Bark Park Hosts Grand Opening

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Completes Ellicott Island Bark Park Shoreline Restoration Project

AMHERST, NY – Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and partners announced the completion of construction on a shoreline restoration project at Ellicott Island Bark Park in Erie County’s Ellicott Creek Park on Oct. 2, 2025.

The Living Shoreline design at the Ellicott Island Bark Park revitalizes approximately 15,000 square feet of shoreline and riparian area to be more resilient with the ongoing active use as well as climate and extreme weather impacts. The project design utilizes four nature-based strategies to create a functioning Living Shoreline along the southern tip of Ellicott Island. Waterkeeper’s efforts are expected to:

Stabilize the rapidly eroding shoreline using bio-engineering techniques
Reduce stormwater pollution and erosion through green infrastructure practices
Remove invasive/non-native plant species and establish diverse native plantings
Create areas along the shore with conditions suitable for emergent vegetation establishment
Reduce turbidity within project boundaries and adjacent shoreline areas by creating a stabilized water access point for dogs

Watch the Oct. 2, 2025 news conference to learn more about the project.

“Over the last few generations, a significant amount of the Niagara River Watershed has experienced shoreline degradation and habitat loss,” explained Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka.

See The Project During Construction

“Our communities deserve healthy and accessible waterways to live, work and play, and it is core to Waterkeeper’s mission that we seek out collaborations and projects that will have the greatest environmental and community impact. Our proven Living Shorelines model and restoration methods continue to help restore these waterways and build resiliency for the coastal and climate challenges ahead. We are grateful for our funders at the New York Power Authority through the Niagara River Greenway Ecological Standing Committee and Niagara Relicensing Ecological Standing Committee, NY Sea Grant, our partners at the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry and the NYS Canal Corporation, our trusted contractors in WSP Inc. and LDC Construction Inc, and the stewards of this site, Friends of Ellicott.”

Prior to revitalization efforts, the park was experiencing shoreline habitat loss, increasing erosion, and high turbidity (cloudiness) in shallow water areas due to several factors. High foot/paw traffic in shoreline areas were resulting in vegetation loss, and persistent boat wakes throughout the summer were causing rapid erosion along the shoreline. The impacts of these stressors were most apparent, and most severe, at the southern end of the island, which became the project focus area. With the project now complete, native species plantings were reintroduced to the shoreline, providing a variety of environmental benefits.

These plantings help reduce erosion, filter pollutants and absorb nutrients, help stormwater retention, and the overhanging vegetation will lower water temperatures that intends to improve water quality and combat the algae blooms that are becoming too common in this creek system. In addition to water quality benefits, the project will also benefit the wildlife that rely on healthy shorelines to survive, such as freshwater mussels, warm water fish species, wading birds, waterfowl, beneficial insects, and pollinators. More information on the project can be found at https://bnwaterkeeper.org/ellicott-island-bark-park/.

More Information on the Changes

Funding for this project has been provided by the New York Power Authority through the Niagara River Greenway Ecological Standing Committee and Niagara Relicensing Ecological Standing Committee. Additional support and funding were provided by Erie County, and through an agreement with Cornell University in partnership with New York Sea Grant under Prime Agreement CM04068 from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

“Working with nature when managing our shorelines is an important approach to achieving multiple benefits—cultural, ecological, and physical. New York Sea Grant, in partnership with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, is excited to fund opportunities like this in Erie County to restore shorelines and protect our natural resources,” said Katherine Bunting-Howarth, JD PhD, Associate Director, New York Sea Grant.

“At Friends of Ellicott Inc., we are thrilled to witness the Living Shoreline Project coming to life at Ellicott Island Bark Park. Recognizing the urgent need for restoration at the point we affectionately call Turtle Landing, we lacked the resources for such a substantial endeavor. Following our initial efforts to stabilize the area, we were overjoyed when Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper stepped in to take our efforts to the next level. With their added resources & planning talents, we can now enjoy both stabilization and the restoration of a healthy habitat for wildlife without compromising access at this site,” said Friends of Ellicott President Ganesa Glose.

“The meticulous planning of the Living Shoreline Project impressed us, considering factors like water access and the stunning sunset view from the site. This project exemplifies how public water access areas can be adapted to support wildlife rehabilitation while accommodating existing uses. By redirecting run off, stabilizing erosion, and meticulous landscaping, rehabilitation was achieved without sacrificing the beloved access and views cherished by park visitors.”

Now that the project is complete, Friends of Ellicott will monitor plant life at the site to prevent invasive species and partner with Erie County Parks, Recreation & Forestry to assist in maintaining the site as planned.

“Erie County Parks is proud to partner with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper on this Living Shoreline Project at Ellicott Creek Park, which will have a significant impact on the resiliency, sustainability, and conservation of Ellicott Island,” said Troy P. Schinzel, Commissioner, Erie County Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Forestry. “Erie County Parks is committed to the sustainability of our 10,000 acres of parkland, as well as to the partnerships which ensure our parks continue to thrive. It is projects like this, and partners such as Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and the Friends of Ellicott Island Bark Park which make this work possible and we are grateful to them, and to the other funders involved, for their dedication and contributions.”

NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “NYPA is proud to support the shoreline restoration efforts at Ellicott Island Bark Park that will benefit the local ecosystem and visitors alike. Through our continued collaboration with local partners, NYPA is enhancing the resilience of our natural habitats and promoting the sustainable use of our waterways.”