We’re a National Natural Landmark because of our ancient and rare sands

Have you ever heard of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve? Better yet, have you ever visited it? Walked on the trails? Attended an educational program?

If you have never heard of the Pine Bush, I hope to help you come to know a bit more about it through this column. If you have visited before, I hope to point out something new to you, as I share what’s currently happening in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.

 “At the beach”: That is the first response that almost everyone gives when I ask people “Where do you usually find sand?”

Of course, I am often asking this as I stand on top of a 75-foot tall sand dune in Albany. We are not at the beach but at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.

The next question I usually ask is, “How did this sand get here?”

Answers to this question range from, “You brought it here” to, “The wind blew it here.”

I have written in this column before about how the glacier that covered most of New York State retreated, leaving behind Glacial Lake Albany, which drained, exposing the sand. The wind blew the sand, creating rolling sand dunes and then plants started to grow.

This sand is the foundation of the Albany Pine Bush and in many ways dictates what types of animals and plants live here. The Albany Pine Bush is not on the coast so having a natural community based in sand is very rare.

If you have ever walked on one of our trails, you probably noticed the sand right away. Recently, the sand at the Albany Pine Bush was recognized not only by our visitors but also by the National Park Service.

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve was designated as a National Natural Landmark. “What is that?” you might be asking yourself. I had a vague recollection of hearing this term when I lived on the West Coast but wasn’t sure what it meant exactly.

The National Natural Landmark program is managed by the National Park Service and the designation is issued by the Secretary of the Interior to recognize sites that contain outstanding biological and geological features. This does not make the Pine Bush a National Park or change who owns or manages the land.

It does highlight the rarity and significance of this place on the national stage. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve was designated a National Natural Landmark because it is the best example of wind-derived inland sand dune landforms and the inland pine barrens ecosystem within the Appalachian Plateau and Appalachian Ranges.

As you walk up one of the sand dunes you might catch yourself imagining a beach just over the edge. Of course, the beach won’t be there.

Instead, you will see an ocean of scrub oak, New Jersey tea, blueberry, grasses, wildflowers, and pitch pine trees covering rolling sand dunes. You will be standing on very old, very unique sand — sand that is the foundation for the Albany Pine Bush.

So, whether you come to walk our trails to check out the new National Natural Landmark or because this has been one of your favorite places to walk for many years, come and look at the sand and all that it supports.

If you want more information about the Albany Pine Bush Preserve or the Discovery Center, feel free to visit our website at www.AlbanyPineBush.org/, give the commission a call at 456-0655, or stop into the Discovery Center at 195 New Karner Road in Albany.