It was Thanksgiving break time and off I went home, back to West Hartford, Connecticut. With this blog post in mind, I immediately knew which location back home I wanted to compare to my phenology project location. The Connecticut location strongly influenced the one I picked in Vermont, as my phenology project location is very similar. Both locations are part of natural areas in the middle of a more urbanized area and surrounded by a school so both locations are influenced by human activity. Moreover, a stream passes through both locations which plays a major part in the ecology. Some notable differences between locations were the species of plants and animals present. At my phenology project site, the stream is mainly lined by Buckthorn and back home, the stream was lined by two different species of honeysuckle, such as Amur Honeysuckle and American Fly-honeysuckle. Some other species that I identified in the understory in Connecticut were Winged Euonymus, Multiflora Rose, Common Ivy, and Lesser Periwinkle that I have not been able to find in Vermont. It is also worth noting that the terrain of both locations are relatively similar as it varies in incline. Moving onto the wildlife present, the sound of wildlife was more distinct than in Vermont; however, I still heard the sound of vehicles driving on a main street close by. I was able to hear the Hairy Woodpecker and Tufted Titmouse, as well as see squirrels and ducks.
“Honorable Harvest” in Braiding Sweetgrass emphasizes the importance of the exchange between humans and the Earth. Some “rules” that one can follow to give back to the Earth and also be a respectful steward of the land are to share the space as the Earth shares with you, be appreciative of the land, and sustain the land as it sustains you. Throughout my break, I made an effort to practice giving back to the land by using the space respectfully and sharing its beauty with my dogs and family members. In addition, I properly disposed of trash like deflated balls and small pieces of plastic as a way of sustaining the land.
