Four students along with visiting Professor of Biology Thomas Diggins joined members of the Sierra Club and the New York Old Growth Forest Association (NYOGFA) in Saratoga Spa State Park on March 10 to determine if the forest was old growth or not. The park is located just north of Albany, NY, and was going to be developed into a golf course until the Sierra Club stepped in and argued for its protection.
It is estimated that there are 400,000 acres of old growth forest in New York. The NYOGFA was formed to identify these areas and protect them. The Eastern NY Old Growth Survey Team defines old-growth forest as at least 20 acres with at least six trees per acre at least 150 years old. Several 150- to 200-year old trees were found in this study, strengthening the case for old-growth status, and preservation of this park. One particular tree, a swamp white oak, was estimated to be around 400 years old. Unfortunately this tree fell earlier this year; it was surprising that it had lived that long though, and is another example of the importance of this site.
Diggins and Hamilton students Dan Fillius '02, Emily Howe '04, Hilary King '05 and Chris Martin-McNaughton '05 
volunteered to help with the collection of height, girth and tree ring data from the trees throughout the afternoon. Fillius commented, "Although it was a cold day, the walk in the woods was a lot of fun. I enjoyed learning little idiosyncrasies about the local environment, like how black birch smells like wintergreen."
Bill Koebbeman, Sierra Club,
discusses old-growth.
For more information on old-growth forests on the web, visit:
