Tifft Nature Preserve Management Plan - Buffalo Museum of Science

Executive Summary
Tifft Nature Preserve is a 264-acre (107-hectare) urban nature preserve,
operated by the Buffalo Museum of Science, which is dedicated to protection of the
site’s natural resources, scientific research, environmental education, and public
enjoyment. Located in South Buffalo, the area was formerly used as a transshipment
facility and dump until a group of concerned citizens successfully petitioned the city to
create a nature preserve on the property in the early 1970’s. Despite the industrial
history of the site, this brownfield provides valuable wildlife habitat and needed
greenspace within the city limits. Major habitats on the preserve include a 75-acre (30-
hectare) remnant cattail marsh, woodlands, grasslands, three ponds and a small
stream. In addition to the cattail marsh, which is the largest remnant wetland in Erie
County and provides nesting habitat for rare marsh birds, Tifft Nature Preserve is an
important stop-over site for migrating birds and is designated as an Important Bird Area
(IBA) by Audubon.
Although the industrial activity has ended and the site’s natural appearance has
recovered, there are still several threats to the preserve’s natural resources. Invasive
species top this list of threats. There are many invasive species at Tifft Nature Preserve
including plants, fish, and invertebrates, and the preserve is not alone in dealing with
this growing environmental problem. The most urgent invasive species challenge is to
prevent the remnant cattail marsh, which is still mostly native wetland vegetation, from
becoming dominated by the non-native plant Common reed (Phragmites australis). The
other major threat to the preserve comes not from an invasive species, but from the
overabundance of white-tailed deer. Growing populations of deer are becoming a
common problem for natural areas across the country, as well as suburban and urban
communities. The many deer on the preserve heavily browse the vegetation and
prevent tree regeneration which degrades habitat for other wildlife species. Large deer
populations in urban areas can also create conflicts with humans by destroying
ornamental plantings and through deer-vehicle collisions. In addition to addressing the
threats to the preserve’s natural resources, there are many improvements that can be
made to increase the site’s value to wildlife and biodiversity. These include replacing
and repairing nest boxes, woodland and wetland native vegetation plantings, and the
introduction of wildlife species that do not currently occur on the preserve, among
others.
Tifft Nature Preserve’s unique history, natural resources, and location within the
city limits of Buffalo, make it an ideal site for scientific research and education. The
Buffalo Museum of Science has a long history of conducting research on a wide variety
of subjects, from archeology to zoology, and Tifft Nature Preserve will continue this
tradition. Research should be conducted by not only by Tifft Nature Preserve or Buffalo
Museum of Science scientists, but also through partnerships with local colleges,
universities, and science institutions. Tifft Nature Preserve is the museum’s “living
collection” and provides an excellent field site to educate the public about natural
history, ecology, the environment we live in, and the process of scientific discovery.
The educational model at the preserve is to connect students and the public to authentic
Tifft Nature Preserve Management Plan 3