Here is a link to the site as well: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1dRM8ACIX0F4KxX88Za7Qyx0YwwnbwZI&usp=sharing
Recently, I went back to my hometown for Thanksgiving and was asked to find another phenology spot while I was there. In the sake of comparison, I went to another recreational forest for this spot. The human use of both of my phenology sites are thus both the same (that being for recreation) and have trails running through them. However, the site here is definitely more trodden, wider, and there are educational signs along it.
In general, Pennsylvania is similar to Vermont with its species– we both have a lot of Maples and Oaks– however specific species do differ. Pennsylvania (or at least this site) heavily favors White and Northern Red Oak with some Red and Silver Maples. There is also an abundance of Eastern White PInes and Eastern Hemlocks in this area. Pennsylvania is covered in Hickory-Oak Forests and other Decidious forests while Vermont has a lot more evergreens because of their relatively cold climate. Pennsylvania also has a large assortment of groundcovers and greater variety of plants because it has neutral and higher water retention in their soil than the glacial till of Vermont. Pennsylvania is known for fertile soil, so the relative biodiversity of the forests makes sense, especially when compared to the acidic, dry soil of Vermont.
Pennsylvania is also still warmer this time of year, so trees are still trying to cling to their leaves. While in Vermont, it basically has become shut down for the winter, Pennsylvania is still in the throes of autumn. However, both spots are still covered in leaves from the autumnal foliage dropping and are marked by a lack of songbirds and other animals (as they have either migrated or started to hibernate), so they are still overwhelmingly similar.
What Makes This Place Special?
For me, this phenology spot is nostalgic for me. I would spend hours in this forest when I was kid, exploring the world. This spot was a place for field trips in school, Boy and Girl Scout Outings, family hikes, and personal reflection. I’ve seen every season on this forest, so this spot just holds a lot of personal history for me.
Gratitude for Our Shared Mother
I’ve mentioned before that I am a very spiritual person. To go in depth on that, I am both a Catholic and a Pagan with a strong connection to nature. So during Thanksgiving, it would make sense for me to want to show gratitude for this spot. I cannot say that I am nearly as gracious as Robin Wall Kimmerer is in Honorable Harvest. But I nevertheless want to strive to follow her example in giving thanks to the Mother Earth. My ancestors, in fact all of our ancestors, come to her like needy children and she gives endlessness, asking for nothing in return. And we, humans, especially those of us who settled have taken more than we deserve. While I cannot atone for the greed of my ancestors, I work to honor our Mother now. Typically, I try to eat ethically sourced foods and never take from the environment I am a part of. Also, I learn to say a small prayer to God and Mother Earth when I enter a natural area as a thanks and permission for the area that I enter.
In my hometown, we are almost all developed, so gratitude for the natural areas we have has always been on my mind. While I cannot leave a physical gift in this park as it is against the park’s rules, I still like to say my thanks to it, both before I entered it and now.