| Allegany State Park |
| Field Trips |
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Comprising approximately 65,000 acres, Allegany State Parks is known for its primitive forested valleys, un-glaciated landscape, fall leaves and wildlife. It is the largest state park in the system. This park is situated in the only unglaciated area in New York State. Consequently the topography - deeply incised, V-shaped valleys eroded by water and not ice - is totally different from the lower elevations and glacier- sculpted venues of most of the other field trips. Allegany State Park is one of the four largest intact forested landscapes in thestate and the largest forested landscape in western New York making it among the best places in the region to see tracts of mature forest. It contains approximately 55,000 acres of significant forest natural communities, comprising hemlock-northern hardwood forest, rich mesophytic forest, maple-basswood rich mesic forest, and beech-maple mesic forest. Nearly 5,000 acres of these significant natural communities are New York.s second largest old-growth hemlock-northern hardwood forest system. These healthy. old-growth forests are full of dying, dead, and fallen trees. While still standing, their hulks provide nesting cavities for birds like barred owls and for mammals like red squirrels. These forests exist on the only area of New York that was not glaciated during the last (Wisconsinan) glacial advance. The more weathered, very productive soils and rounded hills of Allegany Park Region are a unique feature of the unglaciated landscape and the only place these features can be seen in the state. Allegany Forest Tract considered an important bird area by NY Audubon. The valleys’ fast-moving streams attract Louisiana Waterthrush. The outlet of Red House Lake is particularly attractive to many other species of warblers, flycatchers and Indigo Buntings. Higher elevations provide habitat for thrushes, accipiters, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks, as well as vireos and Scarlet Tanager. |