The currently-closed Niagara Gorge Discovery Center is becoming Great Lakes 360, in partnership with the Aquarium of Niagara. Great Lakes 360 will tell the ecological story of the region through accessible exhibits, highlighting the wildlife of the Niagara River and the larger Great Lakes ecosystem while celebrating the area’s unique geological history. [Read more…] about Transforming The Niagara Falls Experience
Niagara River
New York State Parks Announces Annual Employee Awards
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation recently announced its annual employee awards, which recognize workers in the New York State park and historic site system.
The awards included the L.L. Huttleston Executive Award, the agency’s highest honor, given to a senior manager; the first Waletzky Award for Environmental Stewardship; and the agency’s top peer recognition, the Maple Leaf Award. [Read more…] about New York State Parks Announces Annual Employee Awards
Simeon Ford: Deserter & War of 1812 Hero
In August 1814, Capt. Opie of the 5th Regiment of U.S. Infantry placed a bounty in the Plattsburgh Republican offering a $200 reward for the return of four deserters, including Simeon Ford, who was accused of deserting for the third time.
Ford was described as 24 years of age, 5-feet-7 and a half inches tall, with dark hair and eyes and a fair complexion. His occupation: brick layer. He was also described as a cunning, artful, imposing fellow possessing a “superior degree of loquacity” which he used “in a most imposing manner.” [Read more…] about Simeon Ford: Deserter & War of 1812 Hero
Invasive Hydrilla Found Infesting Niagara River
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, was found at two additional locations along the eastern shore of the Niagara River. The aquatic invasive was found and treated at a marina in North Tonawanda last year.
This past summer, a hydrilla plant found by a boat steward during a routine inspection prompted another round of surveys along the Niagara River. [Read more…] about Invasive Hydrilla Found Infesting Niagara River
DEC Releases Draft Great Lakes Action Agenda
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released the draft New York’s Great Lakes Action Agenda 2022-2030, a multi-year action plan to guide restoration and conservation, and foster sustainable, resilient, communities in New York’s Great Lakes region. [Read more…] about DEC Releases Draft Great Lakes Action Agenda
1813: Fall of Fort Niagara & Burning the Niagara Frontier
In December 1813, during the War of 1812, there was a human catastrophe as a result of the burning of the Niagara Frontier. Only one home was spared along the 37-mile-long border and upwards of 6,000 refugees fled into the snowy forests heading for the Genesee River and safety.
Richard V. Barbuto’s book New York’s War of 1812: Politics Society and Combat (University of Oklahoma Press, 2021), looks back to the War of 1812, from the beleaguered Fort McHenry to the burning White House to an embattled New Orleans. [Read more…] about 1813: Fall of Fort Niagara & Burning the Niagara Frontier
Joseph Davis State Park’s Watchable Wildlife
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and forms part of the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and New York State.
Located on the banks of the Lower Niagara River, the Joseph Davis State Park’s diverse habitats enable visitors to enjoy the natural world. Wetlands, successional shrublands, fields, meadows, forest, and open waters attract an abundance of wildlife species. The park has a nature trail, as well as cross-country skiing/snowshoeing and snowmobiling trails. [Read more…] about Joseph Davis State Park’s Watchable Wildlife
Greater Niagara Birding Trail Opens To Public
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the grand opening of the Greater Niagara segment of the New York State Birding Trail. The route highlights the State’s world-class and wide-ranging birding opportunities.
The Greater Niagara segment includes 36 locations throughout Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties, providing a variety of quality birding experiences. [Read more…] about Greater Niagara Birding Trail Opens To Public
Lighting Up Niagara Falls: The Schenectady Connection
Lighting up Niagara Falls at night goes back to before the Civil War, when simple chemical flares that burned blue were used in honor of visiting English royalty.
In 1907, Walter D’Arcy Ryan, a General Electric lighting engineer used 44 searchlights with gelatin filters (similar to “gels” used in film production today) to project various colors onto the falls. [Read more…] about Lighting Up Niagara Falls: The Schenectady Connection
Invasive Hydrilla Threatens The Niagara River
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that the plant hydrilla, an aquatic invasive species (AIS), has been found at the City of North Tonawanda Marina and now threatens the Niagara River.
DEC and its partners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), are working to prevent the infestation from spreading. There are no other known infestations of hydrilla along the river. The discovery was made by a concerned citizen who reported it to USACE. [Read more…] about Invasive Hydrilla Threatens The Niagara River