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Subscribe to Nature New York Magazine Nature New York magazine can't be found on newsstands! You can receive this exclusive member benefit with a donation of $50 or more to The Nature Conservancy of New York. Go Deeper The Nature Conservancy's Adirondack Chapter Guided by conservation science, the Nature Conservancy works with the Adirondack Land Trust and a variety of partners, including New York State and private landowners, to protect large forests, lakes, wetlands, and unique habitats. Botany Summit Steward Julia Goren collects alpine plants above the tree line to create an inventory of some of New York's rarest plants.

On Assignment in the Alpine Peaks

As a botany specialist on assignment with the Adirondack Summit Stewardship Program, graduate student Julia Goren spent the summer of 2006 working above the tree line in the High Peaks Wilderness of the Adirondack Park. Her work, which will continue this year, involves intensive inventories of some of New York’s rarest plants. She made some surprising discoveries during her survey of more than 150 plots covering Mt. Marcy, Algonquin, Haystack, Colden, and other  mountains. Here are some highlights:

• Rediscovery of purple crowberry on Skylight Mountain, where it had not been documented in 40 years. New listing of purple crowberry on Basin Mountain
• New listing of Appalachian firmoss on Basin and Boundary MountainNew listing of northern bentgrass on Boundary Mountain
• Additional records of Boot’s rattlesnake root on Wright Mountain.

Both Boot’s rattlesnake root and alpine willow herb are critically imperiled in New York, with the former also at risk throughout its worldwide range. Preserving these and other rare alpine plants is the focus of the Adirondack Summit Stewardship Program, which employs a team of naturalists and educators to work seasonally in the High Peaks. The program partners include The Nature Conservancy’s Adirondack Chapter, the Adirondack Mountain Club, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, with generous funding from the Adirondack 46R Conservation Trust, New York State, and the Eastman Charitable Foundation.

Goren’s inventory work is being done in cooperation with the New York Natural Heritage Program. Her research will significantly add to work soon to be undertaken by Tim Howard, the Heritage
Program’s lead Program Scientist. The premise of Howard’s work is that changes in alpine communities due to climate change will become apparent (and measurable) before beech-maple forests are largely replaced by oak and other species. Ultimately, understanding the biological responses to climate changes in the alpine ecosystem will help scientists make better  predictions about what might happen to other habitat types and conservationists develop more effective strategies for preserving plants and animals.

<< Back to Nature New York Spring/Summer 2007

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): All Photo © ADK Summit Stewardship Program.