My place I picked to study in hometown is along the trail of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The swamp is an over 7,000 acres wildlife refuge, with trails and education centers. The swamp is also considered the focal point of its watershed, because almost all water passes through there.
It is a beautiful area that is used often for education. I remember going on field trips in first grade and in my senior year I did an outdoor lab where we measured the swamp’s water quality. The swamp is a very important respite when you live in such a densely populated area.
During months of high precipitation, the swamp land floods, covering the entire area in a layer of water. I think that is one of the reasons that some of the most abundant plants are tall grasses. It was difficult to identify any trees because almost all had lost their leaves, but the bed of decomposing leaves on the ground was helpful. There is a lot of maples and oaks. Another plant I saw was algae in a pond. I don’t know if it the exact same algae as in Burlington, but it looked very similar. My place in Burlington also had a pond, but it was vernal, whereas I know that that pond is year-round because I have been to the swamp dozens of times in my life, during all seasons.
It was much quieter than Redstone Quarry, most likely because a lot of animals have migrated or are preparing for winter. However, I did see a chickadee, a woodpecker, a squirrel, and a hawk. I heard other birds, including an owl! The swamp is mostly flat compared to the quarry and there is certainly less rock.
