Welcome to my phenology blog! I chose Centennial Woods as my location for the semester mostly because it’s really easy to access, but also because it has a lot of variety. I know there’s a lot of human activity in Centennial Woods, so I made sure to pick a site that was relatively far from the entrance. To get to my specific location within Centennial Woods, take Carrigan/Catamount Drive east until you see the trailhead for Centennial Woods. Once you get there, take the main trail until you get to a large clearing where multiple trails diverge. Take the one that goes straight uphill and continue on that trail until you come to an area that’s blanketed with pine needles and has a large dead tree stump in the middle. Take a seat on the downed log right next to the stump and you’re there.
The area is dominated by maples, with Sugar, Red, and Norway maples making up the majority of the woody plants. There are also a few small American Beeches and even fewer Black Cherries. The pine needles on the ground are from very tall Eastern White Pines, which are difficult to see now due to the leaves on the deciduous trees, but should be easier to see when the deciduous trees lose their leaves.