My location to the side of the golf course has a strange sense of place. It is historical in the way that the Burlington country club has been in existence for 95 years, being established in 1924. Around the course, it is mostly cleared of trees to make way for golfing fields. Yet here are a sprinkled choice tree that was either left untouched or planted. These scattered trees have become towering sentinels of the area, starkly contrasting to the overgrown twiggy stand that I chose as my spot. Yet in this small plot, there are still some very large white oak and white ash trees that stand stark in contrast to the rest of the growth. These looming trees sprinkled amongst the much younger seem like they have watched the landscape transform and hold memories of the changing city. This strip has undergone a massive amount of turmoil in the last 300 years, being undeveloped land for thousands of years, to steadily being settled; the woods getting deforested and concrete abominations shooting up, not to mention poisons filling the soil. This area has finally been untouched for long enough that the plants have been able to grow uninterrupted.
This area feels forgotten. Forgotten by the golf club that borders it, by the sidewalks, roads, and residential areas that border it. It is a grey area that is instantly looked over by people that pass by. After all, it is a relatively insignificant strip of wood, holding little value other than to the animals that take shelter within. However, this can also be a place of discovery. For kids that get out of school and don’t have easy access to nature, this plot is a window into the woods (as long as you can get past the traffic noise). Here I found a carefully constructed shelter of branches, haphazardly balanced to make a dome. In this quiet area, the woods can be a catalyst for the imagination and allow the creativity that exists in everyone to run rampant. It is so essential for people to get back to nature and spend time being present, which has become a rare occurrence in our technological age. My place is becoming a shelter for wildlife, flora, and exploration. Though it’s primarily unthought-of amongst the community and country club; by allowing growth uninhibited has allowed for the early sprouting of a forest. Though a small example, places like this are relatively standard in Burlington, unmaintained and small patches of young stands that are developing Burlington into a more diverse area by providing shelter for some tolerant species.
Also, while exploring my site, I noticed a small intermittent and dried-up stream. Its exposed bedrock that was just a few inches from the surface, and it cut through the stand drastically. I followed it to the edge of the plot, where it stemmed from a culvert direction water from the road and sidewalks into the wooded area. I couldn’t imagine what sorts of chemical/ toxins were directed into this area, and there was a heavy flow from the surroundings as it cut entirely through the woods. I noticed a specific type of plant growing into almost a tunnel around the creek, likely thriving on the contaminated water. The thing that I immediately noted once I got to my plot was the immense amount of buckthorn everywhere. I hadn’t noticed it before with the rest of the green and yellows in the area, but with all reaming color gone and a dusting of white snow, the standalone green of the buckthorn was notable. It was the only thing that remained green this late in the season, all other shrubs, trees, and bushes had all lost their leaves at this point. With the canopy of leaves primarily gone, I imagine the chlorophyll remaining in the buckthorn made it possible to capitalize on this brief sun exposure with winter soon arriving. I noticed pileated woodpecker holes in a pine tree. In the book, naturally curious, I learned that these holes are likely from the bird trying to find carpenter ants that reside in the heartwood of the tree and that these holes often become a shelter for white-footed deer mice. Plus, an American hophornbeam that had suspicious markings possibly a deer rub from the deer I saw on the course a few weeks prior.
Shelter
