Eco-touring the Niagara River watershed
By foot, bike or boat, discover the wonders of nature in your backyard
Published: June 20, 2009, 12:30 am
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Hiking the Niagara River Gorge trail, where Niagara Falls began more than 12,000 years ago, can be a breathtaking experience—in more ways than one. But if you want to get closer to nature, let your feet take you there.
“Looking down on the river was incredible, the smells, the sounds, the wildlife,” said Debbie Gondek, 47, of North Tonawanda. “The sound of the river got louder and louder as the trail progressed until the full force of the Niagara came out.”
Gondek and her husband, Mike, 51, took an ecology tour from Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper one recent Saturday, and for three hours they marveled at the show nature put on.
“I’m not a big bird-watcher, but the sheer number of birds was amazing,” said Gondek, who works for Rich Products. “We saw turkey vultures and hawks. We take for granted this incredible natural resource in our backyard.”
There’s a lot to be learned from the waters that surround us, and summer may be just the right time for ecology tours, giving people a chance to explore some extraordinary waterways while they learn all about the environment. Even better, some of the earth-friendly outings offered this season give participants a slice of the action—whether it’s hiking, biking, paddling, sailing, or just going along for the ride.
“People don’t even know these trails are here,” said Larry Brooks, who created many of the eco-tours for Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. “Part of our mission is to show them not only the waterfront infrastructure, but also what a special place this is and have a good time doing it.”
Adventure ecology
When Niagara Falls is your classroom, there’s no better way to learn than from the seat of a bicycle. There’s something about cycling along waterfront trails that gives any lesson in hydropower some legs.
Seated on her Trek bicycle, Michelle Giancaterin, 33, was one of a dozen cyclists about to start a 14-mile Sunday eco-tour along the Niagara River in Niagara Falls. Sponsored by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, the three-hour ride is one of many environmental tours offered with a recreational twist.
“It makes it more real for me,” said Giancaterin, of North Buffalo. “You see how wildlife is affected. You see the changes in the landscape of the river. You see pollution, too, and you want to make a conscious effort to change the way you live.”
To give you an idea of how dominant an influence the Niagara River is, its watershed — or the area of land including tributaries that empty into it — is roughly the size of the state of Rhode Island. The Niagara River has seven tributaries, each with its own watershed. The original intent of the cycling eco-tour was to follow the river, according to Brooks.
“The infrastructure that allows us access to the water is way underused,” said Brooks during a tour stop at Niagara Reservation State Park, where cyclists must dismount and walk. “It’s frustrating when I hear people say there’s nothing happening on the waterfront.”
The tour steers cyclists along the upper rapids, through portions of three state parks as well as the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, which was built in 1971 on the site of the Schoellkopf Hydro Electric Generating Station, which was destroyed by a rock-slide in 1956. The discovery center looks like a water turbine.
Erosion is responsible for those white swirls in the water basin near the base of the falls. We may chalk it up to froth, but it’s really limestone dissolving in the water from the erosion over the falls, explained tour guide Harmony Gugino, who piloted a five-speed Huffy Beach Cruiser.
Trees are abundant along some stretches of the bike trail, their vines and branches commanding caution. The route is primarily flat with two minor inclines. Participants are expected to bring their own bikes and helmets, or in the case of the three-hour paddle cruises, their own canoe or kayak. Sunscreen and water are suggested. Kayak and canoe rental can be arranged, but not bike rental.
Hiking tours near the Niagara Gorge are offered throughout the summer as well. Niagara Gorge Trail 8 is rated easy, but wise hikers wear long pants in case of a close encounter with poison ivy. Sneakers are suitable for this trail, but if you plan more hikes, it may be wise to invest in hiking boots.
Paddlers may tour Scajaquada Creek or the Buffalo River, or they can paddle by the light of the moon on Tonawanda Creek on Sept. 4. For a complete listing, visit www.bnriverkeeper.org . “The fact that we can bike to one of the wonders of the world is amazing,” said Giancaterin, a speech pathologist. “From the top of the river to down here in Devil’s Hole, it’s a better view on a bicycle.”
Floating classrooms
Two very different watercraft achieve the same goal of environmental discovery in contrasting ways:
• Buffalo Urban Outdoor Education on the Spirit of Buffalo: A 73-foot schooner docked in the inner harbor offers a hands-on program allowing participants to raise sails and steer the boat while discovering the wildlife of Lake Erie.
• Grand Island’s Grand Lady: Take a two-hour ecological discovery tour on the upper Niagara River in the vicinity of Pirate Island and Strawberry Island that offer passive participation.
“These islands are a unique part of the ecosystem with large colonies of nesting birds such as egrets and cormorants,” said Rick Deegan, owner of Grand Lady, which docks at the Grand Island Holiday Inn. “You may see shore birds such as sandpipers, snipe and woodcock.”
A birder’s dream, maybe, but the two-hour eco-cruise is also about what’s going on underwater. An underwater camera mounted on the boat’s hull coupled with a global positioning unit and five split-screen monitors display the ship’s position on the surface of the river as well as what lies below.
“Who knows when a school of fish will swim under?” Deegan said, adding that 4-to-6-foot sturgeons have been seen recently. “At this time of year — up until mid-July—we can get a pretty good picture of the bottom because there’s not much plant life growing yet. But as the water temperature increases, so does the vegetation.”
“For many years, there was talk that Lake Erie was dead and we’re living in this horribly polluted area, and that’s not true,” Deegan said. “Yes, there are bad things, but there is good as well.”
The tour script was written by Niagara River Greenway Commissioner Paul Leuchner, a retired wetland engineer from the Army Corps of Engineers. Talking points include: Cherry Farms Brownfield site, Huntley Power Plant and East River Marsh Restoration site. Additional material was provided by Riverkeeper. For more information, visit www.grandlady.com .
Watery Wednesdays with the folks from Buffalo Urban Outdoor Education on the Spirit of Buffalo give families, teens and small groups a hands-on chance to learn a few sailing tips as well as have a hand in some ecological experimentation during two separate 90-minute tours. Science mini-stations on board the sailing ship will feature video microscopes, water testing, navigation and live fish examinations.
“We immediately get their hands on the sails, raising them as they come out of the harbor,” said Kate Muni, a Coast Guard licensed captain and a founder of BUOE. Then we’ll set up learning stations where participants can work with microscopes or catch fish in the net. We’ll talk about biology and ecology of the lake as well as learn about issues like urban runoff and pollution.”
For more information, visit www.BUOE.org or www.spiritofbuffalo.com .
jkwiatkowski@buffnews.com
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