The Western New York Land Conservancy is creating a new 57-acre nature preserve at the site of Jackson Falls on Hubbard Road in the Town of Aurora. The property will be named the Owens Falls Sanctuary in honor of Barbara and Don Owens who donated $200,000. It was announced at the land conservancy’s 25th anniversary dinner on Sept. 21 that the fundraising goal of $600,000 was surpassed. The property features two magnificent waterfalls that were formed by a 2,000-foot long…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko A couple of simple tests can tell you what steps you have to take to improve your soil– or let you know that you are already on the right track. There are three kinds of tests you might do, said John Farfaglia, extension educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Niagara County. The first is a pH test to find out how acidic or alkaline your soil is. Farfaglia recommends that every gardener do this test at…...
The Bentley Sanctuary, a wildlife preserve known for its ephemeral spring wildflowers and winding trails, has been transferred to the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy from the Audubon Community Nature Center. Even before the transfer was complete, work was begun by conservancy volunteers and Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant employees to improve existing trails and build new board walks for the newly designated Pamela A. Westrom Wildflower Trail. The Bentley Sanctuary is in the Jamestown area, located at the end of Bentley Road,…...
Community volunteers are needed to help plant trees along the shoreline of Gill Creek in Niagara Falls, which will be part of a larger creek-wide restoration effort. The planting event, organized by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18. Advance registration is required. Register online or by contacting Wendy Paterson at (716) 852-7483, ext. 26. All supplies for the planting will be provided by Riverkeeper. In addition to 120 new trees, understory vegetation…
Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, which works to keep our local waterways clean and healthy, recently won a prestigious international prize for its work. The Thiess International Riverprize is awarded each year to organizations demonstrating outstanding results in sustainable river basin management, restoration and protection worldwide. The award was presented Sept. 13 at the annual International RiverFoundation (IRF) Riversymposium in New Delhi, India. It includes a $150,000 cash prize. Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper was recognized for its decades-long efforts to restore and protect…
by Connie Oswald Stofko “The response we always get is, ‘I had no idea these things were happening,’” said Mary Van Vorst. That’s the reaction from people who went on the Beyond Flowers Tour and the East Side Momentum Tour. Van Vorst is one of the volunteers who helped organize these bus tours, which are part of Gardens Buffalo Niagara, the group that organizes the garden walks and Open Gardens. The Beyond Flowers Tour will show you eight sites in…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko I got this question from a reader: Hi Connie, How can we be sure that we aren’t buying plants that have been treated with neonics, or grown from seeds containing neonics? Is there a standard label to look for? Or certain brands that don’t deal in them? Thanks. Kristen Buffalo Since I’m not a gardening expert, I contacted someone who knows more about neonicotinoids, which are used in pest control. I talked to John Farfaglia, the…...
Historically, we have landscaped to add beauty to our yards, without much thought to the role that plants provide in maintaining healthy ecosystems. The way we think about our yards needs to shift, according to award-winning author Doug Tallamy. In an event organized by the Western New York Land Conservancy, Tallamy will present “Rebuilding Nature’s Relationships at Home” on Tuesday, May 10 at the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts on the North Campus, Maple Rd. and Flint, Amherst…....
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) awarded $70,000 in two separate grants to the Western New York Land Conservancy. A transaction grant will support the Land Conservancy’s work in creating the Stella Niagara Preserve on the Niagara River in Lewiston—the most important and highest profile project in the Land Conservancy’s quarter-century history. The Land Conservancy hired the nationally renowned landscape design team of Darrel Morrison and Nancy Aten to lead the way in restoring and enhancing wildlife…...
by Connie Oswald Stofko Just in time for Earth Day, a sale of rain barrels and compost bins is being held by Erie County and the Western New York Stormwater Coalition. This year, a kitchen compost container and a compost turning tool will also be offered. Orders must be placed by May 20. You don’t have to live in Erie County to purchase the items, but you have to pick them up in Erie County. There will be two locations…...
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