GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WKBW) — The purchase of a 10.5-acre forest on Grand Island by the Western New York Land Conservancy has been completed.
The forest which sits on Staley Road was purchased as part of the conservancy's ongoing Greenway/Grand Island Land Protection Program, which began in 2018.
The conservancy will establish the Funk Preserve, named after the landowners who chose to sell the property and a connecting trail system is possible in the future.
“Although it’s a relatively small forest, the Funk Preserve supports a wealth of plants and animals in its wooded wetlands and vernal pools, including the adorable Blue-spotted salamander,” said Nancy Smith, Executive Director of the Land Conservancy. “We are beyond thrilled to add this incredible place to an ever-growing list of conserved properties on Grand Island.”
Tim DePriest, Chair of the Greenway Ecological Standing Committee (GESC), said: “The purpose of our funding program is to identify lands on Grand Island that have important wildlife habitat, including forests, grasslands, wetlands, and streams, and to identify landowners who want to voluntarily protect their own land. The Land Conservancy has been enthusiastic partners from the start, and the Funk property is an excellent example of the projects we aim to support.”
You can learn more about the conservancy by clicking here.
