Some of the most unique aspects of the 300-acre New York refuge are rare dwarf/pygmy pines that inhabit a pine barren ecosystem. Long-lived but growing to maturity much smaller than normal trees, pygmy pine trees are hypothesized to have a symbiotic relationship with fire.
The evolutionary niche of the pines reflects a habitat in a dry, windy, raised area that does not have lakes, rivers, and other natural breaks to prevent fire spread. Traditional trees and plants regularly burn down, which creates a nutrient-rich layer of ashy soil that allows life to replenish.
One theory is that the diminutive pygmy trees have a deep pool of clay soil, rich in nitrogen and phosphorous, to draw from. At the surface level, the trees are periodically cut back by the fire, which has a bonsai-like impact on stunting growth. However, with carbohydrates stored in the root systems, they readily sprout back after a fire and grow again. Because it takes time for this underground store of nutrients to replenish, the trade-off is one of endurance for height.
