Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ous species of swans, ducks, and geese live here year-round or migrate through the area.
ManywaterfowlgathernearthebaseofNiagaraFalls,wherethereisalargesupplyofdead
or stunned fish.
Other birds typically found in this area include robins, hummingbirds, blackbirds, car-
dinals,chickadees,cormorants,doves,finches,jays,andcrows.Largerbirdssuchasherons,
cranes, owls, and hawks are seen regularly, with rare appearances by falcons and eagles.
Plants and Trees
Although nearly all the old-growth forest is gone, there is a remarkable diversity of trees in
the woodlands of the Niagara region. Maple, elm, birch, beech, ash, dogwood, sycamore,
oak, cherry, chestnut, and willow trees thrive. By 1833, nearly all the white oak trees on
Grand Island were harvested and milled, eventually shaped into barrels for rum in the West
Indies and planks for Yankee boats in Boston.
Some of the more common plants of the region include goldenrod, irises, geraniums,
roses, milkweed, and various grasses. Poison ivy, poison sumac, and stinging nettles may
be found near woodland paths in the area.
NiagaraFalls,NewYork,isstillrecoveringfromthelegacyofgenerationsofhigh-polluting
industriesthatonceoperatedhere.Intheearly1900s,manufacturersweredrawntoNiagara
Falls because of the inexpensive and reliable electric power. Many of the major names in
industry, including Alcoa, Union Carbide, Olin, Dupont, Hooker, Carborundum, and Oc-
cidental, generated jobs, economic growth, and chemical by-products. The boom lasted
through World War II and into the 1970s.
Although many of the industrial plants have closed, a toxic legacy remains. The first
U.S.FederalSuperfundclean-upsitewasLoveCanal,aschoolandcommunityaboutseven
miles from the falls (and within city limits) built on a chemical landfill. In the late 1970s,
the federal government purchased the homes of 950 families near the dump site, paid to re-
locate them, and then began remediating the area. According to government officials, there
are pollution concerns for dozens of similar sites in the region.
Thanks to aggressive clean-up efforts, tougher environmental regulations, and a decline
in heavy manufacturing, the region is much cleaner and safer. A more symbiotic relation-
ship between industry and regulators has emerged as the community balances the need for
both manufacturing jobs and a livable environment. Wise conservation measures have led
