FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Sydney Bucholtz
Phone: (585) 457-3228
Email: sydney@buffaloaudubon.org
Website: www.birdfriendlybuffalo.com
Buffalo Audubon Receives Donated Grassland Habitat to Expand Conservation Efforts
Stewardship efforts will ensure protection of rare and endangered species & habitat
NORTH JAVA, NY: Meadowlark Hill, a Genesee County-based grassland habitat, will be added to Buffalo Audubon’s growing portfolio of nature preserves and sanctuaries, including Beaver Meadow in North Java, Ayer-Stevenson in Angola, Ghost Pond and Rose Acres in Java Center, North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve, Rushing Stream, and Allenberg Bog.
Generously donated to Buffalo Audubon, the approximately 123-acre property on Molasses Hill Road in East Bethany, New York includes meadow, wooded, and water habitats, all of which are essential for grassland birds including the Eastern Meadowlark—the property’s namesake—Field Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Northern Harrier, Bobolink, Blue-Winged Warbler, and historically, Short-Eared Owls. As of 2026, the Short-Eared Owl is listed as endangered in New York State due to loss of grassland habitat.
The donor expressed a strong desire to preserve the property with the goal of ecological conservation and protection, and Buffalo Audubon was selected because its conservation values aligned with the donor’s vision for the land.
“Meadowlark Hill will protect important grassland habitat—one of the fastest disappearing habitats in the United States,” said Buffalo Audubon Senior Naturalist Tom Kerr. “We are currently observing this land so we can develop a plan to share it with birders and nature lovers everywhere,” Kerr added.
That said, the preserve is only open to those attending programming facilitated by Buffalo Audubon at this time, as is the case with its other conservation preserves: North Tonawanda Audubon Nature Preserve, Rushing Stream, and Allenberg Bog.
More about the preserve: The property’s large meadow has the highest elevation in Genesee County, as well as a wooded area that covers approximately one-third of its 123 acres with dogwood, white ash, hickory, maple, and black cherry trees, as well as wild garlic, native rose, and ramps (wild leeks). Invasive plants are largely absent, and a natural stream also runs through the property, while a man-made pond is home to additional aquatic wildlife.
Additional information, interviews, photos, and other assets can be made available upon request. Please contact Sydney Bucholtz at sydney@buffaloaudubon.org or (585) 457-3228 with any questions.
About Buffalo Audubon: Buffalo Audubon leads and inspires Western New Yorkers to connect with and protect the natural world through bird-focused activities, advocacy, and habitat restoration. Established in 1909, the regional, independent organization is a chapter affiliate of the National Audubon Society.