Old Gick Farm

Old Gick Farm. Where Did the Trees Go?. Until recently, this trail went through a pine forest. But if you were here in the 1960s, you would have been walking in a pasture. Without natural wildfires, Pine-Oak Savannahs become overgrown with other tree species, and habitat for many rare species is lost., In the Saratoga Sandplains, DEC works with The Nature Conservancy, Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park, Saratoga County, and the Town of Wilton to restore habitat once used by the Karner blue butterfly and other creatures that need the open grassy habitat of Pine-Oak Savannahs., Cut - Fast-growing white pines and aspens move in and dominate open areas. These areas were cut, leaving the pitch pines and oaks. Large stumps were pulled so that the area can be mowed later and keep competing tree species from returning., Plant - After clearing, the area was planted with native grasses, small shrubs like scrub oak, lupine and other flowers to create the Pine-Oak Savannah you see here., Remember, while fire is important in maintaining Pine-Oak Savannahs, these habitats have become the shelter for many rare species that would now disappear in an uncontrolled burn., [ Photo Captions: ] , - A Karner blue butterfly amid butterfly weed. This plant is an important food source to many butterfly species. , - (inset) A female Karner® blue on non-native knapweed