NEWSLETTER
Albany, N.Y. - The Albany Pine Bush Preserve will host its annual Smokey Bear Day on Saturday October 5, 2024, 10am – 2pm at the Discovery Center located at 195 New Karner Road in Albany.
Christopher Hawver, Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Executive Director said, “We invite the community to come out and meet Smokey Bear with this free annual event. Smokey Bear Day provides a family-friendly opportunity to learn why fire is an important natural component to this globally-rare ecosystem.”
Smokey – one of the most-beloved issue ambassadors of our time – and his signature phrase, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” are truly iconic. Smokey also teaches us that fire can be an important part of maintaining diverse and healthy ecosystems. Ecosystems that are dependent on fire to thin the forest canopy and cultivate the forest floor are slowly transformed without enough natural fire. Sunlight-dependent native plant species are overtaken by those that like shade, and the whole ecosystem becomes less diverse, more dense from undergrowth, and littered with dead plant material. Fire managers can reintroduce fire into fire-dependent ecosystems with prescribed fire. Under specific, controlled conditions, the beneficial effects of natural fire can be recreated, fuel buildup can be reduced, and we can prevent the catastrophic losses of uncontrolled, unwanted wildfire. Visit www.SmokeyBear.com to learn more.
Visitors to Smokey Bear Day will learn how the Albany Pine Bush Preserve uses prescribed fire to keep the unique habitat, listed as a National Natural Landmark, healthy for the unusual species of plants and animals that thrive there. Smokey Bear and a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger will make appearances throughout the day, and Albany Pine Bush Preserve Fire Management and Education staff will be on hand.
Erin Kinal, Education Program Director said, “There will be interactive exhibits on prescribed fire, refreshments and Smokey goody bags for visitors to take home. Visitors will have multiple opportunities throughout the event to meet Smokey Bear.”
All ages are welcome. The event will be held rain or shine at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center at 195 New Karner Road, Albany. This is a free event. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. For more details visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events or call 518-456-0655.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE PINE BUSH:
The 3,400+ - acre Albany Pine Bush Preserve (APBP), located in New York’s Capital District, protects one of the best remaining inland pitch pine-scrub oak barrens in the world. This extraordinary fire-dependent ecosystem provides habitat for many plants and animals, including more than 20 percent of New York State’s wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need, such as the endangered Karner blue butterfly. The APBP is a National Natural Landmark, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, National Recreation Trail Site, a New York State Unique Area, Birding Trail Site, Bird Conservation Area, and a National Audubon Society Important Bird Area. Characterized by rolling sand dunes and over 20 miles of trails, the APBP offers visitors many recreational opportunities including hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing and canoeing. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is a public-private partnership created by the NYS Legislature in 1988 to protect and manage the APBP and provide the public with educational and recreational opportunities. The Management Plan for the APBP guides all aspects of expanding and managing the preserve. The Commission’s goal is a preserve of 5,380 acres.
As the gateway to the Pine Bush, the Discovery Center at 195 New Karner Road, Albany, is a “green” certified interpretive center where visitors come to understand why the Pine Bush is rare and special. A visit to this unique destination is an exciting exploration where learning comes naturally through interactive exhibits, an outdoor Discovery Trail, and numerous programs on the ecology, natural history, cultural history and management of the Pine Bush. Admission to the Discovery Center is free (there is a fee for some programs). The center is open daily weekdays 9am-4pm and weekends 10am-4pm. For more information, visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org or call 518-456-0655.
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