Welcome to Teaneck Creek Conservancy’s
Restoration Update Page
Teaneck Creek’s Restoration project successfully finished September 2022. On October 19, 2022 the County of Bergen celebrated the restoration project. Over the winter months of 2022-2023 trail usage was limited to allow the newly planted plants time to put down roots and acclimate. In April 2023, Teaneck Creek Park fully reopened.
Below you can read through the journey to create 20 acres of freshwater wetlands or check out Bergen County’s Department of Parks restoration update page.
Additional REstoration resources
Planting Update 2/16/2022
Project Background Update 2/21/2021
North Jersey News Article 9/1/2020
Press Release 8/31/2020
The actions will result in the restoration of freshwater wetlands within the Park, removal of debris from publicly accessible areas, and a greater diversity of plants and animals. Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance techniques will be used to repair eroded outfalls into the park to protect both natural areas and infrastructure such as nature trails from flooding, erosion, and degradation. This strategy keeps the facilities safe while improving habitat and ecological function. Park access improvements are proposed to address deficient trails; inaccessible due to washouts, and repair and replace footbridges to provide for better public access.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Maps of the restoration location and project personnel.
Overpeck County Park consists of about 1,000 acres that contain a wide variety of programming and amenities. Located in the northwest portion of Overpeck County Park, the 46-acre Area I (also known as Teaneck Creek Park) consists of an established passive trail system that brings park users through riparian wetland habitats, remnants of past human disturbances, and ecological art exhibits throughout the park.
Through a partnership started in 2001, the non-profit Teaneck Creek Conservancy has organized citizen volunteers to care for the park while providing passive recreation and environmental education programs with a unique emphasis on Eco-Art community projects. In 2007 the County and Conservancy teamed with Rutgers University to develop a conceptual restoration plan for the park focusing on developing a quality restored wildlife habitat on the site which could serve as a model for the Overpeck Creek watershed and other highly urbanized areas in the NY/NJ metropolitan region. Since the Conservancy began in 2001, volunteers have removed multiple dumpster loads of debris, including automotive parts, construction materials, and discarded household appliances, from the site using only hand tools. The remaining fill was too heavy to lift or located in inaccessible areas. Some concrete debris was recycled into artwork by an artist and volunteers creating a Peace Labyrinth and a separate project, also lead by an artist, created concrete "Migration Mileposts" to celebrate the birds that pass through the site when migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. In 2014 the Department of Parks retained an ecological restoration firm to perform the final habitat and wetlands restoration plan for Teaneck Creek Park.
BERGEN COUNTY PARKS MASTER PLAN
The proposed park is consistent with the vision, goals, and objectives of the Bergen County Parks Master Plan that was adopted by Freeholder Resolution No. 19-35 on December 18, 2019. The companion Bergen County Department of Parks Inventory, dated April 9, 2019 observed and recommended for Teaneck Creek Park: The park is completely overgrown with invasive plants, including extreme densities of Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), common reed (Phragmites australis), mile-a-minute vine (Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross, porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolate). In order to restore this ecosystem the invasive plants must be removed and native species reintroduced and maintained. Signage throughout the park is not uniform and many signs are in need of repair or weathered enough to make them unreadable. New, updated and weather-resistant signage is needed. (Page 66)
PROJECT TIMELINE
Fall 2018: Final design for the project was completed by Biohabitats Inc.
July 15, 2020: Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded a contract to an ecological construction company, SumCo Eco-Contracting, to implement the project plans.
Fall 2020: Commencement of construction.
Fall 2022: Anticipated completion of construction.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Beginning in 2007, the Department of Parks, the Conservancy and Rutgers University held several planning and community meetings to engage community residents to formulate vision of the wetlands and habitat restoration project for this park. These meetings were followed by two formal public events.
July 2018: The Department of Parks conducted a public meeting to present the 80% completed habitat restoration design plans for public discussion.
Winter 2017: The Board of Chosen Freeholders conducted a public hearing to obtain comments from the public on the County’s grant application to the New Jersey Green Acres Program.
PROJECT FUNDING SOURCES
The total estimated cost to implement the Teaneck Creek Park Habitat Restoration Project is $5.6 million. Project of this scale are typically funded by various sources including completive grants for the purpose of wildlife habitat restoration/enhancement, wetlands restoration/enhancement, invasive species removal/control; and facilities that provide or enhance public environmental education.
Funding for the project:
New Jersey Green Acres park development and environmental stewardship
Bergen County Open Space Preservation Trust Fund
Bergen County Capital Funding
CONTACT
For more information about the Teaneck Creek Park Habitat Restoration Project, please contact Adam Strobel, Bergen County Department of Parks. One Bergen County Plaza • 4th Floor • Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076 Phone: 201-336-7275
PROGRAMS
Teaneck Creek Conservancy will still continue to host programs for the public focused on our pillars of Art, History and the Environment. Most programs will continue at our Fycke Lane Entrance, online, or at partner locations. Please be sure to check notices for program locations.
Teaneck Creek’s Conversations from the Cottonwoods touches on the important work being done at the park through the restoration! Check out all 5 videos to learn more!
Project Goals
This project has six primary goals:
Enhance the site’s natural resources
Increase biodiversity
Mitigate the erosive forces of stormwater throughout the site
Improve public access to the park and visitor experience
Improve community health and well-being
Educate the public about the Park’s habitat and ecology
The project will achieve these goals through the following actions:
Restoring the way water flows across the site through natural stormwater conveyance systems
Regrading portions of the site to create wetland habitat
Relocating and consolidating debris piles
Improving trail conditions
Removing invasive species and replacing them with native grasses, shrubs, and trees
Project Updates
10/19/22 Update
The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is pleased to announce trails are partially open at the Puffin Way entrance. Please enter down the wooden stairs located at the center of the parking lot. Southern sections of the red and green trails that complete a loop to the Labyrinth are now open. Please do not go beyond the Labyrinth at this time as trails have not yet been repaired.
Please stay on trails to help our new native plants establish. Areas with hay are protecting recently laid native seeds.
9/19/2022 Update
The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is pleased to announce the Habitat Wetlands Restoration project undertaken by Bergen County Parks is nearly complete. The new native plants are in the ground and doing well despite the drought. The Department of Parks is currently evaluating whether the perimeter fencing will remain in place for a short time longer for the native plants to progress through the planting establishment period.
In the meantime, please continue enjoying the outdoor classroom and Little Library at our Fycke Lane entrance and our site program offerings.
For the latest information about the status of the park and its reopening please visit Bergen County's Project Website (no longer active). Additional information can also be found on the Conservancy's Restoration FAQ page.
6/13/2022 Update
The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is pleased to announce that the restoration project undertaken by Bergen County for Teaneck Creek Park is entering its final phase. In the coming months the County will plant thousands of new native bushes and trees to finish this historic restoration of the park and its wetlands. While the new plantings take root, most of the park will remain closed, but the Fyke Lane Entrance and Outdoor Classroom Area remain open. We look forward to a scheduled full reopening of the park later this Fall. For the latest information about the status of the park and its reopening please visit Bergen County's Project Website (link updated 7/22/22). Additional information can also be found on TCC's Restoration FAQ page.
4/28/2022 Update
We are so excited to see native plants being planted at our park! We look forward to re-opening after the new plants get acclimated. Thank you Bergen County Parks System for this opportunity to restore this unique forested wetland!
2/2/2022 Update
5/24/2021 Update
Our very green Green Trail! Check out this quick behind the scenes with Garrett from @siteworkscm sharing a part of our park that the restoration has not touched! If you need help getting your bearings, the green trail connects to the red trail behind the Turtle Peace Labyrinth and again at the 5 Pipes. This path cuts through the cottonwood forest before lining up with Creek near the Glenpointe Bridge.
4/15/2021 Update
This week we joined Garrett, the site manager for the Teaneck Creek Restoration, for a quick update on how the Restoration team is working to reintroduce water flow into our wetlands habitat.
3/15/2021 Update
From our visit to the restoration area with Site Manager Garrett! All along, the restoration crew has worked with our staff, our Weed Warriors, and friends at BCAS to ensure that the work done over the last 20 years at the park by our volunteers has been honored and maintained - like these trees planted years ago by our Weed Warriors!
3/11/2021 Update
Another clip from when Allie and Alexa walked through the restoration with Site Manager Garrett! A quick look at what has not changed - our beautiful Turtle Peace Labyrinth remains the same peaceful meditative spot! #tccrestoration #labyrinth #bergencountyparks #bergencountynj #teaneckcreek #turtle #siteworks
3/1/2021
We met up with Resotration Site Manager Garrett at the DeGraw Ave Deposition Area. Learn why this new feature is such a great part of the restoration plan!
2/5/2021
Quiet day at the park!
2/2/2021 Update
Restoration Review Program February 2, 2021
1/29/2021 Update
Brrr! We braced the cold today as we met up with Garrett Ray from SiteWorks to see the construction at Stormwater Canyon.
January 23, 2021