Field mapKristen Sinicariello
Site Description #1
Syndicate Road Woods
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

The weather was hot and humid as I made my way to the Syndicate Road wood site.  Today I planned to take a new approach when surveying the site.  During my last visit, I chose a few spots to sit down and closely observe the natural area that surrounded me.  I noticed the positions of the trees, rocks and stream.  This time, however, I planned to pursue a more continuous observation method, by walking alongside the trickling stream in order to find not only its origin but the formations it had caused and the plants it had given life to.
On the opposite side where Baxter Road meets Syndicate Road, a large plastic pipe about two feet in diameter passes under the road and releases a tiny trickle of water into the small stream.  There are many fallen branches blocking the stream’s path, and the water has formed a large puddle of dark and murky water.  The stream, or may I say the small trench the stream must fill when there is more precipitation, continues about 15 yards East, and then makes a gradual turn and begins to flow North.  Throughout its change in direction, the stream becomes almost dry, and all that remains are the small rocks that cover the muddy bank.  A large crevice intersects the stream at its turning point, which seems to have come from the road.  I imagine that water flows down this crevice to meet the stream at certain wet points during the year.  A few more broken drainage pipes (both cement and plastic) also lay strewn about at this point, but obviously no longer serve a purpose.
The north and east sides of the stream are higher in elevation than the south and west banks.  After the bend in the stream, the eastern bank becomes a steeper hill, leading up to Cole Field.  This hill is covered with pine trees and various ferns.  On the western bank after the bend in the stream there is evidence of extreme erosion, and one maple tree is left with most of its roots completely exposed.
As the stream continues to trickle north its crevice becomes much thinner and more vegetation covers the area.  It is at about this point when the telephone line crosses over the stream on its path northeast.  As I struggle to make my way through the thorny branches and prickly leaves, I have to cross to the west bank because the eastern bank has become a steep cliff and is impossible to walk along.  Here, the type of vegetation changes and it is almost impossible to see the stream.  There are no trees, only ferns, bushes and leafy plants.  I begin to “bushwack” my way westward out of the woods and find myself in someone’s backyard.  I walked quickly back to the road and back towards the entrance to the wood.  By making a map and studying the terrain, I have learned much more about my site, the stream, and the life around it.
I noticed a few more things in the wood this time, including a honeysuckle bush and many sugar maple trees (now that I am able to identify them).  I watched two chipmunks chase each other up and down the banks of the stream and in and out of their multiple holes in the ground.  The leaves have begun to change and a bit more yellow dots the mostly green canopy of foliage.  I also noticed many red maple leaves that had already fallen to the ground.