Month: November 2022

Before leaving my hometown, I spent at least a few hours each week in this forest. In the summer I sat on the docks by the lake and watched as the painted turtles and Canadian geese floated around, enjoying the sun. As the leaves fell I walked through the winding paths, under American Beech, Norway Maple, Tulip Trees, and the rare Murray Birch which exists in only two documented places in the world. Coming back, I felt an even greater sense of place than ever before. The ability to identify everything around me in such a familiar place let me feel more connected to the forest.

Both Redstone Quarry and Saginaw Forest have a good population of goldenrod, but Saginaw forest is about 26 times the size of the quarry, so the large field of goldenrod that greets visitors at the trailhead differs greatly from the small patch in the Quarry. Winter seems to have come to Michigan around the same time as it hit Vermont, with some leaves still hanging on, but overall the trees and surrounding vegetation have turned brown and yellow; all but the 33 acres of conifer plantation and some honeysuckle. The plantation consists of Norway spruce, Eastern White Pine, Red Spruce, and Northern White Cedar, very similar to the species in the quarry. I noticed much more wildlife in Saginaw Forest than I have in the quarry. Using the Cornell Merlin app I was able to identify the Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Canadian Geese, and the Tufted Titmouse. I also saw both brown and black squirrels and signs of deer.

I did not leave a gift in response to the Honorable Harvest because I wasn’t sure of what an appropriate gift would be since I do not fully understand the ecology of this place. I did not want to assume anything and potentially just pollute the environment.

This week I spent 15 minutes sitting quietly in Redstone Quarry and observing how the landscape and vegetation have changed since my last visit. The small marsh that was previously covered by thick vegetation under the bridge was starting to become more visible as the vegetation dropped its leaves. Additionally, the water levels in the marshy area have risen moderately in the past few weeks. The previously lush foliage has mostly fallen, with a few deciduous trees still hanging on to yellow and orange leaves. Noticeably, Buckthorn and Barberry leaves were still attached and had turned from a darker green to bright red, Barberry shrubs had also lost most of their berries. The Golden Rod had also turned a whitish gray and Staghorn Sumac was missing most of its leaves but still carried the characteristic cones. While the mosses covering the rock were still bright green, the grasses had begun to turn yellow and brown. As I was leaving the site, flocks of Canadian geese flew overhead in the South East direction.

The weather this day was pretty clear, and not too hot or cold. The bike ride down to the spot was very pleasant and the crunching leaves under my tires reminded me of why I love autumn. While I am thoroughly enjoying our warmer weather, I am excited to see what the quarry will look like covered in snow and ice.