Final Phenology Update- May 2025
The Bunker has greatly changed over my year of connection. Most strikingly, the face of the concrete has undergone a multitude of paintjobs as graffiti artists left their mark. The contrast between human culture plastered onto the wall and the natural background should make The Bunker stick out like a sore thumb. Instead, they flow together. Humans and nature have collaborated to take the area back from its military roots; humans leaving it as an art piece, complete with stencils condemning ICE on campus, and nature slowing taking over and reclaiming it.
However, while the paint has changed the bones of the structure has not. Since the regrowth of spring, The Bunker has returned to a similar state as its summer phenology. The same invasive species, primarily being Honeysuckle and Crabapple, strongly cling to its spine and resist native dwellers. Overall, The Bunker has come full circle as the seasons have rotated.
Truly, the landmark of The Bunker has grown a deep connection with me. From sitting alone, legs dangling off the side, on warm summer evenings, to trekking out to it in the midst of winter, to collecting fiddleheads, I feel as though I have become a part of The Bunker’s long history. All in all, The Bunker has become a significant foundation to my feeling of place here at UVM.
