In 1985, San Diego native Judy Paul and her then husband bought a property along Eighteenmile Creek in Concord, NY, packed up all their belongings, and trekked across the country to start their new life. Since their kids were grown up and out of the house, her husband longed to return home to his native Western New York. Judy had no trouble adjusting to the long, dark, and sometimes harsh winters in our region. In fact, she says, the most difficult thing she had to do was to get “this ridiculous grin off her face.” That’s how happy she was in her new home.
What immediately struck Judy was the absolute beauty of the region, something native Western New Yorkers sometimes take for granted. Her own property quickly became a place of great joy for her. A meadow here teems with a rich tapestry of colorful wildflowers, a successional forest is dotted with native willows and dogwoods, and a portion of Eighteenmile Creek glistens like glass in the sunlight. Over the years, Judy bought additional buffer properties nearby and established a small rescue farm where she cared for goats, sheep, llamas, pigs, chickens, and cats that others had given up.
“This place is super special to me,” says Judy, who is eager to see the property permanently protected. “The view of the meadow that I have from my desk brings me such calm and peace. It’s glorious.”
Once it was time for Judy to plan for her retirement, she began working with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper to begin the process of selling her property; Waterkeeper's Water Quality Improvement Grant (WQIP), awarded to them by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), is funding the closing costs. Because Waterkeeper’s mission focuses on the watershed, they contacted us to gauge our interest in becoming partners. Since Judy’s home falls squarely within a WNY Wildway linkage area, the answer was a quick and easy yes. As part of a linkage area, this fantastic forest is an important piece in our planned WNY Wildway: a ribbon of land where plants and animals can navigate from one core area to another.
For years, Judy has watched generations of foxes running and playing in the meadow below her barn, growing from tiny, leaping kits to adults in what seemed the blink of an eye. Her property is one of our 4 for '24 projects this year. Once our community raises the closing costs, this patch of forest in southern Erie County will be stitched into the broad quilt of the WNY Wildway. It’ll be just what Judy wishes for: a permanently protected forest. Generations of creatures, like her beloved foxes, will benefit.
If you would like to contribute to our 4 for '24 campaign, visit our donate page and, in the dropdown menu, use "4 for '24-WNY Wildway."
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