In 1976, Buffalo converted a 264-acre industrial landfill into a nature preserve; 50 years later, its 75-acre marsh is the largest remaining wetland in Erie County and more than 260 species of birds have been observed.
A former industrial site and municipal landfill on Buffalo’s Outer Harbor has spent the past five decades becoming something very different: a 264-acre urban nature preserve supporting wetlands, forests, ponds and diverse wildlife. Tifft Nature Preserve, which officially became a nature preserve in 1976, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026. According to Tifft Nature Preserve, the site now includes a 75-acre cattail swamp, while more than 260 species of birds have been observed there. Its transformation involved covering buried waste, restoring habitat and establishing long-term ecological management and research.
From industrial land to protected nature reserve
The land that became Tifft Nature Preserve had a much longer history before becoming a protected natural area. According to the reservation, it was once part of a large dairy farm owned by George Washington Tifft before becoming a transshipment center for commodities such as coal and iron ore. As Buffalo’s industrial activity expanded, portions of the property were used for various forms of waste and landfill.During the 1950s and 1960s, the city of Buffalo acquired the property and used it as a municipal waste dump. The site therefore entered the 1970s with an industrial and waste management legacy rather than as an intact natural landscape. The future of the remaining habitat changed when concerned citizens pushed for recognition of the site’s ecological value. A 1975 master plan established plans for trails, management and ecological stewardship, while the city restricted the transfer of waste to the southwest portion of the property. The land began its transition to become a nature reserve.In the 1970s, nearly two million cubic feet of municipal solid waste was encased in clay and covered with soil excavated from another part of the property. Ponds were expanded, trees and wildflowers were planted, and efforts were made to protect the site’s large cattail swamp. In 1976 the area officially became Tifft Farm Nature Reserve.
A wetland survives inside Buffalo
One of the most important parts of the reserve is its 75-acre cattail swamp. Tifft describes the swamp as a remnant of a much larger wetland complex that once spanned parts of the surrounding region. Its survival gives the reserve a particular ecological importance within an increasingly urban landscape. The marsh is also central to Tifft’s wildlife value. The preserve’s research program notes that more than 260 bird species have been observed there, while its location along Lake Erie provides opportunities to study wildlife associated with wetlands and coastal habitats. Tifft has also been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.The habitat has not simply been left to develop without intervention. Ecological management has included efforts to control invasive plants, create open water habitats, and increase native vegetation. In 1999, canals were dredged to create additional open water areas for waterfowl and marsh birds. Later projects expanded the ponds and addressed invasive species affecting the marsh.
Decades of restoration and ecological research.
Tifft’s transformation has continued long after his reserve designation. In 1982, the Buffalo Natural Science Society took over ownership from the city and the preserve became what the organization describes as a “living collection” containing vegetation, wildlife, hydrology, soils, natural processes and history.Research expanded substantially over the following decades. The reserve has worked with students and faculty from institutions such as Buffalo State College, Canisius College, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Geneseo and Erie County Community College. Research has covered topics ranging from invasive species and wetland management to environmental and wildlife sciences.Ecological work has included large-scale habitat projects. Between 2009 and 2014, more than 2,100 trees representing 29 native species were planted as part of a tree regeneration project. In 2011 and subsequent years, management of invasive phragmites in the marsh helped create conditions for native wetland vegetation, followed by the planting of more than 30,000 native emerging and floating aquatic plants. More recently, an 18-acre area around the East Canal has undergone ecological renewal, including removal of invasive species, establishment of native plants, and efforts to improve habitat and water quality.
A 50-year transformation continues
Tifft’s 50th anniversary in 2026 marks more than just the passage of time. It represents a long transition from industrial and waste-related land use to a site focused on conservation, research and public access. The preserve now features about five miles of nature trails, boardwalks, and viewing areas around its wetlands and other habitats. During its anniversary year, Tifft also opened a three-quarter-mile accessible trail and rebuilt an accessible boardwalk through the cattail swamp, expanding opportunities for visitors to experience the site.The transformation has not eliminated all environmental challenges. Tifft continues to manage invasive species and other ecological pressures, while his current research program examines the reserve’s soils, wildlife, vegetation, and broader environmental conditions. In 2025, the preserve also reported a possible sheen and odor in a stream at the site, leading to environmental sampling by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and other agencies.However, the broader trajectory is surprising. Land that once handled industrial materials and municipal waste is now home to a large cattail swamp, wooded areas, ponds, and hundreds of recorded bird species. The story of Tifft Nature Preserve shows how an urban landscape with a greatly altered past can be managed for decades to create functional habitat and a place for scientific research, environmental education, and public access.
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