My walk to the forest on the edge of campus was cold with strong winds adding to the chill. As soon as I stepped into the forest however, the trees protected not only me, but also the birds singing above and the eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) climbing the trees from the cold. With the wind gone, I could hear red-bellied woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) searching for food in trees, and the rustle of tree limbs high above me that were still experiencing the winds.
The mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees of this forest demonstrates the many methods plants have developed to survive the winters of Vermont. The diversity of species present creates a forest that appears different every time I visit, with pine trees (Pinus spp.) and mosses (Huperzia lucidula) providing the only green today and throughout the winter.
As I stood on the trail, I was surprised to see a drastic difference between the trees immediately next to me and those further in. Along the trail there were mainly short American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and red maple (Acer rubrum) trees that formed a dense understory, while a few meters in, there was a thick canopy made of white pines (Pinus strobus) and hickories (Carya spp.). Even though the path is meant to bring people to the forest with minimal impact, the trail has obviously resulted in changes to the forest. These trails act as a form of disturbance, and maintenance of the trail, such as a tree on the edge of the path, presumably cut down to keep the trail clear, prevents the forest from ever filling in this manmade gap. I realize I am most likely stepping on roots of the nearby trees and trampling their seeds. The trees will continue to try to utilize the gap, but humans will fight back to have our own path through the forest. To finish my time among the trees I look to the pines as they are the least disturbed part of this forest, and consider how I can lessen my negative effects on the forest community around me.
