial Woods. There were lots of human footprints and dog tracks from people who use Centennial Woods for recreation purposes. Also, next time I would like to go right after it snows before other people can walk to see if I can find other animal tracks such as fox tracks. I heard bird sounds clearly this afternoon but besides that there was little rustling like there is in the fall. I look forward to seeing how Centennial continues to change next semester.

Google Maps Location

What is the Significance?

“Julia’s Woods” is a small forested area next to my friend’s house where there is an unmarked trail by a stream that my hometown friends and I often walk on in the summer. We used to use it often before we could drive as a shortcut between neighborhoods.

The Phenology of This Spot

These woods are mainly made up of American Beech, Striped Maple and Red Oak trees. Most of the area around it has been cleared and is residential. Most of the undergrowth has died but there were remnants of some ferns by the water. There was also Japanese pachysandra near the entrance which is an invasive species. There was also some Boxed Leaved holly. Furthermore, there are many downed trees that are decaying on and along the trail since it is not maintained.

Comparison to Centennial Woods

The phenology of these woods in comparison to Centennial Woods is very different. Centennial is much larger and has a wider variety of plant and tree species. In Centennial there are White Pines, Box Elder and Red Oak trees which are not in this new spot. Also, there isn’t any honeysuckle, golden rod, or poison ivy in this forest like there is in Centennial. There is also a much more limited amount of space in my spot in New Providence because of the streets that back up to it and the houses in the surrounding areas. In Centennial there is a large amount of land that fosters the diverse environment there. In the spring, these woods are much more filled in and there are more ferns and small plants on the banks of the river. This is similar to Centennial Woods which also fills in in the spring and summer. In Centennial right now some trees are still changing color but most of the leaves have fallen and it will be covered by snow soon. In New Providence, all the trees are bare and have been for weeks already. I look forward to coming back and comparing these two spots again in the spring.

I chose to take a new route to my phenology place and explore another part of Centennial Woods and then observe my surroundings while walking down to the end of Church Street.

I walked through Centennial Woods and observed the changing leaves and vegetation in the area. Some trees were bare at this point but majority were maple trees with leaves that had turned yellow. I also walked by the stream and saw some vegetation that looked less lively than it has in the past. After this I walked down Pearl Street to Church Street and noticed many of the trees that had leaves on them last week were all bare as well. Lots of leaves were on the ground and sidewalks as well. I then met my friends at Kru to do work and ended my walk there.

My Sit-Spot Experience

Sit-Spot Observations:

During my time in Centennial Woods this week, I focused on meditating and taking in my surroundings for 15 minutes. I observed the changes in the vegetation that have occurred since I was last there and found that there were many more maple leaves on the ground and decomposition was taking place. Last time I visited the trees had begun to change and turn yellow, and now nearly every tree was yellow or bare because it had completely changed or lost its leaves. The forest was easier to see through due to this and I observed more animals such as squirrels and noticed poison ivy and ferns growing as well. I had a very relaxing experience sitting there and listened to different birds such as crows. It has been interesting to already see how the area has changed and I’m excited to watch it continue to develop.

Further Observations:

While walking into Centennial I noticed there was significantly more mud than last time and it smelled like decaying leaves. The stream was flowing more aggressively than last time and some of the pine trees appeared to have fewer needles. This could have been because of the recent rain or wind we have experienced.

The Location of My Sit-Spot:

My sit-spot is located by the larger trail opening in Centennial where it branches off in a few different directions past the stream and series of bridges. I sat next to the trail on a log half way up the hill there.

Centennial Woods:

Hello! Welcome to my phenology spot, Centennial Woods.

To get to Centennial Woods, it is a short walk from campus right by the Medical Center. I usually get there by going down Spear Street, and then making a right onto Carrigan Drive down to the entrance. I chose this spot because when I visited UVM last October I went for a run in these woods and that was one of the moments that I realized I wanted to go to UVM. It has been a very special place for me ever since. This area has lots of Ferns, Poison Ivy, Buckthorn, Golden Rod and Honeysuckle. There are also obviously many trees including Red Oak, White Pine and Box Elder which are all very common. Five focal species include White Pine, Eastern Hemlock, Paper Birch, White Oak and Red Maple. I’m looking forward to seeing how Centennial changes throughout this course!