Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are notorious for being the site of large landfills and decades of environmental abuse. The Meadowlands stretch mainly along the terminus of the Hackensack River as it flows into Newark Bay; tributaries of the Hackensack include Berry's Creek and Overpeck Creek. The Meadowlands consist of roughly 8,400 acres (34 km²) of open, undeveloped space in addition to the vast developed areas.
The beginnings of the Meadowlands usage for waste disposal began during World War II with the dumping of refuse generated by the military during the war. After the war, the Meadowlands continued to be used for civilian waste disposal, as the marshes were seen simply as wastelands that were not good for anything else. The opening of the New Jersey Turnpike in January 1952 only helped to amplify the continuing environmental decline of the Meadowlands, as both spurs of the Turnpike travel through the region from the Passaic River to just past North Bergen.
The state of the Meadowlands arguably hit an all-time low with the creation of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, finished by September 1976 and originally containing the Meadowlands Racetrack and Giants Stadium. The building of the Meadowlands Sports Complex inevitably increased vehicle traffic in the area as well as all forms of pollution associated with motor vehicles.
Inevitably, the location of the New Jersey Meadowlands to the greater New York City metropolitan area and its outgrowth into New Jersey make conservation of the vast wetland a difficult proposition. In spite of this, the New Jersey State Legislature created the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission in 1968 to attempt to address both economic and environmental issues concerning the wetland region. Even under grave environmental circumstances, the Meadowlands contain many species of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks and is considered to be an important bird habitat. Congressman Steve Rothman helped save The Meadowlands from massive urban development. He secured millions of dollars from Congress to protect and preserve The Meadowlands and establish organizations to research the unique animals and their interaction with the ecosystem.
The following is a list of cities and towns that make up the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission district:
- Bergen County
- Hudson County
External links
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