Pollinator Conservation Association
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West River Parkway     Grand Island, New York


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The West River Parkway Pollinator Conservation Area is located at the southern end of the Parkway near the service entrance to Beaver Island State Park. The Pollinator Conservation Association is developing the site in partnership with New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation with funding through the Niagara River Greenway Commission and the Niagara Greenway Ecological Fund Standing Committee. The site is located in the Niagara River Globally Significant Important Bird Area and provides benefit to many birds.

West River Parkway site, October 2022


Photos 2022
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The purpose of the site is to provide strategic conservation opportunities for vanishing native pollinators. Species that will benefit from this project include the increasingly rare Monarch Butterfly, a variety of native butterfly and moth species, native non stinging bees, and associated species including birds and other native Grand Island wildlife. 

The site has been built using thermodynamic compost to prevent invasive species. Native grasses and a wide variety of native plants are or will be planted on the site using seed, and plant plugs.

The site was begun in early 2021 and will take up to 3 years to fully establish. It is designed to be a regenerative habitat with low maintenance needs once it is established. The site is designed to be ecologically useful 12 months of the year.  Pollinators will find foraging material, nest sites, and a variety of food sources here. Flowering plants of different species and with different blooming schedules should be visible from late March to November starting in the second year of establishment (2022). No chemicals including pesticides or herbicides are intended to be used on this site to better protect wildlife and human health. A central path will  be constructed in order to allow strolling and observation opportunities.  This path will be available in spring of 2022.

​Select Species of Native Plants

Big Bluestem
Fringed Brome
Copper Shouldered Oval Sedge
Blue Joint Grass
Switch Grass
Indian Grass
Early Goldenrod
Swamp Goldenrod
New England Aster
Ironweed
Golden Alexanders
Late Goldenrod
Canada Goldenrod
Mountain Mint
great Blue Lobelia
Wild Bergamot
Smartweed
Cardinal Flower
Tall Sunflower, Joe Pyeweed
Boneset
Common Milkweed
Swamp Milkweed
Butterfly Weed

Select Species of Native Pollinators Benefiting From this Site Installation

Monarch Butterfly
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Eastern Tailed-blue Butterfly
Spring Azure Butterfly
Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly
Question Mark Butterfly
American Painted Lady Butterfly
White Admiral Butterfly
Red Admiral Butterfly
American Copper Butterfly
Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly
Common Sulfur Butterfly
Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly

Bird Species
Purple Martin
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Kingbird
Barn Swallow
Eastern Meadowlark
​Tree Swallow
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Osprey
Screech Owl
Great Horned Owl
Blue Jay
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-capped Chickadee
​Northern Cardinal
up to 30 species of migrating spring and fall warblers

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Butterflies and Flowering Plants You Will See at This Site

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Red Admiral
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
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Butterfly Weed
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Eastern-tailed Blue
Eastern-tailed Blue
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Monarch Butterfly on Butterfly Weed
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Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar
PictureBlack Swallowtail

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Baltimore Checkerspot
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New England Aster
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Silver Spotted Skippeer
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Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Beebalm
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St. John's Wort
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  • Home
  • The PCA
    • Board of Directors
    • Partners
  • Video Stories
  • Learn
    • Pollinator Places >
      • Buffalo Harbor State Park
      • Ohio Street DEC
      • West River Parkway
      • Aqua Lane Park
    • Pollination
    • Ecological Communities >
      • Plants and Flowers >
        • Native Plant Communities
        • Spotted-beebalm (Monarda Punctata)
    • Native Bees
    • Butterfly >
      • Baltimore Checkerspot
      • Monarch Butterfly
      • Mourning Cloak
      • Pearl Crescent
      • Eastern Tailed Blue
    • The Doug Tallamy Page
  • Projects and Resources
    • Niagara River Greenway Pollinator Partnership
    • Best Practices
    • Native Plant Lists
    • Native Plant Vendors
    • Citizen Science
    • Butterfly Counts >
      • count results 2017
  • the POLLINATOR
    • the POLLINATOR Fall/Winter 2018-19
    • the POLLINATOR Spring 2019
  • Press and Media
  • Holiday Appeal 2022-23