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The globally rare ridgetop dwarf pitch pine barrens found on the
Shawangunk Ridge are maintained by periodic fires.
© The Nature Conservancy
The present day assemblage of plant and animal species
found in the Northern Shawangunks has developed from a complex interplay
of natural processes including climate change, variations in the
local environment (e.g., soils, topography, etc.), and periodic
disturbances from storm events, fire, and insect and disease outbreaks.
Naturally ignited fires have occurred in the Gunks
for at least the past 9,000 years. Without fire, the unique forest
types and incredible biological diversity found on the ridge today
would not exist. In addition to over 30 rare plant and animal species,
the Shawangunk Ridge is home to the world’s best example of
a rare ridgetop dwarf pine barrens community and supports the second
largest chestnut oak forest in New York. Large fires of up to several
thousand acres were common in the Shawangunks until the early 1960s.
Based on extensive research, scientists believe these historical
fires played an essential role in maintaining the health of both
the pine barrens and chestnut oak forest, making these systems “fire
dependent.” Fire is also a key
process in recycling nutrients bound up in the natural litter and
debris that accumulates on the forest floor.
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