Project Grant F23AP00921

THE WESTERN NEW YORK LAND CONSERVANCY IS SEEKING FUNDING TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT THE 223-ACRE DEMINK FOREST. THIS RICH FOREST AND WETLAND COMPLEX IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE 168-ACRE COLLEGE LODGE FOREST, WHICH WAS PRESERVED IN PART THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE GLRI JOINT VENTURE HABITAT RESTORATION AND PROTECTION PROGRAM. THE DEMINK PROJECT PERMANENTLY PROTECTS SEVERAL BCR 13 PRIORITY HABITATS, INCLUDING 55.39 ACRES OF FORESTED WETLAND SCRUB-SHRUB WETLAND, 6.55 ACRES OF OPEN WATER EMERGENT WETLAND, AND 162 ACRES OF DECIDUOUS MIXED FOREST. THE LAND CONSERVANCY IS A REGIONAL, NOT-FOR-PROFIT LAND TRUST THAT HAS HELPED PROTECT MORE THAN 7,500 ACRES OF LAND WITH SIGNIFICANT CONSERVATION VALUES IN WESTERN NEW YORK, OWNS 23 PROPERTIES IN FEE, HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON 59 OTHER PROPERTIES, AND HAS HELPED OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PROTECT 16 OTHER PROPERTIES.PERMANENTLY PROTECTING DEMINK FOREST BY PURCHASING 223 ACRES OF PROPERTY IS AN INTERNATIONAL PRIORITY. THE LAND IS PART OF A LARGE COMPLEX OF SOME OF THE MOST EXQUISITE NATURAL AREAS REMAINING IN WESTERN NEW YORK. IT IS HOME TO HEALTHY FORESTS, PRISTINE WETLANDS, AND RARE AND PROTECTED PLANTS AND ANIMALS. THE PROPERTY SITS IN A CRITICAL PLACE ALONG A BIRD MIGRATORY FLYWAY AND IT SUPPORTS IMPORTANT SPECIES OF MIGRATORY AND NESTING BIRDS. DEMINK IS A LINKAGE AREA BEST PATH OF THE WESTERN NEW YORK WILDWAY, AND SITS ADJACENT TO THE COLLEGE LODGE FOREST, A PROTECTED CORE AREA OF THE WILDWAY. THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THAT DEMINK PROVIDES CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF GREAT LAKES. THE LAND ALSO INCLUDES MILES OF WALKING, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, AND SNOW-SHOEING TRAILS, AND IN COMBINATION WITH THE ADJACENT COLLEGE LODGE FOREST, CREATES A RECREATIONAL AND HABITAT COMPLEX OF OVER 400 ACRES. DEMINK FOREST IS CURRENTLY THREATENED AND COULD BE LOST. IF NOT PROTECTED, ITS HEALTHY FORESTS MAY BE LOGGED, AND THE LAND MAY BE SOLD FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.THE HABITATS AT DEMINK FOREST SUPPORT IMPORTANT WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY BIRDS. A STUDY OF THE ADJACENT COLLEGE LODGE FOREST BY THE ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE OF NATURAL HISTORY (RTPI) FROM 2013-2014, AS WELL AS DIRECT OBSERVATION BY LAND CONSERVANCY STAFF, SUGGESTS THAT THE PROPERTY SUPPORTS AT LEAST 146 SPECIES OF BIRDS. THE PROJECT PROTECTS CRITICAL HABITAT FOR BCR 13 TARGET SPECIES DURING RELEVANT LIFE STAGES BY PROVIDING MIGRATORY STOPOVER HABITAT FOR SONGBIRDS, WATERFOWL AND RAPTORS AS WELL AS BREEDING HABITAT FOR 21 CONFIRMED NESTING SPECIES, 50 PROBABLE NESTING SPECIES, AND 20 POSSIBLE NESTING SPECIES.DEMINK FOREST IS PART OF A MOSAIC OF CONSERVED LANDS WHICH INCLUDE THE 168-ACRE COLLEGE LODGE FOREST (PROTECTED THIS YEAR BY THE LAND CONSERVANCY WITH FUNDS FROM THIS SAME PROGRAM), THE 977-ACRE STOCKTON STATE FOREST, THE 2,944-ACRE BOUTWELL HILL STATE FOREST, THE 1,283-ACRE HATCH CREEK STATE FOREST, THE 2,271-ACRE HARRIS HILL STATE FOREST, THE 2,188 ACRE CANADAWAY CREEK STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA, THE 355-ACRE LAKE ERIE STATE PARK, THE 360-ACRE LONG POINT STATE PARK, AND SEVERAL NRCS WETLAND RESERVE PROGRAM CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. LAND CONSERVANCY ACQUISITION PROJECTS CATALYZE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR CONSERVATION AND LEAD TO ADDITIONAL LAND PROTECTION PROJECTS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY. MUCH OF THE LAND SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY IS FORESTED, PRIVATELY OWNED, AND COULD ALSO BE PROTECTED.