View the Klydel Wetland Photo Gallery. Read a list of some plants and animals documented in the Klydel Wetland and an account of a birdwatching trip. Aerial photos compare the Klydel Wetland from 1986 to 1996. Learn how cumulative impacts of development effect wetlands, i.e., Klydel Wetland.

The North Tonawanda Board of Education has shown its excellent commitment to the protection of wetlands in our community with a ten year agreement made with Buffalo Audubon Society to protect 9.2 acres of school district land in the Klydel Wetland in March 2006. There is a "Klydel Wetland" sign at the end of Woodward Avenue in North Tonawanda that designates this property.

The photo (below) is of North Tonawanda High School teacher, Chris Hiestand, and student, Dan Kaszubski, after the new sign for the North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve was installed on September 29, 2001.

North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve Fact Sheet

Owl prowls, nature walks, and other educational programs are held at the North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve in Niagara County.  An educational brochure, including a map of self-guided nature trails through the wetlands, is available at the North Tonawanda Public library, the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, or on the web at:

http://www.buffaloaudubon.com/ntdirections.htm.

The North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve is located in the Klydel Wetland.  The NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulate this wetland. It is one of the largest contiguous urban ecosystems of its type remaining in Western New York. The total undeveloped acreage is about 70 acres, of which a total of about 36 acres of this exemplary, forested wetland is now available to the public as part of the North Tonawanda Audubon preserve.  In addition, 9 acres owned by the city school district are open to the public.

The preserve is part of Audubon�s Niagara River Corridor �Important Bird Area�.  It provides habitat to hundreds of species of flora and fauna native to the Twin Cities. It serves as a rest stop for over 100 species of migrating birds en route to their seasonal destinations. 

Approximately one-quarter of $1 million in funding has been granted to the partnership of the Western New York Land Conservancy, Buffalo Audubon Society, and Citizens for a Green North Tonawanda for the preservation of the Klydel Wetland.  Negotiations are continuing with additional private landowners to purchase more properties for preservation.

Mike Igoe of WGRZ-TV Channel 2 and students and teachers involved with the North Tonawanda High School Outdoor Awareness Club played a critical role in saving the wetlands (that are located across the street from the high school on Meadow Drive).

The best time to visit the preserve is in March, April, and May (wear boots) and from September through November (no boots necessary).  Try snowshoes in the winter.  Have insect repellent handy if visiting the preserve from Mid-June to Mid-August.

There are no motorized vehicles allowed in the preserve.  There is no hunting, trapping, or removal of plants.  Visiting hours are dawn to dusk. Contact the North Tonawanda police department at (716) 692-4111 if any persons are observed to be breaking these rules.

Any questions?  Please e-mail the preserve manager at [email protected]

Please check out the following partner links for more information:

Buffalo Audubon Society: http://www.buffaloaudubon.com/

Citizens for a Green North Tonawanda: http://www.geocities.com/ntgreencitizen/index.html

Western New York Land Conservancy: http://www.wnylc.org/

In addition, the North Tonawanda High School Outdoor Awareness Club , and DuPont's Niagara Plant supported Klydel Wetland preservation efforts.

This photo (below) is of an unusual species of old growth tree in the Klydel Wetland. It is a Shumard Oak, the first of its species found in New York State. Read the NYS Flora publication that outlines this discovery at:

http://nyflora.org/newsletters/newsletter_43.pdf (the Shumard Oak begins on page 3.)

�NT Audubon Nature Preserve is Open to the Public, But Please Follow the Rules�

Guest View - Tonawanda News - Published December 1, 2003

The North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve (NTANP) in the Klydel Wetland is open and free to the public.  There are 36 acres of forest owned and/or managed by the Western New York Land Conservancy, Buffalo Audubon Society, and Citizens for a Green North Tonawanda. 

A new trail with yellow markers starts at Kinkead near Meadow Drive.  A trail with blue markers begins at Birch and Raymond. The red trail, on an adjoining 9 acres of NT School District property, begins at Woodward Avenue.  Trail brochures are available at the NT Public Library.

We would like to mention some of the volunteers whose efforts made this trail system possible-- students and teachers from North Tonawanda High School, Boy Scout Troop 184, University of Buffalo environmental studies students, and many environmental/grassroots citizen groups.

By and large, visitors have been very respectful of the new nature preserve.  We thank you.

However, there have been a few glitches.  My first call from police as preserve manager came at 3 AM concerning a drunk teenager who drove his father�s truck into NTANP and got stuck in the mud.  The decision was made to prosecute. Large rocks now block that entrance from motorized vehicle use.  There haven�t been many offenders since that time but the damage by the few who refuse to obey the law, and haven�t been caught yet, has been extensive.

Most people go to NTANP to hike, bird watch, cross-country ski, bike, or simply stroll along paths in a wonderful refuge set aside for the teaching and research of the natural sciences.  Unfortunately, all terrain vehicles (ATV�s) have caused wood chip covered trails to become muddy quagmires. ATV use is incompatible with the serenity and wildlife that many visit the NTANP to experience.  Please note that this guest column is not being written to discredit the great majority of people who enjoy riding ATVs legally and those who hunt responsibly. 

Signs are posted in the NTANP that prohibit motorized vehicle use, hunting, and plant removal. 

We see ATV riders in mud-covered vehicles, splashing through the wetlands, completely oblivious to the environmental chaos they are wreaking. A lot of the time, the problem is that they�re usually kids riding them, and the ATV�s are bought for them by their parents, who may or may not know, or may not care, if their kids are riding illegally.  Riding ATV�s on anything other than your own property without permission is illegal.  ATV�s in NYS must be registered, have plates, and the owner must show proof of insurance if stopped for causing property damage. 

For two years we have only issued verbal warnings to ATV riders to remind them that motorized vehicles are not allowed in the nature preserve.  The damage over time has only increased.  Therefore, the obvious solution at this point is strict enforcement with severe penalties.

We also have deer running around the preserve with arrows sticking out of them, either from illegal bow hunting in the preserve, or from injured deer running into the preserve from nearby Niagara Wheatfield where bow hunting is legal.  One of the most ethically irresponsible things a hunter can do is not follow up his shot and kill the deer. However, the injured deer absolutely should not be hunted after they take refuge in the NTANP due to public safety concerns.  The arrows in these deer eventually fall out and the deer do recover.  We have an 8-point buck that has had an arrow in him for nearly a month.  Leave the deer alone and he will be fine.

Hunters are waging a battle against anti-hunters and a more discouraging battle against adverse publicity from those few unethical sportsmen whose actions give the majority of ethical, law-abiding hunters a black eye. Ducks Unlimited is just one of many hunting groups that have spent years responsibly advocating for the protection of wetlands and other critical habitats. 

NYS Environmental Conservation Officers make arrests for, and prosecute trespass, particularly if it relates to hunting or disturbing wildlife.  If you witness these incidences, write down as much information as possible to assist the police in identifying the person.  To report an incident of ATV trespass or hunting in the NTANP, call the NT Police at 692-4111 or the NYSDEC Division of Law Enforcement at 851-7000 (ask for their law enforcement officer). If you have any other questions or concerns about the North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve, please call Buffalo Audubon at their toll free number at 1-800-377-1520.

Liz Kaszubski

Manager, North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve

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