Breeding and Migrating Birds of the College Lodge Forest 

Saturday, May 28th

9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

College Lodge Forest

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To date, over 150 species of birds have been recorded in the unique variety of habitats on this property. The forest's position on the Portage Escarpment above the Lake Erie Plain places it in an important migration corridor, and many of the species that nest in the forest winter in the American Neotropics. In an average year, these long-distance travelers include six species of flycatchers, a dozen species of warblers, several vireos and thrushes, and other beauties like Indigo Bunting and Scarlet Tanager.

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Join seasoned birder Terry Mosher and his colleague Jonathan Townsend on a walk through this remarkable forest. You will listen for some beautiful birdsong and (with good luck) spot several of the property's most interesting birds.  Some late-spring wildflowers and a few early-season butterflies should round out the trip's pleasures. If you've never been to the College Lodge Forest, this is a perfect opportunity to see it. 

Your guides:

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For thirty-six years, Dr. Terry Mosher taught environmental literature and other English courses at SUNY-Fredonia, where he loved connecting students with the natural world and great American writing about it. A Past President of the Lake Erie Bird Club, Mosher is a longtime birder and amateur naturalist. 

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Jonathan Townsend is a fine naturalist and a Ph.D. candidate at SUNY-Buffalo. A bat specialist, he has been working to develop a regional bat conservation initiative, which includes public education, scientific research, and habitat development for bat species in the region.

GorgeFest

Saturday, June 18th

11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Whirlpool State Park

Free

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The internationally renowned Niagara Gorge is one of the most iconic places in Western New York. Join the Western New York Land Conservancy, New York State Parks, and more than a dozen of your favorite local environmental organizations for a one-day celebration of the Niagara Gorge and its amazing river. GorgeFest will be a fun-filled day for families with activities that include geology and history hikes, native plant and animal meet and greets, fossil displays, hands-on activities for the whole family, and much more! Want to discover what's happening at GorgeFest? Read THE SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES.

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As a popular tourist destination that sees thousands of visitors each year, the Niagara Gorge is one of the largest engines of economic activity in our region. But with its rich cultural and ecological history, it's more than just a magnet for tourists–it is a unique ecosystem characterized by incredible biodiversity developed over millennia. Although this biodiversity has been threatened by urbanization over the past two centuries, recent work in the area by multiple organizations aims to conserve and restore many of the native plants and animals that call the Niagara Gorge home.

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Event partners:

Artpark, Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Castellani Art Museum, New York State Parks, the Aquarium of Niagara, Niagara University, the Niagara River Greenway, Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve, Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, the Western New York Land Conservancy, WNY PRISM, and WNY Raptor and Wildlife Care, Inc. Participating individuals: Justin Higner; Secret Places of Western New York: 25 Scenic Trails - Book co-authors Jennifer Hillman and Bill McKeever; David Seide

This event is made possible, in part, thanks to a grant from New York State Sea Grant.
 

We Are Each Other's Harvest: An Evening with Natalie Baszile

Tuesday, June 21 @ 7:00 p.m.

Virtual event

The Land Conservancy and Providence Farm Collective are partnering to host renowned author and filmmaker Natalie Baszile for a live, virtual event. The event will feature a special conversation with Allison DeHonney (Buffalo Go Green/Urban Fruits & Veggies), Mahamud Mberwa (Bwedo Farm), Dao Kamara (Liberian Community Farming Project), and Hamadi Ali (Providence Farm Collective).

In order to watch the event, you will need to register to get a Zoom link. Click the button below.

Planting the Future of Farming in WNY  

Did you miss the March 31st event? You can still watch it here. 

Did you miss the October 27th 2021 event? Use the link to watch the presentation on Youtube. Listen to Ed Marx discuss the Eastern Wildway, an effort to create a wildlife corridor from the Gulf of Mexico to eastern Canada. You’ll also hear from Jajean Rose-Burney, our Deputy Executive Director, about how you can save the Allegany Wildlands.

Did you miss the June 16th 2021 event? Use the link to watch the presentation on YouTube. Finding the Mother Tree: An Evening with Suzanne Simard  included a presentation on her pioneering work and a conversation.