A generation ago, it was common across the Adirondacks for locals and visitors to gather at town landfills, where watching—and sometimes feeding—wildlife became an informal pastime. These sites often served as impromptu viewing areas, drawing curious onlookers hoping to spot a bear. While we now understand that this practice wasn’t healthy for people or wildlife, it’s a reminder that landfills once played an unexpected role in community life.

Now, thanks to an innovative restoration effort led by AdkAction, a capped landfill in the town of Indian Lake is on its way to becoming a wildlife viewing destination once again. But this time, instead of bears looking for snacks, visitors will be greeted by butterflies flitting among wildflowers, bees buzzing through the breeze, and the quiet beauty of a natural, pollinator-friendly meadow.
Funded by a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Smart Growth Grant, the Indian Lake Pollinator Meadow Restoration is the first project of its kind in the Adirondack Park. Our goal is to demonstrate that even retired landfills can be transformed into thriving habitats that support biodiversity and bring ecological value back to the landscape.

This spring, AdkAction worked with Consulting Ecologist Steve Langdon to plant several test plots on the landfill, using both native seeds and young plants Each plot is being monitored to evaluate which species are best suited to the site’s unique soil and growing conditions. This summer, Jess Lee, our Adirondack Pollinator Project intern and a rising junior at Colgate University, is monitoring conditions and growth at the test plots. Jess is also conducting independent research through Colgate’s Field Institute to better understand how native plants can support robust pollinator communities on previously disturbed land.

Findings from this summer’s test plots will directly inform a much larger phase of planting planned for summer 2026. By learning what works now, we’ll be ready to install a full-scale meadow that provides long-term benefits for pollinators—and a peaceful, educational space for people to connect with nature.

What was once a site for dumping garbage and attracting scavengers is being reimagined as a community asset and a model for other towns with capped landfills. With support from the Town of Indian Lake, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Hamilton County, and Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, this project is a powerful example of how partnerships and creativity can turn forgotten spaces into flourishing habitats.

We’re proud to be part of this transformation—and excited to invite the community back, not to feed the wildlife, but to celebrate it.