Overpeck Preserve needs restoration

In an effort to remediate the last area to be developed as part of Overpeck Park (Area IV), the County clear cut the trees and brought in soil of questionable origin to cap the former garbage dump. What will come next is unclear because it has been difficult to get information from the County about their plans for what had been a natural area.

A coalition of organizations concerned with the environmental impact of some of the proposals has demanded that further development of Overpeck Preserve be halted until meaningful and sustained public involvement in future planning can be accomplished. A letter from the Coalition to Save Overpeck Preserve was presented at a public meeting on October 6, 2022 to the Bergen County Board of Commissioners, where Coalition representatives and many Bergen County residents spoke in favor of restoring Area IV as a nature preserve without lawns or paving. At the meeting, Commissioner Tracy Zur assured residents that future plans are not ‘set in stone’ and that Commissioner Tanelli will work with the Coalition, as well as seek further input from the public.