Did Widespread Oak Savannas Exist In Western New York State? Exploring Multiple Lines Of Evidence

Oak savannas are a critically-imperiled ecosystem globally with fewer than five occurrences in New York, typified by a grassland-woodland mosaic with oak species and grasses. They host rare plant and animal species, making documentation of their historical distribution valuable for land management and ecological restoration. This presentation summarizes methods and datasets for mapping oak savannas of the past, such as land survey records, early historical accounts, predictive geospatial modeling, and automated text extraction from historical documents. Varied datasets and methodologies collectively agree that oak savannas covered approximately 3 to 6% of western New York, totaling approximately 800 to 1,600 km2. Oak savannas existed in dry environmental conditions where Indigenous cultural burning occurred. While many standard maps of oak savanna distribution do not show that the ecosystem is found in western New York, this research suggests that oak savannas were historically located here.

Although the speaker will be in Geneseo, please come to the Nevin Center for the large screen, chatting with other native plant lovers, and snacks.