State grant will fund AdkAction project; could be replicated in other parts of the Adirondacks
By Chloe Bennett
Monarch butterflies passing through the Adirondack Park will soon find food and shelter in an unexpected place. A capped landfill in Indian Lake is set to transform into a pollinator haven as soon as 2027, nonprofit AdkAction announced.
The project will be funded by a $124,396 Smart Growth Grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
Sawyer Bailey, executive director of AdkAction, is leading the charge. Native plants chosen by an ecologist, along with AdkAction and the town of Indian Lake, will replace the clay-capped and grassy landfill. No specific plans for the flora have been made, Bailey said.
The nonprofit organization, which also hosts an annual native plant sale, hopes to expand the project to other closed landfills.
“This project will not only enhance the ecological and recreational value of the site but also provide a model for more than 100 inactive landfills across the park,” Bailey said in a statement.
Most towns in the Adirondacks had landfills or dumps in the 1960s and ‘70s. But the 1996 Clean Air/Clean Water Bond Act allocated $50 million for waste projects, including one designed for the park that would eliminate the sites. The Indian Lake landfill and all other sites in the park were closed and capped decades ago.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
The 8-acre Indian Lake project is set to finish by 2027 with paths and signage focused on accessibility. The design will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, AdkAction wrote. An existing gravel path provides mountain views from the top of the landfill.
“The transition of turning buried trash into beauty will have lasting sustainable ecological benefits for restoring natural habitats for monarchs and other pollinators,” Brian Wells, supervisor of Indian Lake, said in a statement.
Indian Lake this year also hosted its first Monarch Festival, an offshoot of its Monarch and Milkweed Challenge. Planting for the migrating butterflies will be central to the project. “After all, we are the town that loves butterflies,” Wells said.
Pollinators like bees, butterflies and birds are threatened by warming temperatures, scientists say. Climate change impacts plant growing cycles, making it difficult for animals and insects to adapt. Creating a pollinator habitat can support the organisms as temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent.
The Adirondack Explorer thanks its advertising partners. Become one of them.
A comprehensive plan for parking, trails, native plants and more is underway, according to AdkAction.
“We do hope that it will be feasible for other capped landfills in the park to be planted as pollinator habitat, and that this project can serve as a roadmap for the creation of future habitats,” said Kristina Hartzell, communications manager for the nonprofit.
Photo at top: A monarch butterfly at the Paul Smith’s College VIC in August 2018. Photo by Mike Lynch
What a great use for a capped landfill. Many thanks to AdkAction, the town of Indian Lake and NYS for funding this wonderful project. This could, and should, be a model for positive reuse of capped landfills throughout NYS.
When non-profits, government agencies and volunteers work together for the benefit of Nature and Communities, wonderful things happen! Thanks to all involved!
One sign that a solution is excellent is when it is obvious. This one is excellent!
PERFECT! So many community and private land-clearing or recovery projects could be improved by the use of mixed native grasses and wildflowers as opposed to cheap field grasses typically used. Even simply adding agressive NATIVE pollinator species to the seed mix is better than nothing – as in erosion-control settings. It is very difficult for these species to be added once the “grass” has taken over the soil. A minimal expenditure up front can provide a lifetime benefit for both pollinators and other wildlife – as well as humans who appreciate the beauty of a natural, diverse grasscape. Mowing can be minimized to early spring to reduce wildfire risk – or even controlled burns in certain situations. In larger areas like this, I encourage mowing “trails” through the grasses to encourage uses such as dog-walking and play. Adding a bench or two at a scenic spot can help dottering old geezers like myself enjoy a sunny day.