It rarely happens so quick, if ever. One of my New Year’s wishes has already come true. The Western New York Land Conservancy and the Friends of the College Lodge Forest have announced that they have successfully reached their year end fundraising goal, which will allow them to save College Lodge Forest, located on the outskirts of Buffalo near Fredonia in Chautauqua County. The purchasing of this land, by environmental stewards, means that this land will be ‘forever wild.’
This is really a big deal, as the relatively pristine forest is a sanctuary and safe haven for carnivorous plants, old-growth trees, unique native orchids, migratory birds, among countless other wildlife.
Along with the help* of numerous groups, foundations, and nature lovers, that contributed to the funding effort, grants from The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service were instrumental in pulling off the “big win” for Mother Earth.
“The College Lodge Forest is a jewel,” said Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid. “For decades, its well-maintained trail system has provided Western New Yorkers as well as SUNY Fredonia students and faculty with a place to both appreciate and study nature. Protecting this forest is a win for New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds who are eager to explore all that our great state has to offer.”
As reported back in June, this fragile 168 acre site, situated on the Portage Escarpment overlooking the Lake Erie plain, could have gone in two different directions. Fortunately, it’s now going in the right direction, thanks to its newest owner, The Western New York Land Conservancy, which will ensure that the land is open year-round as a publicly accessible nature preserve, with hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country ski trails.
Ultimately, thanks must also be given to the SUNY Fredonia students that originally purchased the land in 1939 with their own funds. At the time, they designated that the land be used as “a prized learning laboratory for thousands of teachers, researchers, students, and the entire community.” Now, that is some serious forward thinking on their part. In 1969, the land ownership was transferred to the Faculty Student Association (FSA), a non-profit auxiliary of SUNY Fredonia – the group has been maintaining and operating the property up until this point.
But in order to afford the ongoing maintenance of the forested land and a historic lodge, the FSA (earlier on) suggested that the old growth trees be sold to logging interests – that was, of course, before the Western New York Land Conservancy came to the rescue. Now, the funds from the sale of the land will allow FSA to continue to own and operate the historic lodge, as well as 33 acres of land surrounding it.
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is happy to support the conservation of the College Lodge property under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, through our Joint Venture habitat grant program,” said Wendi Weber, Regional Director for the North Atlantic-Appalachian Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Just 4.5 miles from Lake Erie, the tract provides important stopover habitat for migratory birds during spring and fall migration, and a mosaic of interior forest and wetland habitats used for breeding and wintering by many different wildlife species. The area also provides valuable opportunities to connect people to nature, as it has long been used for birdwatching, hiking, and other outdoor recreation.”
Joe Johnson of the Lenna Foundation, which provided a portion of the challenge grant funds, said, “Ever since the enterprising students at SUNY Fredonia purchased the property during the Great Depression, the College Lodge Forest has been a place of enormous significance in Western New York. As a research center and as a refuge for people to get outdoors and into nature, its value to our community is incalculable. We are thrilled to help to save this local treasure.”
“We are extraordinarily grateful to the entire community for accomplishing this goal,” said Nancy Smith, Executive Director of the Land Conservancy. “This has been a challenging year for everyone. What this demonstrates, once again, is just how much our community values nature. Even in a year like this, the community came together to protect one of Western New York’s most incredible forests.”
*Additional support for the College Lodge Forest comes from Kathy Lasher and Scott Bieler, the Gallogly Family Foundation, hundreds of individual community donors, and the Garman Family Foundation administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.
Support the wnylc.org.
Lead image: Photo by Kara Frisina – Autumn Landscape