Teaneck Creek Conservancy

Teaneck Creek Conservancy
Type Eco-Art Park (Bergen County, New Jersey)
Location Teaneck
Area 46 acres
Created 2006

The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is an 46-acre (0.19 km2) eco-art park located in Bergen County, New Jersey. It is part of the Bergen County Park system independently managed by the member-supported, non-profit incorporation of the Teaneck Creek Conservancy. The park contains 1.4 miles of groomed trails and exhibits both permanent and ephemeral eco-art throughout the year. The conservancy operates art and environmental programs for the local community.

The namesake of the Conservancy is the Teaneck Creek, which flows through the park and into the Overpeck Creek.


History

The Teaneck Conservancy was founded in 2001 by the Puffin Foundation together with local environmentalists, artists and educators to save a parcel of land from development. Through cooperation of community leaders and the Bergen County Parks Department, the Teaneck Creek Park was opened to the public in 2006 containing 1.3 miles of groomed trails, an Outdoor Classroom, and ecological art exhibits. Since then the Conservancy has continued to grow in community membership sponsors, educational programs for the public and is known as a premier ecological art park in the region.

Ecological Art

The Conservancy commissions and hosts ephemeral and permanent eco-art exhibitions throughout the year.

Five Pipes Project

Of the tons of concrete debris dumped on the park site during the construction of Interstate 95 and I-80, five monolithic concrete drainage pipes marred the natural landscape. They were too large and heavy to remove without considerable destruction to the park and remained as a graffiti covered reminder of the history of environmental degradation.

In 2008, the Teaneck Creek Conservancy commissioned Brooklyn muralist Eduardo Aleander Rabel to lead a group of volunteers including students from the Thomas Jefferson Middle School and AIE NJ State Council on the Arts Grant artist John Kaiser to create murals inside and without all five pipes. The murals of each pipe represent a different era in American history beginning with the Native Americans and ending with the 21st century.[1]

The Five Pipes was completed and opened to the public in October, 2009 in a ribbon cutting ceremony.[2]

Turtle Peace Labyrinth

In 2003, Ariane Burgess of Camino de Paz was commissioned to create an oasis of peace and contemplation in the undistrubed heart of the Convervancy. Together with Artist-In-Residence Rick Mills, hundred of volunteers, families and community groups a site filled with vines and construction debris was turned into the Turtle Peace Labyrinth. Completion of the project ended in 2004.

The Labyrinth was constructed from New Jersey construction debris found on-site at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy. The concrete debris were relocated and laid out in a labyrinth design reminiscent of a turtle's back in an homage to the Lenape Creation Myth.[3]

Flora

A partial listing of the tree species found at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy.:

Fauna

A partial listing of the animal life found at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy.:

References

  1. ↑ "Five pipes project illustrates American history". northjersey.com. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  2. ↑ "'Five Pipes' project is finalized with ceremony". northjersey.com. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  3. ↑ Mary Arnold. "A Historical Perspective on the Urban Wetlands of the Teaneck Creek Conservancy". http://urbanhabitats.org. Retrieved 2010-06-08. External link in |publisher= (help)

Coordinates: 40°52′29″N 74°00′31″W / 40.874843°N 74.008626°W / 40.874843; -74.008626

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