BOTANICAL EVALUATION OF THE GOAT ISLAND COMPLEX, NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK
P. M. Eckel
Buffalo Museum of Science
1020 Humboldt Pkwy
Buffalo, NY 14211 U.S.A.
www.buffalomuseumofscience.org

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VEGETATION OF LOCALITIES IN THE GOAT ISLAND COMPLEX
The following are individual treatments of the islands in the Goat Island complex beginning with Goat Island, then the islands in the American channel, Luna Island, Green Island, and in the Canadian channel, the First, Second, Third and Brother Islands. A final section treats of special all but vanished shoreline plant communities which once dominated the prospect onto the cataracts on both the Canadian and American shorelines.

A. Goat Island.

The treatment of this island is divided into the following sections:

1. the central woods remnant;

2. the north slope river margin and associated features such as the Spring and rocky river flats;

3. the crest, or west end topping the bluffs overlooking the plunge pools of the cataracts (the Maid-of-the-Mist Pool);

4. the base of Goat Island, constituting the western margin at the lower river's edge some 160 feet below the crest;

5. the Terrapin Point complex at the island's southwestern extremity overlooking the Horseshoe Falls;

6. the southern slope or embankment along the south margin of the island;

7. the flats area of exposed and recently vegetated river bed just off the south margin of the island;

8. the Meadow, or eastern end of the island composed primarily of made land and artificial lawns;

9. the ballasted eastern extremity along the shoreline bordering the meadow.

B. Islands in the American Channel.

C. Luna Island.

D. Green (Bath) Island.

E. The Three Sisters Islands.

1. The First Sister Island.

2. The Second Sister Island.

3. The Third Sister Island.

4. Brother Island.

F. The Old River Margin Habitats.