"Reservation," not "Park"

Reasons for Removing the Entire Robert Moses, Niagara Falls to Lewiston

Vehicular traffic would no longer intrude in the geographically unique gorge top and gorge vicinity.

Its absence would help to protect the ancient cliff face botanicals as discussed in the Sept/Oct 1999 American Scientist. Available online at Cliffs as Natural Refuges.

Its absence would also help to ensure the healthy existence and extension of the old growth forest and understory plants at DeVeaux. See DeVeaux Woods on NFWHC website under "Parks, Refuges and Observation Areas."

Pavement removal would create an excellent site for rich topsoil creation from the spreading of yard waste: leaves, woodchips, lawn clippings, and so on, from the entire county. This would greatly reduce tipping fees for communities and prolong the usefulness of our landfills. (CWM estimates 20% of refuse collection is yard waste.)

The restored landscape would add hundreds of acres to critical wildlife habitat, the Niagara River Corridor, designated a Global Level Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society, vital to migrating birds. (Ninety species of American songbirds are in decline, Audubon reports; the majority of the reclaimed landscape should be native trees and long grass, wildflower meadow as opposed to mowed lawn.)

Students, environmental groups, and others interested in ecology--botany, horticulture, forestry, zoology--would have the opportunity to both observe and participate in this years-long reclamation.

The creation of hiking and biking trails in such urban proximity would be an exciting feature for residents and visitors. Ecotourism is the fastest growing aspect of the industry.

The sheer size of this project, perhaps the largest in our region since the Power Project itself, would excite naturalists worldwide. Media coverage would be worldwide--and would encourage many to visit, to hike the trail and to witness this historic reclamation firsthand.