By the end of next year, visitors to Seneca Bluffs Natural Habitat Park will be able to get closer to the Buffalo River while not disturbing the fragile ecosystems.
State Sen. Tim Kennedy and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced Thursday the state has awarded the county a $450,000 grant to help construct a raised boardwalk at the park.
The park in South Buffalo along the river is being restored to its native condition. Officials said despite significant progress, erosion, invasive species and landscape degradation persist. The boardwalk will increase accessibility while protecting the ecosystems.
“Seneca Bluffs is a key aspect of preserving our city’s natural heritage,” Kennedy said.
Poloncarz said the revitalization of the park has been an ongoing success story.
“This park is a hidden gem in the City of Buffalo, a natural oasis of peace in an urban setting, and offers parkgoers a chance to ‘get away from it all’ while still in the city,” Poloncarz said.
The park includes 15 acres of floodplain along the river and is located near the Seneca Street bridge between Elk Street and Avon Place. It is on the State Birding Trail and was one of at least two places where a roseate spoonbill, a bird native to Florida, was spotted last August.
Located within the Great Lakes migratory bird flyway, a large diversity of migratory birds, wading birds and waterfowl can be found there, according to Erie County.
Work to reduce the amount of invasive species has changed the makeup of the park. Its vegetation was approximately 85% invasive and non-native in 2016. Within two years, just 20% of the vegetation was invasive.
The grant from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation to the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry will help fund the $650,000 boardwalk project at the county park.
Construction of the boardwalk is to be finished in December 2025.
Seneca Bluffs also is benefiting…
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