November 28, 2022

While I was home, I chose to go to the Big Rivers Trailhead as my phenology spot. There is a great overlook of the Twin Cities nearby that makes this spot special to me, but I could not make it there this time I visited. I like this particular trail and area because it is close to home and really nice to bike or walk on! It is also a very interesting natural space because you can see both the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, as well as the spot that they meet at along the trail. I will admit, the spot is much more beautiful in the spring and summer than it is this time of year.

As you can see, the trees all around the area have become very gray and lost all of their leaves. This is often the case this time of year, with only the evergreens not completely transforming. The species composition is very different than my place is Burlington because much of the trees there are native to the Northeast. Being in a new region, we start to see coniferous species like the Eastern Larch, White Spruce, and Balsam Fir. In terms of deciduous trees, the area is dominated by ash, oak, and maple trees. I saw some new species like Bur Oaks and Silver Maples, but also species that I have seen all around Vermont like Sugar Maples and Red Oaks. Overall, I think a lot of the ecological components of the area are very similar to my phenology spot, but there were definitely new things to see.