Salmon Hole is a natural space and park found just along the edge of the Winooski River. The river lies below beautiful cliffs topped with gorgeous trees with lots of wildlife, making it a perfect spot to study phenology! To find Salmon Hole, start from the University Green on the University of Vermont Campus. Head north on North Prospect St through a quaint neighborhood until you pass the intersection where Riverside Ave, North Prospect St, and Intervale Rd meet. Continue down the hill and you will see an entrance to a dirt path on your right. Follow the stairs down to the water and bear right onto the trail. Keep walking until you see a large pile of mossy rocks on your right and a small, rocky beach to your left. Congrats! You have successfully arrived at my phenology spot (44°29’19.4″N 73°11’49.1″W)!
At my phenology spot, Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species on the Vermont Noxious Weed Quarantine List, is growing rampant. It is extremely harmful to Salmon Hole’s native ecology because it outcompetes and replaces native vegetation, leading to a decrease in insect, fish, bird, and mammal populations that rely on native species for food.
Japanese Stiltgrass is also widely seen on the ground at this site. This invasive plant can quickly overtake native plants and prevent any new tree growth as it altars the soil nutrient cycling processes.
While this site is mainly composed of invasive species, making it extremely difficult for native species to thrive, Boxelders are also very common here. At the center of my site lies two enormous Boxelders with about five scattered in the surrounding area. Additionally, there are a few Sugar and Red Maples, Ashes (White and Green), American Elms, and Basswoods.
This site has so many different interacting plants and ecological systems to observe, making it a perfect place to study throughout the changing seasons. Stay tuned to see updates on the phenology of Salmon Hole!