On the other side of the water, across from the New Overpeck County Park, behind the Bergen Equestrian Center, lies an almost forgotten area of the Bergen County Park system, once known as The Overpeck Preserve.

It is a place that will determine the future of our birds, wildlife and our quality of life for generations to come! 

This was once considered a nature preserve. A place once open to field trips and watched over by Gil Hawkins, Director of the Overpeck Preserve, now closed to the public for almost 15 years. Now just about an out of sight memory, it looks more like the lunar surface than future park land.

Today, the area technically referred to as AREA 4 of Overpeck County Park is under remediation (the closing and capping of the landfill) because, like many places in the New Jersey Meadowlands region, the Overpeck was once a dumping ground.

But now, as the remediation comes closer to completion and the critical next step of the restoration plans are discussed regarding this almost 100 acres of County parkland, we should all be well aware that how those plans are made and how that area is restored will determine the future of New Jersey’s wildlife and also the quality of life of the people that live in the region for many generations to come.

Why is the area so important?

The Overpeck Creek is a tributary of the Hackensack River and is part of the extended tidal estuary of the lower tidal Hackensack Meadowlands. About 120 acres of Overpeck Creek, now more like a lake, is located within Overpeck County Park. This region falls within the Atlantic Flyway, the main eastern migration route for millions of migratory birds. This freshwater habitat, smack in the middle of this densely populated, over built and overburdened part of Bergen County, makes the area an even more important rest stop and breeding habitat along that migration highway.

Bald Eagles thrive on the Overpeck!

The return of the Bald Eagle to New Jersey has not been more dramatic than on the Overpeck. Not only are there nesting eagles located on the creek, but the tall trees that line the banks of Overpeck Preserve are a critical roosting area for our nation’s symbol, especially in winter. In fact, on the 2026 Bergen Audubon Bald Eagle count we had 26 Eagles wintering there in January. As it turns out, eagle watching along the Overpeck is one of the best places to watch the magic of these birds anywhere in Northern NJ. That being said, the eagles will only continue there if the large trees along the water are kept and replanted. The removal of those trees in any future plans of the park will mean the eagles will not return, roost or thrive in the park, which will be a loss not only for our eagles but also to the people of Bergen County and the entire state. All future plans for the park should include a Bald Eagle protection plan.

Restored habitat will mean many more species will thrive in the park, some threatened and endangered.

The potential benefits of ecologically restored wildlife habitat to the preserve will have immeasurable long-term impacts on our wildlife. If, in this plan for the park, we can restore native grassland habitat, native wildflower and pollinator meadows, and native shrub habitat, we will help everything from Monarch Butterflies and American Kestrels to Savannah Sparrows and Meadowlarks to Bumblebees and Bobolinks. This habitat, threatened in itself, will become a haven for the many species that are now in steep decline.   

If we want to look for a successful model we only need to look to another place in New Jersey, Duke Farms. This incredibly beautiful park and habitat have been an amazing success story for both people and nature.

Can we accomplish a plan like this?

Bergen County Executive James Tedesco, along with Bergen County Parks, has come a long way to bringing our county park system up to its potential as true environmental stewards of our open space. Right down the road, the Teaneck Creek restoration of a wetland habitat in the middle of Bergen County has been a shining example of what great things can be done for our environment. When the public will is there, we can do amazing things together.

 A Park for People Too!

If the Covid pandemic taught us anything it was how important our parks are to us. While sports fields, playgrounds and most everything else were closed, people discovered just being outside was wonderful, and witnessing mother nature was nothing short of magical. 

If the preserve is restored correctly, just imagine sitting on a bench watching Monarch Butterflies and Hummingbirds fly right by you. Or maybe having a picnic, sitting with your children among the wildflowers, watching nesting birds raise their young and enjoying a healthy thriving population of Bald Eagles wintering along the water’s edge. Native Americans think 7 generations ahead; we will now have our only chance to do the same.

Special Interest Groups Will Want a Piece of the Pie (or Park).

Make no mistake, there will be people, groups, entities, call them what you will, disconnected from nature, wanting their own ways and ideas for the park. But if these ideas are harmful and not beneficial to a long-term environmental restoration then we need to have our voices heard loud and clear. The future of wildlife and our own quality of life in the entire region will depend on what happens at Overpeck County Park.

What can we do?

In the labor movement we would say, “Time to Organize!” This means trying our best to speak with one voice and being clear about what we see for a better future for our park system.  Eventually there will be public meetings held by the County on the future of the park. Try your best to attend.

Write letters to the County Executive urging the County to restore the Overpeck Preserve to all it could and should be for people and wildlife! Have your voice heard!

Get all of your local environmental groups on board. From local green teams and environmental commissions to school environmental clubs and religious groups to everyone that cares about gifting future generations a very special place for all of us to connect to nature. This will be our only chance; there will be no second chance and no going back.

We can and will do this together!