I picked a place in Centennial Woods for my phenology spot because, during the very first lab, this place caught my eye. This place has a stream along its edge, tall, coniferous trees, and a vast range of species. To get to my spot, you take roughly a 10-minute walk from the entrance of Centennial, past the stream system, to a large clearing.
The most common species in my spot are Red Oak, Red Maple, Yellow Birch, and Eastern Hemlock. My area is quite sparse when it comes to understory and small woody plants and is dominated by overstory. The most predominant species is the Eastern Hemlock however, it is quite diverse in species. Down the embankment, as you approach the creek, you will see smaller plants; however, in the center of the area, there are essentially just large adult trees.
11/4
I sat against a tree in the center of my spot, put my phone and notebook away, and just engaged with my senses. When just walking through, the sounds of the stream don’t seem to be audible; however, when you stop and actively listen for it, it becomes clearer. I looked at the different tree species and noticed the species grouping and the dominant species there being eastern hemlock, red maple and white oak.
The changes I noticed since my last time at my spot were pretty significant. The streams at the edge of my phenology spot had slowed in speed, which is common in winter. I also noticed that young red maples in the area were still yet to turn their leaves; however, all other nonevergreen species besides the white oak had lost their leaves. The ground was firmer and riddled with leaves.
11/29
Phenology spot in Cambridge MA: https://www.google.com/maps/place/42°23’20.3%22N+71°09’03.0%22W/@42.3889556,-71.1534048,16.99z/data=!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d42.3889771!4d-71.1508365?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTEyNC4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
This is Black’s Nook, a segment of Fresh Pond which is the nearest pond to my house in Cambridge Massachusetts. It is a small pond connected to the larger Fresh Pond. It is a place I’ve cherished since I was in kindergarden when we took a field trip here. I return to it quite frequently. It is in the early stages of freezing over as it is just beginning to get to freezing temperatures in Massachusetts. The leaves have almost completely left the non-evergreentrees however there are a few white oaks hanging on. Overall it is quite similar in the species and soil texture however it is significantly less dense in tree cover. The overstory is prodominantly made up of different maple species, white oak, and eastern hemlock.
12/8
At this point my place in centennial woods has fully fallen into the Vermont Winter. All trees are baren of leaves apart from the evergreens being the Cedar and the Eastern Hemlock. Previously the red maple and white oak had been hanging on strong to their leaves however now they have all fallen.
The ground cover is still very dense with leaf litter and other debris from trees however it is now densely covered in heavy wet snow hiding it from view.
If I had to guess, animal activity has decreased as the temperature drops and the conditions become less habitable; however, with the recent snow, there are animal tracks left visible in a way they were not before. With the weather becoming more harsh, animals will go into hibernation or remain dormant meaning they will be less active, creating less of a mark.
I found the tracks above, and I believe they are white-tailed deer tracks; however, I can not confirm that. I have seen very minimal animal sightings so far in my time at this spot.
This project has been very enjoyable for me and I am sad it is coming to an end! Being able to go on a walk in nature to get to a gorgeous place right near campus is such a joy. Every time I come back, I look for the same patterns and have loved seeing the change in the land and trees throughout my experience. Each time I come back, I know it will look different and beautiful in new ways. I love my spot in particular because of all the different elements of nature that are seen there. The tall evergreens, the small woody shrubs, the enormous oaks, the streams, and the burrows of different animals. This project has been wonderful I can’t say enough good about it.