Garden Party for Saratoga PLAN

Lupine Planting Party, April 24th

In honor of Earth Day Saratoga P.L.A.N. (Preserving Land and Nature) will host a “Lupine Planting Party” on Saturday, April 24th from 10am- 3pm, at their Karner Blue Butterfly Restoration site in Clifton Park. Come out and enjoy spring while learning all about the ecological history of the area, the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly and the proper way to plant Lupine seeds.

The Clifton Park restoration site is located just off of Ushers Rd., and was made possible by collaboration between Saratoga P.L.A.N., Assemblyman Robert Reilly, The Town of Clifton Park, The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and several local volunteer groups.

In December 2008, members of Clifton Park highway department braved the snow, wind, and even ice storms to help out. They operated an excavator (donated by the Caterpillar Corporation) and cleared vegetation to open over an acre of butterfly habitat at the 3-acre site managed by Saratoga P.L.A.N. Their work made it possible for volunteers (in Spring 2009) to plant Wild Blue Lupine (The Karner Blue larvae’s only host plant) on its preferred habitat of sandy soil with full sunlight. The site now includes thousands of mature lupine plants. Another two pounds of lupine seeds will be planted on the 24th. 

Join Saratoga P.L.A.N for this child-friendly Earth Day event.  The event is free to the public.  Please call 518-587-5554 Ext. 3 for directions and to RSVP, and be sure to wear good boots!

Saratoga PLAN helps protect the exceptional quality of life in our region by conserving open spaces and special places for present and future generations. Saratoga P.L.A.N. is a not-for-profit land trust offering comprehensive land conservation services to landowners, developers, organizations, and government partners, while striving to achieve regional coordination and cooperation on land use, open space and recreational trail planning.  It has protected over 3,197 acres of farmland, natural habitats, and water resources in Saratoga County.  For more information or to volunteer contact Saratoga P.L.A.N. at 518-587-5554 or go to their website at www.saratogaplan.org.