WETLANDS:
Introduction | Functions and Values of Wetlands | Wetlands Enhancement
Wetlands Sites in the Meadowlands

Wetlands Enhancement

The Meadowlands has had a remarkable renaissance for fish and wildlife habitat.

Although wetlands protection through regulations has slowed the rate of their loss we need additional measures to rebuild our remaining wetlands.  The enhancement of drained or altered wetlands re-establishes and adds important ecological functions to the landscape, including the restoration of degraded wildlife habitat, increased flood storage, and the improvement of water quality.

Presently there are four completed wetland enhancement sites:  Secaucus High School Site, Harrier Meadow, Mill Creek Marsh, Skeetkill Marsh and Marsh Resources managed by MRI.  Another impressive site in the District is the Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Enhancement Phases

Wetlands enhancement can be defined as any activity that restores a wetland degraded by human activity to a healthy, functioning ecosystem.  These activities may include the restoration of appropriate hydrology, the creation of specific habitats, the control of invasive plant species, and the reintroduction of native marsh vegetation as shown above.  The actual enhancement activities may include the eradication of the invasive Phragmites australis and the establishment of a vegetative mosaic by replanting more desirable plant species as well as creating meandering channels to increase habitat and restoring tidal flow to the site.

There are five basic steps that comprise the wetland enhancement process:

1. Baseline studies - data collection to evaluate existing conditions, decide whether the site is a good
     candidate for enhancement, and determine the best enhancement design for the site.

2. Planning and specifications - development of the overall plan for the site development based on
     the analysis of the results of the baseline studies.

3. Permitting and jurisdictional agency approvals - securing all authorizations required prior to the
     implementation of any enhancement plan.

4. Construction - implementation of the design plans.

5. Monitor and maintenance - follow-up work required to ensure that the goals of the enhancement
    plan have been met.