When the David S. Smith Public Conservation Area was protected in 2022, one of the driving forces behind the effort was the opportunity to maintain and improve important habitat for two endangered species: the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat, which rely on healthy, mature woodlands for roosting.
But protecting the land was only the first step. Now, with new partnerships and funding in place, restoration work is planned to expand and improve critical habitat.
A Focus on Invasive Species
Along the woodland edge, a thick tangle of invasive buckthorn has crowded out native vegetation and diminished the ecological value of the surrounding brushland. In partnership with the St. Lawrence-Eastern Lake Ontario (SLELO) Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), an ambitious habitat restoration project to remove buckthorn and honeysuckle from the site is set to begin.
This work, being carried out by F&W Forestry, uses targeted methods that minimize disturbance to desirable native trees. The goal is to open up space for natural regeneration, allowing young native trees to grow without competition from invasives. Follow-up work is planned for 2026 to ensure long-term success.
Once the invasive canopy is gone, native plants, including trees ideal for bat roosting, can begin to thrive again. It’s the kind of patient, careful work that restores balance to the land and builds habitat from the ground up.
A New Forest Takes Root
Looking ahead to 2027, the second phase of restoration is planned to begin with the transformation of an open meadow into new forest.
With a strategic plan of up to 5,000 trees to be planted, including oaks, pines, maples, and hickories, this project would expand habitat for bats and many other woodland species. Trees like shagbark and pignut hickory, in particular, provide the loose bark structure that endangered bats seek for summer roosting.
Key plantings and other efforts may further be implemented along the creek on the property to bolster the riparian buffer, depending on funding available.
By increasing the amount of forest on the landscape, this project also supports broader efforts to improve climate resilience in New York. Larger, connected forests help clean our air and water, store carbon, and buffer the effects of a changing climate.
A Vision for the Future
Restoration takes time, and it relies on strong partnerships and support from people who care deeply about the land. At the David S. Smith Public Conservation Area, the work underway today is part of a larger vision, one that includes healthy forests, thriving wildlife, and lasting connections to nature close to home.