Today I revisited my original site in Centennial Woods. I visited when it was raining, so I got to observe some phenological elements that I hadn’t been able to see before. The forest was very green, and the trees were almost all budding. I saw and heard a lot of wildlife, such as grey squirrels and chickadees. At my spot, Centennial Brook was flowing very fast because of the rainfall and there were a lot of worms in the muddy bank along the river. Because it was raining, I thought it would be best to do my 15-minute sit-sketch digitally.
Grass had begun to grow everywhere around my spot. There was also a new reed like plant that had sprung up on the left side of the path. There had been a lot of drastic changes since my last visit!
My site has changed a lot over time. In the fall, the trees had a lot of leaves that began to change color and fall off. There was some wildlife in the fall, but not much. In the winter, it was very barren with almost no life. When spring came around, life returned to the woods. Trees started budding and plants sprang up from the ground rather quickly. I don’t think there were many human-caused changes, but there were a few storm-caused ones. While walking on the path to my spot, there were a lot of fallen trees. When I got to my spot, I could see that the path made of wooden planks had been destroyed in some places and removed.
I’ve become familiar with the landmarks in the forest to help me get to my spot. Since early winter, there has been one tree laying across the path that has a very sharp branch jutting out of it. I know that once I pass this tree, I need to continue down the hill and I will be at my spot soon. Also, I know that once I can hear the brook, I have only to turn the corner to be at my spot. The sharp bend in Centennial Brook lets me know that I have arrived at my spot.
Nature and culture intertwine in Centennial Woods. In my spot particularly, I think that the brook has a lot to do with it. I can imagine that in the past, when the native Abenaki lived on this land, they would have used the brook for many things. It could have been used as a water source, for cleaning, for hunting, and so much more. Also, there are many plants in and around my spot (like berries for example) that could have been used as food. All the trees in my phenology spot are the type that could have been used to build weapons for hunting or anything else the natives needed. Centennial Woods is a natural area, so it is easy to see how it might have been used culturally long ago.
After all of my time spent in Centennial Woods, I would consider myself a part of my place. We have spent a long time studying the changes that nature brings, and I have spent a lot of time sitting and enjoying my time here. I do not think that humans and nature have to be completely separate to create a healthy ecosystem, so me being a part of Centennial Woods would not be harmful. I think that I am there often, and just as I would consider a squirrel a part of the ecosystem, I consider myself a part of it too.
