Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 6th, 10:29am By West Coast Perspective

A South Buffalo park is looking a little greener these days. Landscape expert Dave Majewski and his firm, Premium Services, donated and installed native plants in Indian Park, located at Buffum Street and Fields Avenue in South Buffalo. Each year Majewski selects several city neighborhoods or sites to donate his services to with the intention to enhance our landscapes and Buffalo’s image as a “City of Trees.”

After some research this winter, the plants were selected for their specific historical relevance to the Seneca Nation of Indians, which the park is dedicated to.

1- Crataegus virdis, ‘Winter King’ hawthorn – Native plant to WNY and thorns used by Native Americans for a number of applications;

3- Betula nigra, ‘River Birch’ – Native plant to WNY and the mature bark was used for decoration on, boxes, satchels, canoes, storage containers, etc;

1- Liriodendron tulipfera, American ‘Tulip Tree’ – Native plant to WNY and used in canoe making;

7- Sambucus canadensis, ‘American Elderberry’ – Native to WNY and used as a tinctured pain killer and sometimes as a die; and,

7- Viburnum dentatum, ‘Arrow Wood’ Viburnum – Native plant to WNY and used for making arrows.

“I commend Premium Services Inc. for their donation of plantings at Indian Park in South Buffalo,” says Michael P. Kearns, South District Councilmember. “The enhancements have made a significant impact to this historical site and beautified one of our forgotten pocket parks.”

Majewski plans to return weekly to inspect the plants and water them as needed.

“Their donation will go far beyond the immediate improvements to our neighborhood," says Councilman Kearns. "They have made a long term commitment to manage and maintain their investment in our community. Mr. Majewski is a great civic partner and advocate for our parks.”

The passive park is worth a visit according to Majewski. “There are some very large and unique tree specimens in this park that should be noted in the city or district records. The hawthorns, sycamore, black walnut and hickory trees are especially noteworthy.”

Majewski has been tirelessly advocating green design and low-impact development (LID) principles locally. LID is gaining popularity as a better approach to stormwater management that seeks to control, infiltrate, filter, store, evaporate, and detain runoff close to the source.

Permeable pavements, rain gardens, rain barrels, swales, soil amendments, and native plants can be incorporated at the lot level.

Majewski is pushing developers to install such features into new projects and retrofitting existing parking lots and developments. A seminar on the integrated site design and management practices later this month. Details are coming soon.

Get connected: Premium Services Inc., 716.432.2960