For Immediate Release: June 16, 2009
Contact:
Keith P. McKeever | Public Relations | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
EFFORTS WILL REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINT, ENHANCE WILDLIFE HABITAT AND BEAUTIFY ROUTE 86 CORRIDOR
RAY BROOK, NY – The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and the Department of Environmental Conservation Region 5 (DEC) will continue last year’s initial efforts to allow areas of the building grounds in the Ray Brook State Office Complex to revert to wild grasses and flowers.
Acting Executive Director James Connolly stated, “The Agency has committed to long term energy conservation measures and limited mowing contributes to our overall plan to reduce the Agency’s carbon footprint. In addition, we achieve a modest fiscal savings. As this process evolves our grounds will be home to many beautiful wild plants and as we’ve already experienced last year, unique wildlife such as Killdeer and Wild Turkeys.”
DEC Region 5 Director Betsy Lowe said, “DEC wants to serve as an example for more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. Large mowed lawns serve little practical or ecological purpose, and significant resources, including chemical fertilizers and pesticides, are often used to maintain them. Meadows have significantly more biodiversity than a lawn and provide a much greater amount of habitat for butterflies, beetles and other insects, as well as, birds and other animals.”
Last year higher fossil fuel cost were a significant factor in the decision to allow some of the grounds to revert to wild plants. The Agency and Department have implemented a number of energy conservation measures to diminish energy consumption at Ray Brook facilities and reduce operational costs. Limited mowing will continue to be a key part of the overall plan. Mowing will still occur along roadsides and near the entrance to buildings to aesthetically off set the areas which will be kept as a more natural area for wild flower growth.
For more than two decades poor soils and lack of nutrients limited growing potential for standard lawn turf at the Ray Brook Office Complex. The State Office Complex is perched on very deep, well-drained glacial outwash sands which are not favorable for growing lawn turf. Once both agencies limited mowing, native grasses and wild flowers immediately re-vegetated the area.
Agency staff along with Paul Smith College students identified over 75 different species of plants growing on the grounds last year. Species included wild mint, milkweed, blue-eyed grass, downy goldenrod, meadowsweet and American dog violet.
The long range maintenance plan will include working with the NYS DOT to seed the grounds with various native wild flowers and grasses and with NYS DEC’s Saratoga Tree Farm to introduce native shrubs to expand species diversity with the intent of establishing a natural meadow. The Park Agency has planted numerous native tree species as part of annual Arbor Day and Earth Day celebrations.
Information on natural landscaping and “greening” your lawn can be found at: www.epa.gov/greenacres/weedlaws/index.html and www.dec.ny.gov/public/44290.html.
The New York State Adirondack Park Agency was created in 1971 by the State Legislature to develop long-range land use plans for both public and private lands within the boundary of the Adirondack Park. With its headquarters located in Ray Brook, the Agency also operates two Visitor Interpretive Centers, in Newcomb and Paul Smiths. For more information, call the APA at (518) 891-4050 or visit www.apa.state.ny.us.