Beginning 19,000 years ago as the last ice age came to a close, the Laurentide Glacial Sheet retreated leaving behind extreme changes to the geology of the general area and melt water filled in what we now know as Lake Champlain. Vegetation is finally able to re-establish throughout Vermont, which allows for wildlife as well and ecosystems are rebuilt. This now abundant land and its proximity to a large water body attracted Abenaki people who were utilizing land throughout Vermont at the time. The Native American way of living with the land likely left the area of Centennial Woods intact until farmers began to claim the land as Europeans settled throughout New England. Fred Fiske was eventually one of them in the 1900’s, he was an alumni of the University of Vermont. Fred along with other farmers contributed to a great amount of deforestation of Centennial Woods. The land was divided as seen today with the barbed wire fencing left behind, used to protect crops and animals. Today, the woods are owned by the University of Vermont and are utilized by many people and students while still being a natural area that is highly appreciated and continues to be explored.
Citations:
The Changing Landscapes of Centennial Woods Natural Area: A Field Guide [PDF]. University of Vermont Natural Areas. University of Vermont Environmental Program, http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmsc/Centennial%20Woods/Changing_Landscapes_Centennial_Woods002.pdf.
Lake Champlain Thrust Fault: Geologic History. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05, 2020, from http://www.uvm.edu/giv/givsummer2010/westernskunkcabbage/ThrustFaultHistory/LakeChamplainThrustFault.html
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