Audio
A Walk Through Time
Transcript
This stone wall has withstood the tests of time and, if given a voice could tell stories of changes in the landscape, both natural and of human hands.
The naturally stony soil produces a crop of fieldstone once gathered by land dwellers to build walls that defined their fields and property lines. Today, it is a place for you to stop and consider your surroundings.
On the opposite side of the wall, you will see a natural grove of hemlock. Looking closely at the needles, you may see evidence of the wooly adelgid, a piercing insect that feeds on hemlock twigs. Look for white cottony clusters on the foliage – the tiny insect lies within. The infestation causes the tree to lose vitality, stunts its growth, and eventually, promotes death. Wooly adelgid is changing the landscape by slowly decimating the hemlock.
To the right of the wall is a strong stand of white birch. Birch can only grow in clearings, which suggests that this land had been cleared less than 100 years ago to establish this still thriving grove.
Springtime visitors will see a vernal pond on the other side of the road. Vernal ponds, or, spring ponds, are created by snow melt and spring rains. The pond disappears with the change of seasons. It’s a race against time for young frogs and salamanders to reach adulthood in this temporary nursery before the heat of summer.
Perhaps this wall served the same purpose for Eleanor as it does for you today, an ideal stopping place whether in solitude or with companions, to rest and contemplate nature’s timeless beauty and variety.
Description
The naturally stony soil produces a crop of fieldstone once gathered by land dwellers to build walls that defined their fields and property lines. Today, it is a place for you to stop and consider your surroundings.
Duration
2 minutes, 2 seconds
Credit
National Park Service
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