Salmon Hole, Winooski
The foliage has changed greatly since my last visit to the Salmon Hole. Last time I visited my site, there were still dead leaves on the trees. However, this trip there was none on all the hardwood trees. Farther away from the water, there were still pine needles on the coniferous trees such as the Eastern White pine. I saw no persistent vegetation or fruit which surprised me being that last time I visited my location I still saw small green shrubbery. The leaf litter is now coated by a thin layer of snow and has been compressed by foot traffic on the trail. I did not see any active signs of decomposition but I did notice that the volume of the leaf matter on the ground was smaller. A piece that I noticed was a hole dug by an animal into the base of a tree. I did not see any other animal holes but my guess is that there are more hidden further in the woods. This piece highlights the fact that the temperatures are plummeting and animals are seeking shelter. It also shows how adaptive the local ecosystem of vermont is to the harsh conditions that exist here.
