For over three hundred years, the area that is now the Teaneck Creek section of Overpeck County Park was drained, ditched, developed, and generally mistreated by human inhabitants. Most recently, in the early 1900s, the 46-acre property was meant to become a landfill. A clay material was placed on the property to serve as a base liner for the landfill, and while the landfill was never built, the clay material was never removed. In 1951, the Township of Teaneck transferred the property to Bergen County for the creation of a public park and recreation area in 1951. As a result of this past human disturbance, the natural hydrology of the site was disrupted, resulting in the colonization of invasive plant species on the property.
In 2020, the Bergen County Department of Parks & Recreation began a 20-acre wetland- restoration effort to repair the struggling ecosystem. The project included the removal of invasive plants species, the reintroduction of tens of thousands of native plants, and innovative natural infrastructure, including the first regenerative stormwater conveyance system in New Jersey, The project’s first phase was successfully completed in 2022.
The park has already seen a stunning return of wildlife and over the next couple of years, as the native flora continues to flourish so will the wildlife. To give the plants the best chances of success, the Bergen County Parks Department will take an active and aggressive role against invasive plant species in 2023 and 2024.
To continue improving this section of Overpeck County Park and bridge the gap between people and nature, the County of Bergen has retained a landscape architecture firm to make recommendations for park enhancements such as ADA accessible trails, future eco-art installations, outdoor classrooms, and wildlife viewing areas. Based on an existing conditions assessment and community input, conceptual design plans are under development in 2023.
For more information about the Capital Improvement Project at Teaneck Creek, please visit the Capital Improvements webpage.
