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Igniters move across the field in parallel strips
© Sharon Pickett
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The burn boss reviews the final ignition pattern with a group of igniters.
© Sharon Pickett
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The fire crew discuss techniques
© Sharon Pickett
Prescribed Burns in the 'Gunks Declared a Success by the Eastern New York Nature Conservancy
After more than 50 years of fire suppression, controlled burns aim to renew biodiversity and ecological integrity in the Mohonk Preserve.
On November 18th and 21st, 2005, the Eastern New York Chapter’s fire management program took an enormous step forward when they successfully conducted a series of prescribed burns at Mohonk Preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains outside of New Paltz. With their training funded by grants from the National Fire Plan, the prescribed burn teams drew on the fire management expertise of Nature Conservancy staff from throughout the Northeast, including the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission. Also participating in the exercise were qualified Mohonk Preserve rangers, staff from Minnewaska State Park and Sam’s Point Preserve, and trained volunteer firefighters. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation rangers were stationed on-hand as back-up.
The present day assemblage of plant and animal species found in the Northern Shawangunk Mountains has developed from a complex interplay of natural processes, including fire. After more than 50 years of active fire suppression, key ecosystems in the region have been found to be at risk. The absence of fire has set the stage for unusually severe, high-intensity fires that could irreparably harm forests and threaten homes and property around the ridge. In addition, hardwood species such as red maple—which have the ability to regenerate in the shade of taller trees—have gradually begun to invade pitch pine and oak forests, dramatically altering the unique habitats important for many of the rare plant and animal species found in the “Gunks”. Continued degradation of these important forest types and loss of key species could have devastating impacts on the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the ridge.
After several years of careful study and review, the Conservancy and its partners have developed a ridge-wide fire management program that includes conducting prescribed burns at several locations throughout the study area. Once the program was drawn up, the Conservancy worked to obtain the proper permits and permissions, as well as establish an education program to foster public buy-in. By drawing on the expertise and experience of the Albany Pine Bush Commission, who manages over 3,000 acres of fire dependant habitat in the state’s capital region, the chapter was able to amass the equipment, personnel training and fire management capabilities necessary to make this undertaking a success.
In addition to the fire management programs in the Shawangunk Mountains and at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, the Eastern New York Chapter is developing a fire management program at the chapter-owned Nellie Hill Preserve in Dutchess County. The Shawangunk Ridge Program is the Northeast regional anchor site for the U.S. Fire Learning Network. The Network, operating at local, regional and national levels, seeks to overcome barriers to implementing ecologically appropriate fuels reduction and restoration projects.
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