Changes Since Last Visit ❄️
Winter has certainly made its entrance known! There was a light dusting of snow on the ground and falling from the sky during my most recent visit to my phenology spot. The first thing I noticed was the difference in foliage. The trees are now almost completely bare. The only trees that still had lingering leaves were the Northern red oaks and they looked like they were hanging on by a thread. The majority of my area is made up of sugar maples so the overstory was quite barren. Additionally, there are two or three Eastern white pines that obviously still had their needles and the absence of the deciduous leaves made those trees stand out. Winter is clearly the evergreens’ time to shine. In the understory, there was also a small amount of withered buckthorn leaves hanging on. The leaf litter composition is different as well. During my November visit it was made up of almost entirely maple leaves but now all signs of maple are gone and the leaf litter is now all oak leaves. All that covered the ground was snow, frozen mud, oak leaves, fallen branches, and a couple of resilient ferns that were looking awfully brown. I wasn’t able to observe much decomposition occurring as most of the ground was covered in snow. Unfortunately, there was just enough snow to lightly cover the ground but not enough to observe any clear tracks or other traces of animal presence. I know there are some foxes that come through my area occasionally but during my visit, I observed zero animal activity. During my early November visit, there were tons of squirrels running around but this time it was very quiet and still. Fortunately, the winter cold also means less human activity at my site. Therefore, there was a significantly smaller amount of trash in my area than in November which is a bonus.
Phenology Spot Reflection ⏳
On the ecological side of things, I like how my place offers an ecosystem service. Right next to the tree line, there is a golf course that has an impact on the surrounding waterways. The forest itself and the retention pond next to my spot do us all a favor by filtering out any nasty runoff from the golf course and parking lots that surround my site. I also love my phenology spot because of how easily I can access it from my dorm. However, the fact that it is frequently visited and utilized by humans can be a double-edged sword. It is a lovely space for students to take a break from the stressors of college life but it can also be abused (hence the trash left there). This spot has offered a safe haven for me and has become my favorite spot on campus. Not only was I able to scientifically observe how it has changed throughout the seasons, I was also able to use it as a refuge in times of anxiety and stress. My phenology site has increased my sense of place within UVM’s campus and Burlington as a whole. I think finding this place aided me in my transition of living on my own and calling this new place home.