Under a full canopy of trees, a thick undergrowth of native spicebush, ferns, and mosses grows between tangles of fallen branches and decomposing stumps.
For 76 years, Reed Road Bird Refuge in Chili has been kept a natural habitat. Thanks to caring landowners, neighbors, Land Trust members and supporters, it will always be safe from development. And it just got bigger!
The Last Seven Acres
Late in 2024, Chris Steimer and his wife Lauren donated a seven-acre strip of wooded wetlands to the nature preserve near the Genesee River.
It might not sound like a lot, but it was the critical gap of land between the 123-acre Reed Road Bird Refuge and the beautiful Reed Farm owned by Chris’s parents. Bill and Audrey Steimer protected their 122-acre family farm in 2023.
Today a contiguous 252 acres of land has been permanently protected. Birds and other wildlife benefit from this larger area of habitat that provides more abundant food sources and room to grow.
And it all started with Allan Klonick, a passionate local birder that recognized the power of conserving important natural habitats.
It’s For The Birds
Alan Klonick at Reed Road Bird Refuge
In 1949, Allan co-founded Bird Refuges and purchased some excellent wetlands — including Reed Road Swamp.
“Improvements will not be made if the convenience of man is considered above the perpetuation of natural habitat,” Allan said in a report about the “rather impenetrable” property.
When Bird Refuges ended in 2002, they donated their 103 acres on Reed Road to our Genesee Land Trust. At the same time, Burroughs Audubon Nature Club donated an adjacent 20 acres. Together, these became Reed Road Bird Refuge.
Roger Cass, who co-founded Genesee Land Trust in 1989, said his good friend Allan “was worried about succession and getting older. We [Genesee Land Trust] had a structure that’s more permanent.”
Today, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Scarlet Tanagers, and many other birds are thriving in the wild, wet woods of Reed Road Bird Refuge.
Some of the Birds Observed at Reed Road Bird Refuge:
Scarlet Tanager (click for more info) by Willie D’Anna
Black and White Warbler (click for more info) by Willie D’Anna
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher (click for more info) by Willie D’Anna