Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission: Fire in the Albany Pine Bush

Between the dates of MARCH 1 and DECEMBER 31, 2008 the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission may conduct controlled burns within the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. The exact location, date and time of controlled burns is dependant on weather conditions. Please take this notice into account when planning outdoor activities during these time periods.

Before fire suppression activities began, the sand dunes of the Albany Pine Bush supported a fire adapted plant community which consisted of an open pitch pine canopy with two scrub oak species (dwarf chestnut oak and bear oak) scattered in the understory. Grassy openings meandered through the shrubby oaks. Blueberries, huckleberries and a variety of herbaceous species thrived in the sunny openings. Blue lupine, the plant most critical to the survival of the Karner blue butterfly, requires this open and sunny habitat.

Throughout its history, the Pine Bush is believed to have experienced fires approximately every 10-20 years. Some were initiated by lightning, others by the activities of local Native Americans, and later, by colonial settlers. Native Americans and settlers used fire during war to threaten their enemies, as well as to protect their camps. They also used fire to keep the understory open, to improve grazing conditions for their livestock and to increase berry crops. Most of the Pine Bush plant species depend on periodic fire events for their survival, and therefore flourish following fire.

Since the 1940's, there has been a strict policy of fire suppression. In theabsence of fire, the pitch pine canopy begins to close and grassy openings are crowded out due to increased density of the oak understory. In many cases, native species such as the blue lupine are nudged out by weedy species such as locust and aspen which quickly invade, and may even become the dominant species. With an increase in the density of the vegetation, the amount of flammable material also increases, creating hazardous fire conditions. Such conditions may lead to catastrophic wildfires that may threaten lives and property. One such fire occurred in the early 1980's which burned several hundred acres and damaged nearby power lines.

In 1988 the New York State Legislature created the Albany Pine Bush ommission, an oversight body charged with the complicated task of coordinating the management of the remaining acres of pine bush which are spread within three municipalities and include numerous landowners. Under a contract with the Commission, The Nature Conservancy prepared a Fire Management Plan as a result of extensive research in both fire ecology and the unique physical and geographical attributes of the Albany Pine Bush. The Commission actively uses fire management in the Preserve to maintain and aid in restoring what remains of this ecological wonder.

There are many challenges to prescribed burning in the Albany Pine Bush. Smoke management is a major concern; housing developments, nursing homes, a regional airport, and two major highways border the preserve.

Initial prescribed burns took place in the spring of 1991. Such activities were made possible by special laws passed by the NYS legislature to permit burning in woodlands for ecological purposes. The first burns were small (1-3 acres) research burns that have provided information useful for predicting fire behavior in the Albany Pine Bush on a larger scale. Since the beginning of the program, we have developed a better understanding of how fire behaves in the varying natural community conditions.

Currently, larger fires, simulating more natural conditions, are being conducted so that fire can be reestablished as the primary ecological process which maintains this unique ecosystem.