Tifft Nature Preserve Management Plan - Buffalo Museum of Science
Tifft Nature Preserve Management Plan - Buffalo Museum of Science
Tifft Nature Preserve Management Plan - Buffalo Museum of Science
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communities are in decline, such as grassland birds (Sauer et al 2000), and the<br />
disappearance <strong>of</strong> insect pollinators has recently been making headlines. The landfill<br />
area in the southwest corner <strong>of</strong> <strong>Tifft</strong> <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Preserve</strong> known as the mounds provides 42<br />
acres (17 hectares) that would be suitable for establishing native grasses and<br />
wildflowers and would create an aesthetically pleasing native plant community and<br />
provide valuable wildlife habitat. A native grassland plant community would improve<br />
habitat for Savannah Sparrows, Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks and the Northern<br />
Harrier, all <strong>of</strong> which have been observed on the preserve, but are not common. This<br />
creates the unique situation where an environmental detriment like a landfill could be<br />
turned into a valuable ecological, educational, and community asset.<br />
The number and acreage <strong>of</strong> grassland restoration or establishment projects have<br />
been increasing in the past decades along with the research and literature on the<br />
subject (e.g. Packard and Mutel 1997). Several practical guides are published that<br />
provide step-by-step guidance throughout the process (e.g. Kurtz 2001, Delaney et al<br />
2000, Kilde 2000). There are common elements to all successful grassland plantings<br />
and they will be addressed below in relation to <strong>Tifft</strong> <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Preserve</strong>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Plan</strong>ning – This step involves site selection, and the mounds are the most<br />
appropriate location for grassland plantings on the preserve. Once a site is<br />
selected, features such as climate, moisture, drainage and soil conditions<br />
should be assessed and plans developed accordingly. There is no one optimal<br />
set <strong>of</strong> conditions for establishing a grassland, but site conditions will determine<br />
which species are most appropriate to plant and would grow the best. Since<br />
native grassland plants have deep root systems, the depth <strong>of</strong> soil on the<br />
mounds should be examined carefully. Small acreage phases could also be<br />
developed if planting on all 42 acres (17 hectares) at once is too ambitious <strong>of</strong> a<br />
goal. These phases could range in size from 10 or more acres (4 hectares) to<br />
small butterfly gardens.<br />
Species List – The list <strong>of</strong> species to be planted is determined by site conditions,<br />
project goals, and the budget. Only native species from as local a source as<br />
possible should be planted (McKay et al 2002). Species that are native to<br />
western New York and would likely do well on the mounds include: big<br />
bluestem, little bluestem, indian grass, sedges, blazing stars, milkweeds, asters<br />
and sunflowers. A diverse array <strong>of</strong> wildflowers can be planted so there are<br />
species blooming all season long if aesthetics is an important goal. <strong>Plan</strong>t<br />
species can also be selected to attract butterflies and insect pollinators.<br />
Species lists can include as few as ten plants or approach one hundred species<br />
if a diverse grassland is desired. However, in general, the more diverse a seed<br />
mix, the more expensive it is to purchase or time consuming to collect the<br />
seeds. Some species are also available as plugs (small plants) that can be<br />
planted for faster results, but plugs are considerably more expensive than seed.<br />
Site Preparation – Unless a grassland planting project is interseeding into an<br />
existing native grassland, the soil must be appropriate for germinating seeds<br />
<strong>Tifft</strong> <strong>Nature</strong> <strong>Preserve</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> 49