Chaumont Barrens
Early June 2016: We took a detour on our way to Saranac Lake to visit an incredibly unique part of our state - Chaumont Barrens. Take a short drive Northeast from Watertown, and you can walk right through the best-preserved alvar in NYS, home to a rare native plant community seldom seen in our area. Thanks to The Nature Conservancy, this ecosystem has been protected and the public has been given access to its rare and beautiful landscape.
Feels like Alaska...
Prairie Smoke and Balsam Ragwort for miles // Geum triflorum, Packera paupercula
Alvar: An ecosystem with shallow soils (2" in this case) on top of flat limestone bedrock shaped by glaciers (in this case, 10,000 years ago). Only a truly unique set of species can endure the harsh conditions - summer highs of 120F, spring flooding and cold winter winds.
Wood Lily // Lilium philadelphicum
Prairie Smoke (aka Old Man's Whiskers, how fun!) is one of the first plants to bloom on the alvar prairie. Once pollinated, the drooping flowers turn their heads up and form these crazy seedheads, appearing like smoke across the prairie, hence the name. Just beautiful to see them "smoking!"
Balsam Ragwort // Packera paupercula
"Leave only footprints, Take only pictures."