Old Field Management

The old fields on the preserve are a valuable habitat for wildlife and contain many plants. Throughout much of New York, the old-field habitat has been disappearing due to changes in land management and development. Left unmanaged, many old fields will gradually go through secondary succession and eventually become forest. In order to maintain habitat diversity and keep early successional habitats on the preserve, we regularly mow the fields. You may notice the fields being mowed in the fall after all of the birds have finished nesting. We typically mow the fields on a three-year cycle. However, we increase the frequency of mowing if woody encroachment is observed.