Restoring a Natural Community on the Niagara River

There are three islands located in the Niagara River just off the southern tip of Grand Island. These islands are important parts of the Niagara River ecosystem, but have suffered serious habitat loss or deterioration from a variety of causes. Motor Island is one of the largest Great Blue Heron rookeries in the Northeast United States. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) completed a project in 2013 to protect the island from severe erosion by strengthening the shoreline, while also incorporating features to attract fish and other wildlife to the island. The island between Motor island and Strawberry Island was once a productive wetland, but has been submerged for many years, losing its value as a fish and wildlife habitat. NYPA's efforts to restore this island, now completed, added over five acres of fish and wildlife habitat. On Strawberry Island, NYPA is undertaking a habitat project here as well, to provide protection for the remaining parts of the island and to create additional habitat for species on the island, including the Bald Eagles nesting there. This project builds off of a previous habitat restoration effort begun by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), and is anticipated to be completed by 2017. This photograph shows restoration work in progress in 2014 at
the submerged site between Motor and Strawberry Islands. Photo courtesy of the Buffalo NewsFrom this aerial view, looking south, all three islands are visible together. Motor Island is located closest, the restored island lies in the middle, and Strawberry Island is the furthest away from this vantage point. Aerial photo courtesy of New York Power Authority. These three habitat improvement projects are being funded and constructed by NYPA in conjunction with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation and NYSDEC.

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Did You Ever Wonder What It Takes to Restore an Island? Historical
Strawberry Island Historical
Management Historical
Recovery Historical
Strawberry Island Historical
A Home for Fish Historical
Allenton Farm/Creating Beaver Island State Park Historical
Grover Cleveland & Grand Island/Lewis F. Allen & Western New York Historical
Bedell House 1877 - 1935 Historical
Restoring Nature Historical

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