Residents and Senior Housing administrator Rebecca LeBaron planting at The Woodlands.

The Woodlands, a Heritage senior living community in West Ellicott, was awarded a grant from the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy to beautify the retention pond area at the Southwestern Drive site.

The grant enabled the two groups to partner together to purchase native plants, including shrubs and perennial grasses, that will attract wildlife, birds and butterflies. The conservancy also will utilize the location as a demonstration project to educate others how retention ponds can be maintained and be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. As the plants mature, they will grow and fill in an area that is wet after rain. Root systems aid in filtration, while blooming flowers will be eye catching and enjoyable for both Heritage residents at The Woodlands, and the public.

Residents and representatives from the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy recently came together to plant the vegetation, while social distancing. Jacob Sherman, a 2020 Falconer Central School graduate, will also be working throughout the year with Heritage to support the plantings, and several other similar projects, as he works towards his Eagle Scout badge.

“We are so pleased to partner with the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy to make The Woodlands pond more attractive for our residents, who spend time enjoying our water feature and the wildlife it brings to our community,” said Rebecca LeBaron, Heritage senior housing administrator. “We appreciate the knowledge the CLWC has shared with us, and look forward to seeing more wildlife and birds make this area their home. We thank them for the grant that provided native plantings and for the residents who helped today, and are also thankful to Jacob Sherman, who will work to provide continued service on this, and similar projects, as he works towards his Eagle Scout badge. We are blessed to be able to provide safe and unique intergenerational opportunities such as these for our independent living residents to participate in vital community projects.”