Trees and Wildflowers of The Lowlands

Wildflowers

Tall Meadow Rue

Thalictrum polygamum

Buttercup Family

Canada Lily

Lilium canadense

Lily Family

Hedge Bindweed

Convolvulus sepium

Morning Glory Family

Oxeye Daisy

Chrysanthemum lecanthemum

Composite Family

Cow Vetch

Vicia cracca

Pea Family

During the week spent at our Lowland site many observations were descovered. One of the observations noted was the numorous varity of wildflowers found within our site. Throughout the course of the week we learned how to identify wildflowers using three classifications: flower type, plant type and leaf type. With these three steps identify wildflowers became easy and fun.

Trees

Our site was located in a hardwood forest. The typical hardwood forests of Vermont have three characteristic trees, which are: Hemlock, Maple, Birch, and Beech. Our site that we studied at the Audubon Center is typical for the most part except that there aren't very many beech trees.

The Butternut is very common along the river banks of the Lowland. It has compound leaves that provide shade for animals and other critters of the forest. The Sugar Maple has shaggy brittle bark which differs from the Red Maple that has smoother bark. The American Elm grows along the riverbanks and the bark has a spongy feel to it. There aren't very many of them in out site because the Dutch Elm disease came in the 1920's and wiped them out. The Hemlock is another tree on our site that was probably the most prevelent. This tree has short flat needles and likes to grow in acidic soil that we tested with a pH meter. Other trees that are common in our site that aren't pictured are the Alder, Birch, Stripped Maple, and Grapevines.

Butternut

Juglans cinerea

Walnut Family

Sugar Maple

Acer saccharum

Maple Family

Red Maple

Acer rubrum

Maple Family

American Elm

Ulmus americana

Elm Family

Hardwood Stand

Including: Green Ash, Yellow Birch,

young sapling Sugar Maples, Eastern Hemlock

Eastern Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis

Pine Family

(core sampling)

Typical Hardwood forests of the northeast go through a cycle that leads to more diversity in the forest. In the begining the trees start to grow. They compete for sunlight, and by the principle of "Survival of the Fitest" the most healthy and genetically fit for the forest grow the tallest and use up all the sunlight. The canopy closes, and the birch and other small trees can't get enough light. The hemlock and beech take over the forest. Then they get so tall the wind and storms knock them over. The nutrient enriched soil from these upturned trees is a perfect place for birch and maple trees to grow, and the process starts all over again. A complete cycle would take anywhere from 100 to 300 years. This cycle leads to a dynamic and constantly changing forest.