A final phenology post! It was a cold week since the last time I visited my phenology spot. It was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and cloudy when I visited today. Maybe because it was a cold week, the phenological changes weren’t that extreme. The flowers from before were gone, there was more grass, patches of chives (some were munched on– maybe an indication of some small animal), and lots of bird calls. I saw a robin and a cardinal, but heard many more birds. No woodpecker this time, however. When I was looking around I also had a frog (or toad?) jump in front of me. Since it had just rained, my entire site was pretty soggy, and there is always a bit of a marsh in a couple spots. I sat and looked for the frog for awhile, but didn’t see it anymore or get a picture. I didn’t see any amphibians last week, so this was exciting! Otherwise, most things seem like they are just about to bloom and leaf out, but not much quite yet!
Nature and culture intertwine a lot, and have always intertwined, at my phenology spot. First land occupied by the Abenaki, eventually Redstone Quarry became an important extraction site for building materials. The rock from here can be seen all over campus (more on historical culture in a previous post). Now, however, the place is a UVM Natural Area. It is a free, open-to-the-public park, essentially! The designation as a UVM Natural Area is one of the best examples of how nature, culture (and the university) interact. Like many places, conservation is important here in Vermont and in Burlington. Having the opportunity to go outside is also important. Redstone Quarry allows for these things to intersect. A conserved area and a place where people can come and walk an observe nature, Redstone Quarry is a really unique place (especially because it is right in the middle of a neighborhood)! Just like other parks, trails, and UVM Natural Areas, Redstone Quarry is part of the identity of Burlington.
When I was visiting my phenology site this time there was a group participating in Vermont’s Green Up Day there as well. This is yet another example of how nature and Vermont culture are interacting currently at my site. But, seeing this group really reminded me that people are a part of this spot. I don’t think I ever really considered myself separate from my phenology site, but I didn’t always think of myself as part of it. I kind of thought of myself as a visitor. When I was there, I was a part of the site. But, seeing the Green Up Day crew reminded me that we as people have impacts on the places we visit and inhabit. Even if I just walk and observe every so often, I am still a factor there.
I started visiting this phenology site at the beginning of the semester. There was snow and wind. It was relatively quiet. Now, it is becoming green. There is rain, but there are flowers, too. There are more people that visit. There are more bird calls. Each year this place goes through these changes. It was truly a cool experience to observe these changes and learn from them this semester! I hope to see it next Fall!
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