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Plans For an Accessible Trail
The Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences has plans to transform an existing half-mile trail loop at Tifft into a trail that is wheelchair, walker, and stroller friendly. The trail will begin at the Herb and Jane Darling Environmental Education center and lead visitors through woods and around the Preserve’s Heritage Boardwalk to enjoy Tifft’s cattail marsh.
The accessible trail project was driven by visitor request. One of the most frequently received questions from prospective and new visitors is whether the Preserve is wheelchair, walker, and stroller-friendly.
The plans for improvement include concrete walkways leading to the entrance and emergency exits of the Education Center, a welcome kiosk at the trailhead, a compacted stone dust trail surface, simplified trail intersections, and a complete rebuild of the Heritage Boardwalk to make it wider with helical pile support.
The BSNS has received financial support for the accessible trail from Erie County, New York State, Buffalo & Erie County Greenway Fund, NYS Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera, The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and the Montgomery Family Foundation.
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo also provided the funds necessary to perform the feasibility study, and develop the initial trail design with the architectural firm Stantec.
Latest Updates
8/1/25 – Marsh drawdown begun
- Water levels in the marsh will be decreased in order to remove the old Heritage Boardwalk and build the new accessible boardwalk. When demolition begins, Heritage Boardwalk will remain closed; Mosquito Junction and North Viewing Blind areas will still be open for unique views of the drained marsh.
- The marsh is being drawn down at a time when the water is naturally the lowest. The exposed mud will allow emergent plants to germinate and grow and we may even see some migratory shorebirds during this time. The marsh will recharge naturally during the fall after work is complete.
