From Dumpsite to Nature Sanctuary

Just a few yards from the junction of routes 80 and 95, at a former dumpsite where household garbage and tons of debris from the construction of the highways some 40 years ago ended up, lies one of the state’s best kept environmental secrets.

Shaped in the form of giant turtle, the Teaneck Creek labyrinth is a path of stones that circles inward.

Photo: Daniel Santacruz

Stone marker at Teaneck Creek Conservancy.

Photo: Daniel Santacruz

It’s the 46-acre Teaneck Creek Conservancy — a hidden world for nature watching and  quiet meditation.
 
Its main feature is the Turtle Peace Labyrinth, designed by eco-artist Ariane Burgess and built from concrete rubble as a tribute to the Lenape Indians, who once lived in the area.

Shaped in the form of giant turtle, the labyrinth is a path of stones that circles inward. The designer intended it to be conducive for mediation. Start at the T-stone on the perimeter, walk toward the center, sit down there for as long as you want, then retrace your steps.

The park is ideal for bird watching. Chunks of discarded concrete were transformed into milestones that indicate the distances traveled by seven migrating birds (common redpoll, common yellowthroat, rose-breasted grosbeak, red knot, dark-eyed junco, American goldfinch and osprey) that stop there on their journeys between the Artic Circle and South America.

There are also three trails, several bridges — the most recent, measuring six feet long, was inaugurated three weeks ago — and outdoor art exhibits.

Start your tour at one of the three entrances (Fyke Lane, Puffin Way or Frank Burr Boulevard), but don’t expect to find picnic tables or marked trails. It’s just raw nature.  A tour won’t last more than two hours, including a leisurely stop at the labyrinth. The park is open to the public from dawn to dusk all year round and there is no fee.

Teaneck Creek Conservancy is a project of the Puffin Foundation, also located in Teaneck. It offers ecological programs and art classes for both children and adults.

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Tags: Hiking | Teaneck Creek Conservancy | Teaneck Creek | Puffin Foundation

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