4 for '24 - WNY WIldway
Room to Roam
We are excited to announce that from now until the end of 2024, our community has an opportunity to permanently protect four important WNY Wildway properties totaling 155 acres.
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We know that many of you have enjoyed viewing the pictures we have shared over the summer of our ongoing WNY Wildway wildlife movement study. From small flying squirrels and elusive bobcats, to black bears, white tail deer, and a family of coyotes (pictured here), our game cameras have highlighted the importance of protected corridors for animals on the move in WNY.
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Among the most important and vulnerable parts of the WNY Wildway are the linkages between the large core forest areas on the map. These linkages are the corridors that provide the easiest, or best, connection for animals and plants to move between large core areas. Thanks to our ongoing wildlife movement study, we have been able to share with you many photos on our social media sites over the summer of animals using these important linkages. At this time, only 1.3% of identified linkages in WNY are protected. That means we have our work cut out for us.
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Our 4 for '24 Projects all fall within the WNY Wildway, while three—Paul, Bush, and Wales Ravine— are also located in a key WNY Wildway linkage area in Southern Erie County. For our year-end campaign this year, our community seeks to raise $500,000 by December 31st to protect these properties. Read on to learn more about each one.
Paul
When local landowner Judy Paul began planning for her retirement, she decided to sell her beloved property. Luckily for her, her land sits on an important part of both the WNY Wildway and the Eighteenmile Creek Watershed. As a WNY Wildway linkage area, this forest is a ribbon of land where plants and animals can navigate from one core area to another. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) awarded Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper with a Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) grant that is paying for the closing costs. We are raising the stewardship costs; the land will be owned by the Land Conservancy. Location: Concord (22 acres).
Wales Ravine
Intermittent streams serve as headwaters to Hunter’s Creek, flowing to Lake Erie. Giant beech and maple trees line a deep and gorgeous ravine and provide important corridors for animals on the move. This forest is set to be donated to the Land Conservancy, but we need to raise funds to cover the real estate transaction and stewardship costs. Location: Wales (26 acres).
Bush
This beautiful hardwood forest explodes with color each spring due to an abundance of wildflowers. A landowner left the property for the Land Conservancy in his Will, but even donated land comes with a price. We need to raise funds to cover real estate transaction and stewardship costs. Location: Holland (85 acres).
Kaiser
Colonies of ferns cluster thickly on a slope of a Hemlock forest much like the one you'll find at our Mossy Point Preserve. This shady forest provides excellent habitat for nesting birds and migratory birds alike, and it abuts additional large forests—making it an ideal property for the WNY Wildway. Like with the Paul property, the DEC awarded Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper with a Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) grant that is paying for the closing costs. We are raising the stewardship funds; the land will be owned by the Land Conservancy. Location: Concord (22 acres).
