A UVM blog Crescent Woods Through the Seasons

Crescent Woods is a hidden gem tucked away in the middle of a residential neighbor. To get there, I walk about a mile from my dorm on Redstone campus past the expansive country club golf course and adorable houses with abundant gardens and brightly painted shutters to Prospect Parkway. There sits a small wooden staircase, hidden by thick foliage, and beyond the staircase, an incredibly beautiful new landscape. After walking on paved streets through this South Burlington neighborhood, entering crescent woods feels like a whole different world. Suddenly, I am surrounded by lush vegetation, bird calls, pine needles, fallen leaves, and a slow meandering creek. It is hard to believe it lies right in the middle of a developed neighborhood.

I owe my discovery of this wonder to my roommate: an avid walker and explorer. After one of her walks, she told me with excitement of this little nature filled spot she found in the middle of a quaint neighborhood. She described the calm she felt walking through these woods, and I asked her to bring me there some time. When the Phenology assignment was announced, my thoughts immediately turned to my roommate’s discovery, and that weekend I walked to Crescent Woods with her. The accessibility of the area, its unique location, diverse ecosystems, and its natural beauty and wonder all made it the perfect phenology spot for me. I am really looking forward to visiting Crescent Woods throughout the next few months.

Vegetation of Crescent Woods

The Most Common Woody Plants

• Norway Maple
• Horse Chestnut
• Sugar Maple
• Eastern White Pine
• Red Maple
• American Beech

Description of Vegetation

Crescent Woods has a wide array of colors in fall. While the understory is mostly a vibrant green, the overstory contains yellow, orange and red leaves. The way trees are dispersed in Crescent Woods is very species based. There are small pockets of mostly specific tree species; for example, there are areas with populations of mostly pines and areas with populations of mostly beeches. These species are scarcer in other areas of the woods. Maple trees, however, are dispersed evenly throughout the whole forest and are definitely the dominant tree species.

Most of the trees in Crescent Woods are deciduous trees but there are a few areas with denser populations of hemlock or pines. The conifers tend to be taller than the other deciduous trees around them, contributing to the dense overstory coverage. In general, there are more young thin trees than thick sturdy trees. The understory contains mostly young maple trees, and the ground is covered in ferns, pine needles, and dead leaves.

Autumn Changes

Despite the unusually warm November weather we are having in Burlington (Highs in the 60’s and 70’s), there is evidence of the coming stick season in Crescent Woods. Between my first walk in Crescent Woods late in September to my most recent walk early in November, here are the changes I have noticed:

• Significantly less foliage on the trees

Most trees have lost all of their leaves and the ones that still have leaves are either green conifers or maples with dead, brown leaves scattered here and there. A majority of the trees have bear branches, and the forest floor is significantly more covered with fallen leaves. Many of these dead leaves have made their way into the creek as well.

• Less Vibrant Fall Colors

When I first visited Crescent Woods, there were bright shades of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens. Now the leaves remaining on the trees and the leaves covering the forest floor are mostly dull and brown. There is a pop of bright red here and there from Winged Euonymus trees that still have their leaves.

• Stronger Creek Current

Compared to my first two visits to Crescent Woods, the creek seemed to be flowing stronger and faster. The noise of rushing water was a lot louder. This is most likely because it had rained the night before my visit.

Fifteen Minutes of Observation

As I was walking through Crescent Woods, noticing seasonal changes, I found a comfortable looking fallen tree right by the creek bank. The perfect sit spot!! I sat for fifteen minutes in silence purely observing the natural beauty around me. Mentally, this fifteen minutes of quiet in the woods did wonders for my stress levels. I felt calmer, more refreshed, more present, and more peaceful after the experience. I was truly able to tune into my senses and appreciate different aspects of the woods. I heard the gurgling and bubbling of the creek next to me. I saw a makeshift waterfall created by a stack of wood and rocks. I heard birds chirping softly and intermittently as opposed to the loud continuous cacophony birds can create sometimes. Occasionally, a goose would honk loudly in the distance. I took time to notice small things around me, not always apparent without intentional observation: miniscule water bugs zooming around the log I sat on, the wind blowing dead leaves into the creek, and bubbles forming and popping on the water’s surface. I highly recommend taking time out of your day to slow down and simply exist in nature.