Welcome! I’m Gabbie, and this will be my blog for the Natural History Phenology project. It will be detailing the seasonal changes of a small spot in Centennial Woods, one of the University of Vermont’s several research forests, located about a seven minutes walk North-East from the Aiken Center. This accessibility was only one reason why I picked this spot; the short commute means I can visit often and easily, without having to dedicate a huge chunk of my day to it. The ease of access isn’t the only reason I picked this spot though- it’s also gorgeous there. Situated as it is on the crest of a small hill, the location has a great view of the surrounding woods, with loads of mosses, ferns, and fallen trees. Its a little off the main path too, so it’s its a quiet area to take a moment for yourself if you need it.
Here it is on Google Maps-
The main types of vegetation here are small ground cover plants- wood ferns, hog peanuts, and partridge berry were the three most common plant types I could spot. There are also a few species of fungi in the area; while documenting today I saw a lot of lycoperdon puffballs. The tree species are a mix of conifers, mainly White Pine and Hemlock with a smattering of yellow birch, sugar maple, and even some witch hazel. I look forward to seeing how the vegetation and wildlife evolves as the seasons change.
That’s all for now! Be back soon.
