 Aerial view of the island, August 2018 | |
  Strawberry Island Location of Strawberry Island in New York State | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Niagara River |
| Coordinates | 42°57′13″N78°55′25″W / 42.9537°N 78.9236°W /42.9537; -78.9236 |
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha)[1] |
| Highest elevation | 568 ft (173.1 m)[2] |
| Administration | |
United States | |
| State | New York |
| County | Erie |
| Town | Tonawanda |
| Owner | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |
Strawberry Island is an uninhabited island in theNiagara River located inErie County,New York,[2] southeast ofGrand Island. The five-acre (2 ha) island is owned by theNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is managed as a fish and wildlife preserve.
Strawberry Island is located southeast ofGrand Island, and is the dividing point for the east and west branches of theNiagara River. The horseshoe-shaped island includes a lagoon andemergent vegetation on its north side and stands ofwillow trees on its southern edge.[3]
The five-acre (2 ha)[1] island is owned by theNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is officially designated asStrawberry Island State Park,[4] which is undeveloped. The island is managed as a fish and wildlife preserve in conjunction with theNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation.[5]
It is part of a smallarchipelago along with Frog Island, Motor Island and Little Beaver Island, all small islands located slightly downstream of Strawberry Island.[6]
The name "Strawberry Island" is present in records as early as 1750, although the origin of the name is not clear. The island was used by British forces during theWar of 1812 as a staging area for a siege ofBuffalo in 1814, and was purchased from theSeneca in 1815.[7]
A two-story hotel, including an 11-acre (4.5 ha) grove of trees and a canal, was built upon the island in 1882, however it soon faded and was dismantled by the end of the century as tourists were drawn to newer resorts on nearby Grand Island. The island passed through a succession of private owners during the following years, including several gravel mining corporations. Mining anddredging took place on and near the island during several periods between 1912 and 1950, greatly reducing the island's size and contributing to its horseshoe shape.[7]
The island was sold to theTown of Tonawanda in 1953, who used it to aid nearby construction projects. It was transferred to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 1989.[7]
Strawberry Island was likely formed by thedeposition of glacial sediments around a smallshale outcrop during thePleistocene.[7]
The size of Strawberry Island has varied greatly over time, and it is today a fraction of its former size. When first mapped in the early nineteenth century, the island was estimated to cover approximately 100 acres (40 ha) and consisted primarily of marshland.[7][8] The island's size increased to 138 acres (56 ha) due to soil and rock deposits from the excavation of theErie Canal in 1819, and further grew in 1908 with the addition of material generated from the construction of acanal lock inBlack Rock.[7] The island was estimated to be 200 acres (81 ha) in 1912,[3] but was reduced to just 40 acres (16 ha) by 1948 due to unregulatedgravel mining operations during the early and mid 1900s.[3][6] The island was further diminished to 25 acres (10 ha) by 1950 as dredging was concentrated on the island's center, expanding its lagoon.[7] The island continued to lose area due to erosion from high water levels and winter storms during the latter half of the 20th century. It was estimated to be 20 acres (8 ha) in 1987,[3] and had further decreased to five acres (2 ha) by 2013.[1]
Plans to stabilize and rehabilitate Strawberry Island, in addition to several nearby islands, were developed in 2007 as part of a coordinated habitat enhancement project funded by theNew York Power Authority. Work was completed on Frog Island, a previously submerged five-acre (2 ha) island located just downstream of Strawberry Island, in 2014. Ecosystem restoration work was completed on Motor Island and Little Beaver Island during the same time period.[6] A $3.2 million contract was awarded to commence work on wetland rehabilitation and erosion control on Strawberry Island in March 2015.[5]
Strawberry Island bounds one edge of a 400-acre (160 ha) area of shallow river known as the "Strawberry Island – Motor Island Shallows", recognized as the Niagara River's largest riverinelittoral zone, a valuable type of fish and wildlife habitat that is regionally rare. The shallows were found to be one of two major spawning areas formuskellunge in the Niagara River in the 1970s, as well as being productive habitat for othergame fish species. The area is also recognized as an important overwintering area forwaterfowl.[3]
After several unsuccessful attempts, a pair ofbald eagles was observed to successfully establish a nest on Strawberry Island in 2013, part of a recent resurgence in the bald eagle populations within the region.[9] To encourage and protect nesting eagles, since 2016 portions of the island have been designated as off-limits during nesting season, and motorized boating has been restricted near the island.[10]
