Tifft Nature Preserve Management Plan - Buffalo Museum of Science

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