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Bird Habitat Restoration Resumes at Joseph Davis State Park Breeding season stopped work for seven weeks

Buffalo Audubon workers are expected to resume habitat restoration along a portion of the lower Niagara River Corridor this week, after suspending work since June 1.

Some 130 acres of mixed shrubs - many of which are invasive species, and small trees will be 'weeded' and replaced with native shrubs to promote indigenous shrubland and wetland to better support healthy bird habitat.

This work, conducted within the perimeters of the Joseph Davis State Park in Lewiston was temporarily halted to allow for an undisturbed breeding season for numerous bird species who presently breed there.

When complete, the restoration of this comparatively large, undeveloped acreage along the important lower Niagara River corridor, should attract resident and neo-tropical migratory wild birds by providing new habitat for breeding, shelter and sustenance.

The project includes removing non-native or invasive species such as the bush honeysuckle, common reed (Phragmites), common buckthorn and multiflora rose, which have taken over much of the acreage and are comparatively poor habitat for birds.

Native shrubs and grasses will be planted in order to provide higher quality food, nest sites and habitat.

The Joseph Davis State Park was leased to the Town of Lewiston which now operates and maintains it. The bird habitat restoration was funded by various grants.

(Owen Deutsch / Owen Deutsch Photography)

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter - Publisher Frank Parlato Jr. www.niagarafallsreporter.com

Jul 23, 2013