Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper & Cradle Beach Announce Partnership on Resilient Shoreline and Habitat Restoration Projects
“We are deeply grateful to Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper for their invaluable support and expertise in advancing two critical Cradle Beach initiatives—coastal resiliency of our cherished shoreline and driving reforestation efforts to restore our treasured woodlands and habitat. Their dedication and success in protecting and revitalizing our region’s natural resources has been instrumental in advancing Cradle Beach’s knowledge, identifying funding opportunities, and co-creating companion coastal resiliency and reforestation plans. We’re thrilled to have Waterkeeper join us in providing camper education and hands on programming in support of our living classrooms initiatives,” said Ann-Marie Orlowski, Chief Executive Officer, Cradle Beach.
“Thank you to our philanthropic partners: The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation and Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, whose initial grant funding serves as a catalyst for our collective partnership and activates others desire to support Cradle Beach, as one of Western New York’s longest serving and relied upon nonprofits. Creating a resilient shoreline and restoring our habitat not only enhances our immediate environment, it creates a lasting and positive impact for our communities served, near and far.
Through National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s support, we are intentionally creating deeper connections to our environment and building a stronger, healthier, more resilient community for generations to come.”
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka speaks of the need to build resilient shorelines in the face of climate impacts at Cradle Beach and across WNY.
The shoreline project is the critical first step toward long-term resiliency of the Lake Erie coastline along the Cradle Beach property by completing data collection, identifying and assessing design approaches for a stabilized shoreline, and advancing one design through the conceptual phase.
The engineering firm Ramboll has been contracted for the conceptual design phase of this project. Funding is still being sought for the final design and implementation phases of the shoreline resiliency project. The native tree restoration project will rehabilitate 20 acres of important riparian forested wetland along Little Sister Creek at Cradle Beach, a tributary to Lake Erie that has been severely impacted by the invasive emerald ash borer. The planting of 1,500 new trees will absorb about 500,000 gallons of rainfall annually, avoiding about 100,000 gallons of runoff into the creek each year and improving water quality and coastal resilience along Lake Erie.
The project will also revitalize the forested wetland there which will benefit both the community and migratory birds that frequent the area. In addition, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper will provide educational programming related to the project for the Cradle Beach supported population, including leading a volunteer planting effort, tree planting lessons and permanent educational signage.
“One of the ways the Community Foundation advances our mission is by bringing partners together to advance change in our community on behalf of the clients who have entrusted us to do so. These specific collaborative projects align with our leadership work which includes stewarding significant environmental resources in the context of climate resilience. As we see local changes in our climate, we commend Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and Cradle Beach for working together to improve our region’s ability to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from climate impacts,” said Cara Matteliano, Senior Director, Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.
Prior to revitalization efforts, the park was experiencing riparian habitat loss, rapid shoreline erosion, and high turbidity in shallow water areas due to several factors. High foot/paw traffic in riparian areas were resulting in vegetation loss, and persistent boat wakes throughout the summer were causing rapid erosion along the shoreline.
