The Western New York Land Conservancy has announced the purchase of the 86-acre Bush property, a hardwood forest in Wales, NY that is part of the Western New York Wildway.
With this acquisition, the Conservancy has now permanently protected all of their “4 for ’24” projects in southern Erie County. The other three are known as Paul (in Concord), Kaiser (Concord), Wales Ravine (Wales, NY). The 4 for ’24 properties total 155 acres; they will not be publicly accessible.
The 4 for ’24 properties fall squarely within the Western New York Wildway, with three — Paul, Bush, and Wales Ravine — located in what the Conservancy considers critical WNY Wildway linkages between large core forest areas.
As corridors, they can provide the easiest, or best, connection for animals and plants to move between large core areas. Without them, wildlife may become trapped on ever-smaller islands of land.
By locating the best routes for wildlife to navigate, the Land Conservancy has identified 48 linkages in Western New York, totaling approximately 360,000 acres. Unfortunately, only 1.3% of land found in these critical linkages has been protected.
The Land Conservancy aims to significantly increase this percentage.
The 86-acre Bush Property, located along Hunter’s Creek Road in the Town of Wales. Bush contains small streams and vernal pools, and is situated near headwaters that contribute to Hunter’s Creek. The property was donated to the Land Conservancy as part of the previous owner’s will.
The 26-acre Wales Ravine, located on the east side of Hunter’s Creek Road in South Wales, is entirely forested. The terrain slopes upward from west to east and supports significant wildlife habitat.
Intermittent streams that contribute to Hunter’s Creek flow through ravines and gullies and eventually into Lake Erie. These deep ravines feature gravel and bedrock streambeds with small waterfalls and cascades that support diverse microhabitats.
The Robert G. Kaiser Preserve is a 22-acre shady forest that provides habitat for nesting and migratory birds. It lies entirely within the headwaters of Eighteen Mile Creek, part of the Eastern Lake Erie Basin, in Concord, NY.
The Kaiser Preserve was part of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s Water Quality Improvement Program (WQIP) program. Protecting this property allows its forests to continue providing groundwater recharge and stormwater filtration.
These functions benefit not only the property itself but help communities downstream by providing clean drinking water and limiting the potential for future floods.
Eighteen Mile Creek, the second largest tributary to Lake Erie in New York State, runs through the center of the 22-acre Paul property. As such, it provides the same groundwater recharge and stormwater filtration as the Kaiser Preserve.
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s WQIP grant paid a portion of the purchase and restoration. Restoration began last year with the planting of 100 trees and the treatment of 13 acres of invasive species.
The Western New York Land Conservancy is a regional, non-profit land trust that has protected more than 8,000 acres of land with significant conservation value in Western New York for the benefit of future generations.
The Land Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. For more information on upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, or the mission of the Western New York Land Conservancy, call (716) 687-1225 or visit wnylc.org.
Read more about wildways in New York State.
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