Pine Bush Preserve to thin trees this winter

This winter, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission will thin trees on 85 acres in the Madison Avenue Pinelands area (Trailhead 7) of the 3,200-acre preserve.

The work is done in the winter, according to release from the commission, to lessen disruption to wildlife by avoiding the breeding season.

“Historically, the Pine Bush was an open landscape of grasses, shrubs, wildflowers, and scattered pitch pine trees,” said Joel Hecht, the preserves stewardship director, in a release. “Due to wildfire suppression and historical agricultural activities, the Pine Bush in some regions of the Preserve no longer resembles the unique landscape it once was.

“To restore this habitat, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission will be thinning crowded pitch pine trees along with some other tree species, which will allow other important pine barrens plants and animals to flourish. The thinning will also help protect adjacent properties from tree-top or ‘crown’ fires in this sandy, dry, fire dependent environment.”

Executive Director Christopher Hawver added, “With fewer than 20 places like the Pine Bush on Earth, this project will improve habitat for rare wildlife while preserving the barrens for future generations to enjoy. Some of the wildlife species that will benefit from this habitat restoration include birds like the prairie warbler and eastern towhee, other animals such as the hognose snake, spadefoot toad, and federally-endangered Karner blue butterfly along with flowers like the wild blue lupine.”

For safety reasons, the recreational trails in this area of the preserve will be closed from Jan. 5 to April 1, 2015 while the trees are being removed.  Preserve visitors are encouraged to explore many of the other Preserve trails during this time as there are almost 20 miles of official trails in the preserve.

In addition, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Education Department is offering special guided tours of the site. Anyone who is interested in learning more about the project can sign up for a tour by calling 456-0655 or through www.AlbanyPineBush.org/Events

According to Hecht, “The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, over the past 25 years, has implemented wildlife habitat restoration on hundreds of acres. This is accomplished by removing invasive plants; planting native wildflowers, grasses, trees, and shrubs; mowing; and implementing prescribed burning in the preserve.”

Successful examples of pitch pine tree-thinning as part of habitat restoration have taken place in several other northeastern pine barrens including Ossipee, New Hampshire, Montague, Massachusetts; the Central Pine Barrens of Long Island, New York; and the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

Once this restoration project is completed, prescribed burning will be used to restore and maintain the pine barrens vegetation that is currently being shaded out by pitch pine and hardwood trees. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is continuing to restore many additional pine barrens acres in the preserve as described in the 2010 Albany Pine Bush Preserve Management Plan.

For more information on all preserve management activities, go online to AlbanyPineBush.org, visit the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center located at 195 New Karner Road in Albany, or call 456-0655, ext. 1213.

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