A partnership between Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and Cradle Beach will lead to shoreline and habitat restoration projects.
Project Partnership
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper will lead two companion projects at Cradle Beach to create a resilient shoreline in response to extreme weather impacts and to restore native tree and plant habitat to help improve water quality.
An increasing and alarming number of extreme weather events have caused dangerous erosions along the Cradle Beach shoreline. In 2020, Cradle Beach experienced the largest storm on record, which eroded nearly 50 feet of the dune shoreline.
A healthy ecosystem on the campus is also critically important for the physical and mental well being of campers and staff at Cradle Beach.
Phase I of the shoreline project is being funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation. The reforestation project is being funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Click image to enlarge
Read The Buffalo News Story About the Project
Shoreline Resiliency
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.
In summer 2025, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper and Ramboll staff visited Cradle Beach to install a sand fence along the Lake Erie Shoreline. This initial work is part of a series of efforts to stabilize the shoreline and create new spaces for vegetation to grow and thrive.
Tree Restoration
The native tree restoration project has rehabilitated 20 acres of important riparian forested wetland along Little Sister Creek at Cradle Beach, a tributary to Lake Erie that was severely impacted by the invasive emerald ash borer.
Little Sister Creek
A total of 4,389 native trees and shrubs have been planted, significantly expanding the site’s forested wetland and helping to restore ecological function. These plantings are expected to absorb 500,000 gallons of rainfall annually, reduce runoff into the creek, and improve water quality and coastal resilience along Lake Erie.
The project has revitalized the forested wetland, providing important habitat for migratory birds and enhancing the natural space for the surrounding community.
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.
