Niagara Gorge & Whirlpool State Parks Invasive Species Management

Located along the Niagara River, Whirlpool State Park and Niagara Gorge State Park in Niagara Falls, NY welcome countless visitors each year. These parks offer scenic viewing areas, hiking trails, and picnic areas for residents and visitors alike. However, along with welcomed visitors, there are also over twenty unwelcome guests.

LaBella’s ecological restoration team was tasked with the large-scale invasive tree removal and felling of Norway maples, tree of heaven, and dead ash trees and providing foliar invasive species treatments. There are over 20 different species of herbaceous and woody invasives that were targeted for this site.

In order to promote the growth of native plants, once the removal and invasive species treatments were complete, the team added native seeding and plantings throughout the parks.

Adding to the complexity of the project, amongst the invasive species there are highly sensitive areas containing rare, endangered, or threatened species in seeps habitats along the talus slopes. Our technicians are highly trained to recognize and selectively treat around these sensitive plants.