This week we were asked to find a spot near us during thanksgiving break and compare it to our Burlington spot eco- and phenologically. For mine, I chose to go into part of the woods on my property and look at the area around what my mother and I have always called “Maude’s Tree.” This spot is situated in the middle of a slope, with a small creek below and hemlock/ash forest above. My land is at about 1,750 feet ASL, which is over 1,500 feet higher than Burlington. This is one of the biggest factors for the differences between the two spots. My home has gotten several snows this season, whereas Burlington has only had a sprinkling. Tree compositions are somewhat comparable however. My new spot has large percentages of hemlock, sugar maple, and white ash. All of these species show up in or near my original spot.
The main feature of this spot is the huge dead sugar maple. This is where the title of “Maude’s Tree” comes from. Maude is the large porcupine that my family has been observing for years. Although porcupines tend to den in rocky hillsides, often times they will choose hollow trees. Maude was not present in the tree during this times observations, but when spotted she is usually hanging out on the side of the tree just looking. Despite not seeing her in person, fresh scat and dropped quills were found right at the base of the tree.
