Rare dwarf willow plant found on Algonquin summit

LAKE PLACID | A tiny and rare alpine plant has made a welcome reappearance on Algonquin Peak. Adirondack High Peak Summit Steward Katie Leton identified dwarf willow (Salix herbacea) while conducting a botany survey on Aug. 15. According to the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK), it was last documented on Algonquin in 1980 and believed extirpated (locally extinct), limiting known habitat here to a single population on Mount Marcy. "One of the smallest woody plants in the world, dwarf willow is typically between 0.5 and 5 centimeters tall with branches that grow just underground forming open mats. The leaves are rounded and green with paler undersides and, like all willows, it presents small flowers in tight clusters called catkins. Though it is widespread globally, it is exceedingly rare in New York and considered critically imperiled and at risk of extirpation from the state," ADK said in announcing the discovery. The tiny plant delivered a big message, said Liam Ebner, Summit Steward coordinator for ADK. "New York's alpine zone is continuing to recover. This discovery underscores the importance of both educational outreach on summits, which protects alpine plants, and continued research," he said in a news release. "I am incredibly proud of Katie and our summit steward team for making such a historic discovery." News of the happy find rang through state conservation and heritage program halls. "The rediscovery of this tiny plant on Algonquin after an absence of many decades is very exciting and indicates better prospects for this species to persist in New York," Richard Ring, chief botanist for the New York Natural Heritage Program, said. "It is also a testament to the Summit Stewardship Program's persistent efforts to steward recovery of the unique and fragile alpine ecosystems atop all New York's High Peaks, which provide a home to this willow and many other rare species. It is wonderful to have an example of successful conservation and stewardship at such a heavily visited site." Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 5 Director Joe Zalewski thanked ADK and the Heritage Program for their perseverance in protecting and restoring sensitive vegetation on the state's highest peaks. "DEC is proud of the accomplishments of this longstanding partnership with the Adirondack Mountain Club and the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. This exciting discovery is a great success for the Adirondack Region," he said. DEC helps fund the Summit Stewardship Program through the state's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). At The Nature Conservancy, Adirondack Director Peg Olsen sees the tiny plant as welcome sign of dedicated education and outreach. "For over thirty years, the Summit Stewardship Program has been the guardian of and advocate for this very fragile alpine plant community," she said in a news release. "This new discovery of dwarf willow is evidence of how education can change behaviors for powerful conservation outcomes. It's encouraging to know that we can make a difference."

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Rare dwarf willow plant found on Algonquin summit

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