Niagara River Greenway Commission: Public comment period opens for Buckhorn State Park project

The Niagara River Greenway Commission has announced that the public comment period has opened for the 37th round of projects. In addition, the commission announced that the public comment time will close at the end of the day on Dec. 31.

Projects are posted atwww.niagaragreenway.org. Comments may be submitted either at the website or by hard copy to the Commission at 2136 West Oakfield Road, Grand Island, NY 14072.

Among the projects in for consistency review is one by the Buffalo Audubon Society for bird habitat Enhancements at Buckhorn State Park and North Tonawanda Audubon Preserve

According to the project application, "Work at Buckhorn Island State Park will focus on upland habitats to complement wetland restoration that has already occurred; both upland and wetland habitats are threatened by rapidly spreading European black alder (among other invasive species)."

"If habitat restoration and protection efforts and adaptive management of targeted invasive species are not implemented their inexorable spread will significantly degrade the existing native vegetation communities and associated avian and wildlife habitat in the park, and will threaten the wetland habitats that have been the focus of previous restoration."

Once the public comment period has ended, the NRGC will review projects and on Jan. 21, 2014, vote on the consistency of the projects in relation to the Greenway plan.

It is then the responsibility of the project sponsor to pursue funding with entities that award support.