FOREST STATION

Behind you is a memorial stone bench dedicated to the Gilmore family. Take a moment to embrace the forest environment around you. The forest is filled with many sounds and smells, some readily noticeable and others more subtle.

Listen to the forest

Take a listen around you. What do you hear? The pop-pop-pop of acorns falling from oak trees? The rustling of the wind through branches and leaves? The low creaking and moaning as trees move and sway in the wind? Perhaps you’ll catch the sound of a tree branch breaking or falling. You might notice the sounds of small animals bustling about the forest floor. You might also hear the sound of various bird species as they nest or forage for food, such as one of our native woodpeckers. The sound of the rain itself, the harbinger of life in this environment, is particularly noticeable in the forest. All of these sounds result from this dynamic ecosystem: the interactions of wildlife with each other and with the physical environment around them.

Smell the forest

Now, take a deep breath. The forest is filled with many enchanting aromas. Perhaps it has just recently rained, and the forest is filled with that “after rain” smell. It results from the interaction of rainfall and moisture with plant oils and soil bacteria.

During autumn, you'll likely notice the aroma of fallen leaves, often a musky, rich, and earthy aroma. It is often accompanied by the familiar crunching as you walk over newly fallen leaves on the trail. Many of these smells result from natural decomposition by various bacteria and fungi, which play a fundamental role in the natural cycle of life, death, recycling, and renewal in the woods.

Look at the forest

As you look around you, notice the different trees. Black birch trees produce a fragrant wintergreen scent when the bark of the small branches is scratched. People have historically used the bark and sap of these trees because of their strong aromas, which have been well known for centuries. Perhaps you’ll find Eastern teaberry, a ground cover known for its wintergreen aroma when the leaves are crushed. The duff layer beneath Eastern White Pine trees can also be quite fragrant due to the buildup of pine needles and cones beneath them. Many of these pervasive aromas come from terpenes, aromatic chemicals that give many plants their characteristic odors.

Feel the earth

As you walk, feel the ground beneath your feet. The buildup of leaf litter over time produces a thick and spongy layer on the forest floor. Notice the feel and consistency beneath you, and how that feel changes as you travel the trails around the pond. We don't often think about the soil in a forest, but the soil and duff layer fuel all of the plant, insect, and animal life in a forest. Some soils are spongy; some are wet; some are rocky; some are dry and dusty. When you feel the ground beneath your feet, notice its current state. Also consider the history of these woods and what it can tell us about this ecosystem.

Around Gilmore Pond, you’ll no longer spot old apple trees from bygone orchards. You might, however, find other signs of past human activity, such as old non-native trees planted many decades ago. They include the few remaining weeping willows around the pond, and a tall Norway spruce tree near the bridge.

[go to Bridge Station]

[go to Wildflower Station]

ADDITIONAL INFO

Eastern teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens) (also called checkerberry, American wintergreen, eastern spicy-wintergreen)
Wintergreen under the snow

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Whose woods are these? A Tribute to White Pines

Norway spruce (Picea abies)
Notice Norway spruce in March