Walking down to the end of Carrigan Drive, you’ll spot a trailhead on the left directly after the Centennial Court Apartments. Turn into the trail and begin walking. The trail will be mainly downhill, and you’ll soon approach a stand of pine trees where the trail splits into two. Keep walking straight following the leftmost path and you will continue on downhill. At the bottom of the hill, you’ll reach a long foot bridge that cuts through a meadow. This indicates that you’re almost at the site. Once you cross this long footbridge, walk a few more steps until you see a wooden bridge that goes over Centennial Brook and you’ve reached my phenology site! I chose this spot by the brook because I loved the sound of the water rushing over the rocks and the surrounding foliage was a beautiful bright yellow. I was also drawn to all the different species of flowers and other plants in the meadow next to the brook and I’m excited to identify all the various types of organisms that call the meadow and brook home.

Vegetation surrounded and grew out of the river banks and there’s a wide variety of vines, bushes, and grasses that make up this riparian buffer zone. Piles of dried-up branches and seemingly dead plants could be found on the north-facing side of the brook while a few tall trees cast shade over another section of the brook.

The most common woody plants within my phenology site include:

• Honey Locust
• Canada Goldenrod
• Jumpseed
• Riverbank Grape
• Crabgrass