To explore Burlington more and get to know more about the natural parts of the city I decided to visit a new Phenology spot. The spot I decided to visit was Salmon Hole, an interesting, and beautiful natural area by the Winooski River. Covered in snow Salmon Hole was a great area to look for tracks. While most of the tracks I saw were human, dog, and bird tracks it was still interesting to try to understand the story. I found it comforting to see that the people of Burlington were actively using the nature around them. Parking at the Salmon Hole lookout point I headed to the left down the paved bike path, and then took a right at the wooded path. I headed down this path, taking the icey stair case down to the rushing water. My first time seeing this rock face I was surprised by this landscape because I was no expecting it. I continued to walk around and explore the Pennisila like area listening to the water with the combination of cars and people around. The idea of City Beautiful I learned in my Parks and Protected Areas class made me think of this area. “City Beautiful” is the idea that urban features should benefit society, help form social good, and encourage public engagement. Visiting this site reminded me of the importance of natural areas close to cities for people to visit and get outdoors. Getting outdoors is so important for our society to improve overall mental health, and overall has strong healing powers.
