10/14, 11:02am, Rainy, 44°F
For my phenology project, I chose a place that many people know. While Centennial Woods may be close to campus, it is rich in flora and fauna. Within 15 minutes of walking, you are transported from an urban landscape to a wild one. Centennial was also one of the first places I came to know as part of UVM, and was one of the reasons I chose the school. I haven’t had much time to become acquainted with it, so that’s why I chose Centennial at large.
More specifically, I chose the boardwalk by the stream that overlooks the wetland for my phenology spot, partly because the forest edge and streamside habitat are usually teeming with life and partly because I saw asters flowering there, which are one of my favorite flowers. My spot is on the trail, so getting to it is easy. It provides a beautiful vista of the landscape and ample space to observe phenological changes in different natural systems.
A map view of the location as well as an overall look at the spot. There is a meadow bordered by two tree lines. The fall colors are beginning to show, making it a beautiful scene.
The spot seems to be a wetland since the soils around the boardwalk are almost always saturated. Some of the more common vegetation includes:
- Joe-Pye Weed
- Aster
- Norway Maple
- Alder Buckthorn
- Northern Red Oak
- Red Maple
- Yellow Birch
- Viburnum(?)
- Dogwood(?)
- Black Cherry(?)
For some of the plants I need clarification on, I put a (?) symbol next to them. I also did a quick little illustration of my spot so that I could take in smaller details of the landscape that I would’ve otherwise overlooked.
I’ve witnessed this spot during late summer and can already see numerous changes. Many of the lighter-colored asters (Purple-Stemmed?) have already bloomed alongside the goldenrods, which no longer paint the landscape yellow. Instead, the bright hues of the maples and birches give color to the rolling hills, making the season extra beautiful. The Joe-Pye Weed that lined the boardwalks is also beginning to die, and the dampness of the earth from the past few rains has brought out the color in some mosses on the trunk of a dead white pine.
