!
An Assessment Report from the
National Wetlands Inventory Program
An Assessment Report from
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service’s National Wetlands Inventory Program
by
Ralph W. Tiner, John Q.
Swords, and Bobbi Jo McClain
National Wetlands Inventory
Program
Northeast Region
December 2002
This
report should be cited as: Tiner, R.W., J.Q. Swords, and B.J. McClain. 2002.
Wetland Status and Trends for the
Table of
Contents
Page
Introduction 1
Purpose
of Report 1
Study Area 1
Methods 3
Results 6
Recent Trends in Wetlands and
Deepwater Habitats 6
1950s to 1960s 6
1960s to 1980s 10
1980s to 1990s 14
Status of Wetlands and Deepwater
Habitats in the 1990s 17
A Century of Aquatic Habitat Changes
in the Meadowlands 20
Discussion 22
Acknowledgments 28
References 29
Introduction
The
Hackensack Meadowlands is perhaps the largest urban wetland complex in the northeastern
The
New Jersey Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has
been working in the Meadowlands and elsewhere to improve conservation and
restoration of wetlands. This Office
requested that the Service’s National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Program conduct
a wetland trends analysis to document recent changes in wetlands in the
Meadowlands area. Since the 1970s, the
NWI Program has been producing wetland maps across the country and conducting
assessments of wetland trends for the Nation as well as for local areas (visit
websites: wetlands.fws.gov
and northeast.fws.gov/wetlands
for additional information about NWI).
In the spring of 2002, the Northeast Region’s NWI Program received
strategic mapping funds from the Service’s Washington Office to perform an
analysis of wetland change for the Hackensack Meadowlands using remote sensing
techniques.
Purpose
of Report
The
main purpose of this report is to document how wetlands in the Meadowlands area
changed from the 1950s to the 1990s. The
emphasis is on quantitative changes (i.e., changes in extent; acreage) and not
on qualitative changes in wetlands. The
report also presents other information that provides a valuable perspective on
these and prior changes.
The
Hackensack Meadowlands is located in
Figure
1. Location of the study area in the New
York City-Newark metropolitan area.
Methods
The
Service is updating NWI maps for much of northern
Conventional
photointerpretation techniques were employed to identify and record wetland
changes in the Meadowlands since the 1950s.
Table 1 outlines the aerial photography used for this study. The study examined, in detail, wetland
changes from the 1950s to the 1960s, the 1960s to the 1980s, and the 1980s to
the 1990s. General assessments of wetland trends from 1966 to 1976 and from
1976 to 1984/85 were performed by comparing newly acquired data from this study
with the original NWI data (1976 1:80,000 black and white photography). Detailed analysis was not performed due to
the small-scale of this photography. It
was used to fill a gap between the 1960s and 1980s data to provide a
perspective on wetland losses midway between these dates. In addition, a historical topographic map
from 1889 was used to prepare a map showing the distribution and extent of
wetlands during the late 19th Century. The map was obtained through the New Jersey
Environmental Digital Library housed at
After
creating the 1990s wetlands database, we then compared the 1980s imagery with
the 1990s photos (using the DTS) to detect and record the nature of the change
in wetlands (e.g., loss to residential development or gain from estuarine open
water) and deepwater habitats. Areas
(polygons) of change were delineated and labeled to the cause of change. The Anderson et al. (1976) classification
system was used to categorize changes in land use and/or upland cover. After the 1990s-1980s analysis was performed,
the 1980s-1960s change detection was done, followed by the 1960s-1950s
analysis. This “reverse trends analysis”
procedure produced a digital database with a few hundred polygons that had
changed at one time or another during the study period.
Table
1. Aerial photography used for detailed
examination of wetland trends in the Meadowlands area.
March
1995 1:40,000 Color Infrared
March
1984/85 1:58,000 Color Infrared
February
1966 1:24,000 Black and White
A
series of figures or maps were produced to show the changes in wetland
distribution and extent in the Meadowlands region over time. Although 1970s photography was not used in
our comprehensive analysis of wetland trends, the Service had produced original
NWI maps for
From
an 1889 topographic map of
Figure
2. A portion of the 1889 topographic map
for
Results
Recent
Trends in Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats
Since
the trends analysis was derived through photointerpretation of aerial photos,
the results represent an approximation of wetland changes over time. This study
represents the most detailed examination of recent wetland changes in the
Meadowlands region performed to date.
Wetland trends were examined in detail for three periods: 1) mid-1950s
to mid-1960s, 2) mid-1960s to mid-1980s, 3) mid-1980s to mid-1990s. A comparison of wetland trends from 1889 to
1995 (including a general assessment of trends from 1889 to the mid-1950s, the
mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, and the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s) is given in the
last section of the Results.
1950s to 1960s
In the 1950s, the Meadowlands region possessed over 13,400 acres of wetlands (Table 2) and nearly 2,850 acres of deepwater habitats (2,806.9 acres - estuarine; 7.5 acres - lacustrine; 32.4 acres - riverine). Estuarine vegetated wetlands represented almost 90 percent of the wetlands. Emergent wetlands dominated or co-dominated by common reed (Phragmites australis) were most abundant. This plant is an invasive species that readily colonizes disturbed soils and wetlands, especially coastal wetlands where tidal flow is restricted or where fill has been deposited.
From 1953/4 to 1966, over 2,760 acres of vegetated wetlands were converted to upland or ponds (Table 3). Only 6.8 acres of wetlands were created, for a net loss of 2,756 acres. The gains were 6.8 acres of palustrine tidal emergent wetlands coming from cleared upland (5.4 from sand/gravel land and 1.4 from transitional land). Twenty-one percent of the 1950s estuarine vegetated wetlands was destroyed. Thirty-eight percent of the loss was attributed to fill with an unidentified use (transitional land[1]), 36 percent was due to conversion of vegetated wetlands to estuarine water (presumably by dredging operations), and 15 percent to industrial development.
Pond acreage also experienced a net loss of 14 acres (Table 4). Most of the losses were attributed to transitional land (unknown use) and transportation/communication facilities.
Deepwater
habitats gained over 1,000 acres (net gain of 1,008.3 acres) during this
decade. Nearly 1,000 acres of estuarine
deepwater habitat came from estuarine emergent wetland (Table 3). Construction of a 25.7-acre impoundment
(lacustrine) on cleared upland (transitional land) also added to the deepwater
habitat acreage. Loss of deepwater
habitat was limited to just 13.1 acres (7.5 acres of lacustrine habitat were filled
for unknown use and 5.6 acres of estuarine water were converted to mostly urban
land).
Table 2. Extent of wetlands in the Meadowlands region in 1953/54.
Estuarine
Wetlands
Aquatic Bed Regularly Flooded 1.0
Emergent Irregularly Flooded 11,773.7
(includes 11,159.4 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Regularly Flooded 167.9
(includes 87.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 13.0
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 22.8 (includes 18.6 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub/Emergent Irregularly Flooded 10.7 (includes 2.3 a.
w/Phragmites)
--------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Vegetated 11,989.1
Unconsolidated Shore Regularly Flooded 462.9
Unconsolidated Shore Irregularly Flooded 3.4
---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Nonvegetated 466.3
Total Estuarine 12,455.4
Palustrine
Wetlands
Emergent Tidal 236.1
(includes 171.4 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Nontidal 224.2 (includes
56.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Tidal 17.2
Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 22.0
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Tidal 57.2
(includes 22.6 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 24.4
Forested Tidal 103.1
Forested Nontidal 65.5
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Tidal 16.1
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Nontidal 66.7
Forested/Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 11.3
-------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Vegetated 843.8
Unconsolidated Bottom Tidal 21.1
Unconsolidated Bottom Nontidal 64.0
Unconsolidated Shore Tidal 10.7
Unconsolidated Shore Nontidal 16.5
-------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Nonvegetated 112.3
Total Palustrine 956.1
Riverine
Wetlands 7.5
GRAND
TOTAL – ALL WETLANDS 13,419.0
Table
3. Extent and causes of vegetated wetland loss from 1953/54 to 1966.
Commercial Development 46.5
Industrial Development 363.8
Other Urban Land 95.2
Filled Unidentified Use 949.9
Converted to Estuarine Water 995.7
Pond Creation 6.6
---------------------------------------- ---------
Subtotal 2,574.0
----------------------------------------- --------
Subtotal 1.7
Estuarine Shrub/Emergent Filled Unidentified Use 8.4
Palustrine Emergent Tidal Industrial Development 10.9
Transportation/Communication 8.8
Filled Unidentified Use 43.3
Pond Creation 0.2
------------------------------------------ --------
Subtotal 63.2
Palustrine Emergent Nontidal Commercial Development 3.0
Industrial Development 8.6
Transportation/Communication 5.4
Other Urban Land 0.5
Agriculture 3.6
Filled Unidentified Use 7.6
Pond Creation 1.5
------------------------------------------ ---------
Subtotal 30.2
Palustrine Emergent/Shrub Tidal Filled Unidentified Use 34.7
Palustrine Forested Tidal Residential Development 5.5
Industrial Development 20.0
Filled Unidentified Use 13.3
Pond Creation 0.1
------------------------------------------ --------
Subtotal 38.9
Palustrine Forested/Shrub Nontidal Transportation/Communication 1.8
Other Urban Land 9.5
----------------------------------------- ---------
Subtotal 11.3
Total Vegetated Wetland Loss All Causes 2,762.4
Table
4. Extent and causes of changes in pond
acreage from 1953/54 to 1966.
Acreage Acreage Net Change
Cause of Change Gain
from Loss to in Acreage
Residential
Development - 1.4 -1.4
Commercial
Development - 0.9 -0.9
Industrial
Development 0.7 4.7 -4.0
Transportation/Communication - 5.6 -5.6
Excavated
Estuarine Emergent Wetland 6.5 - +6.5
Excavated
Tidal Fresh Wetland 0.3 - +0.3
Excavated
Nontidal Emergent Wetland 1.5 - +1.5
------------------------------------------------- ------ ------ ------
Totals 9.0 22.9 -13.9
1960s to 1980s
At the start of this period (1966), the Meadowlands region possessed 10,650 acres of wetlands (Table 5) and about 3,855 acres of deepwater habitats (3,797.1 acres - estuarine; 25.7 acres - lacustrine; 32.4 acres - riverine). Estuarine vegetated wetlands of common reed predominated.
From 1966 to 1984/85, nearly 4,870 acres of vegetated wetlands were converted to upland or waterbodies (Table 6). Industrial development was responsible for about one-third of the losses. Filling with unidentified use (development not yet built) was the second-leading cause of vegetated wetland loss, with about one-fourth of the loss attributed to this activity. Other significant causes of vegetated wetland loss were recreational development (including the Meadowlands Sports Complex; 12% of the losses), transportation/communication facilities (11%), and dredging of estuarine emergent wetlands (10%). Most of the vegetated wetland losses affected estuarine wetlands. Half of the 1966 acreage of these salt and brackish marshes was destroyed (i.e., converted to dryland or water) during the following two decades.
Besides the vegetated wetland losses, 66.7 acres of estuarine unconsolidated shore (tidal flats) were filled to create developable land. The use of most of this acreage (62.3 acres) was undetermined (i.e., land in transition), while the rest was converted to recreational land (3.6 acres), ponds (0.4 acres), and industrial development (0.4 acres).
Only 38.6 acres of wetlands (excluding ponds) were created from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, for a net loss of 4,907 wetland acres for the Meadowlands region. All the gains came from cleared upland, except for 0.2 acres of estuarine emergent wetland created from estuarine water. The gains from upland were 4.6 acres of estuarine emergent wetlands (4.4 acres from upland with unidentified use and 0.2 from estuarine water) and 34.0 acres of palustrine vegetated wetlands (31.7 acres of tidal emergent; 1.5 acres of nontidal emergent; 0.8 acres of tidal forested).
Pond acreage experienced a slight net gain of 8 acres (Table 7). A total of 44.3 acres was created, while 36.3 acres were converted to upland. The gains came mostly from former vegetated wetlands (43.0 acres from excavation of mostly former estuarine emergent wetlands), while a 1.3-acre pond was built on cleared upland.
Human
activities during this time period appear to have produced a significant gain
in deepwater habitat. A net gain of
465.5 acres resulted from a 485.0-acre gain and a 19.5-acre loss. Nearly all of this gain was attributed to an
increase in estuarine deepwater habitat acreage at the expense of tidal
marshes. Dredging of these marshes was
identified as the cause for 471.3 acres of newly created estuarine water, while
0.3 acres of estuarine water were created by excavating upland. An additional 13.4 acres came from
impoundment construction on cleared upland (transitional land). During this period, 19.3 acres of estuarine
water were converted to dryland for urban uses including transportation and
industrial facilities, while 0.2 acres of estuarine water became estuarine
emergent wetland.
Table
5. Extent of wetlands in the Meadowlands
region in 1966.
Estuarine
Wetlands
Aquatic Bed Regularly Flooded 1.0
Emergent Irregularly Flooded 9,199.7
(includes 8,947.1 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Regularly Flooded 167.9
(includes 87.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 13.0
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 21.1 (includes 18.6 a.
w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub/Emergent Irregularly Flooded 2.3 (includes 2.3 a.
w/Phragmites)
--------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Vegetated 9,405.0
Unconsolidated Shore Regularly Flooded 462.9
Unconsolidated Shore Irregularly Flooded 3.4
---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Nonvegetated 466.3
Total Estuarine 9,871.3
Palustrine
Wetlands
Emergent Tidal 174.5
(includes 133.7 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Nontidal 194.0 (includes
52.3 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Tidal 17.2
Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 22.0
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Tidal 28.0 (all.
w/Phragmites)
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 24.4
Forested Tidal 64.4
Forested Nontidal 65.5
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Tidal 16.1
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Nontidal 66.7
-------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Vegetated 672.8
Unconsolidated Bottom Tidal 22.8
Unconsolidated Bottom Nontidal 52.8
Unconsolidated Shore Tidal 10.7
Unconsolidated Shore Nontidal 12.1
-------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Nonvegetated 98.4
Total Palustrine 771.2
Riverine
Wetlands 7.5
GRAND
TOTAL – ALL WETLANDS 10,650.0
Table 6. Extent and causes of vegetated wetland loss from 1966 to 1984/85.
Commercial Development 233.7
Industrial Development 1,530.2
Other Urban Land 88.0
Recreational Land 560.9
Shrub Rangeland 17.5
Filled Unidentified Use 1,194.9
Converted to Estuarine Water 471.3
Pond Creation 24.6
---------------------------------------- ---------
Subtotal 4,691.0
Filled Unidentified Use 6.4
----------------------------------------- --------
Subtotal 8.9
Palustrine Emergent Tidal Industrial Development 10.0
Transportation/Communication 13.3
Pond Creation 1.0
------------------------------------------ --------
Subtotal 24.3
Palustrine Emergent Nontidal Residential Development 0.8
Commercial Development 0.6
Industrial Development 25.2
Transportation/Communication 12.4
Other Urban Land 52.1
Shrub Rangeland 2.6
Filled Unidentified Use 3.0
Pond Creation 4.6
------------------------------------------ ---------
Subtotal 101.3
Palustrine Emergent/Shrub Tidal Other Urban Land 24.4
Palustrine Forested Tidal Transportation/Communication 13.7
Other Urban Land 3.4
Recreational Land 1.0
------------------------------------------ --------
Subtotal 18.1
Palustrine Forested Nontidal Industrial Development 2.5
Palustrine Scrub-Shrub Nontidal Other Urban Land 4.7
Filled Unidentifed Use 3.7
----------------------------------------- ---------
Subtotal 8.4
Total Vegetated Wetland Loss All Causes 4,878.9
Table 7. Extent and causes of changes in pond acreage from 1966 to 1984/85.
Acreage Acreage Net Change
Cause of Change Gain
from Loss to in Acreage
Industrial
Development - 15.1 -15.1
Transportation/Communication - 4.9 -4.9
Other
Urban Built-up Land - 3.6 -3.6
Recreational
Land - 8.8 -8.8
Shrub
Rangeland - 1.6 -1.6
Excavated
Estuarine Emergent Wetland 37.0 - +37.0
Excavated
Estuarine Unconsolidated Shore 0.4 - +0.4
Excavated
Tidal Fresh Wetland 1.0 - +1.0
Excavated
Nontidal Emergent Wetland 4.6 - +4.6
---------------------------------------------------- ------ ------ ------
Totals 44.3 36.3 +8.0
1980s to 1990s
In the 1980s, the Meadowlands region had about 5,738 acres of wetlands (Table 8) and nearly 4,321 acres of deepwater habitats (4,249.3 acres - estuarine; 39.1 acres - lacustrine; 32.4 acres - riverine). Estuarine emergent wetlands colonized by common reed were the predominant wetland type.
From 1984/85 to 1995, 182.2 acres of estuarine emergent wetlands were converted to upland and 22.5 acres were dredged to create estuarine deepwater habitat for a total loss of nearly 205 acres.[2] The causes of vegetated wetland loss are summarized in Table 9. Besides the vegetated wetland losses, 0.3 acres of estuarine unconsolidated shore (tidal flats) were filled to create developable land. Only 2.6 acres of vegetated wetlands were created (i.e., palustrine emergent wetland from upland), for a net loss of 202.1 acres. Four percent of the 1980s acreage of estuarine vegetated wetlands was eliminated during this decade.
Pond
acreage experienced a slight net gain of 5.1 acres due to the construction of
seven small nontidal ponds on upland. No
losses of ponds were detected during this period.
A
small net gain of 15.2 acres in deepwater habitat took place during this
decade. Twenty-eight acres of estuarine
water were created (5.5 acres from upland and 22.5 acres from tidal marsh). A total of 12.8 acres of estuarine water was
filled for roads and other development in progress at the time (unidentified
use).
Table
8. Extent of wetlands in the Meadowlands
region in 1984/85.
Estuarine
Wetlands
Aquatic Bed Regularly Flooded 1.0
Emergent Irregularly Flooded 4,564.8
(includes 4,441.3 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Regularly Flooded 103.8
(includes 87.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 13.0
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 12.2 (all w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub/Emergent Irregularly Flooded 2.3 (all w/Phragmites)
--------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Vegetated 4,697.1
Unconsolidated Shore Regularly Flooded 396.2
Unconsolidated Shore Irregularly Flooded 3.4
---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Nonvegetated 399.6
Total Estuarine 5,096.7
Palustrine
Wetlands
Emergent Tidal 181.9
(includes 164.6 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Nontidal 94.2 (includes
27.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Tidal 17.2
Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 13.6
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Tidal 28.0 (all
w/Phragmites)
Forested Tidal 47.1
Forested Nontidal 63.0
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Tidal 16.1
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Nontidal 66.7
-------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Vegetated 527.8
Unconsolidated Bottom Tidal 34.5
Unconsolidated Bottom Nontidal 48.9
Unconsolidated Shore Tidal 23.1
-------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Nonvegetated 106.5
Total Palustrine 634.3
Riverine
Wetlands 7.5
GRAND
TOTAL – ALL WETLANDS 5,738.5
Table
9. Extent and causes of estuarine
wetland loss from 1984/85 to 1995.
Transportation/Communication 16.3
Other
Urban Land 5.5
Recreational
Land 28.6
Shrub
Rangeland 28.7
Filled
Unidentified Use 74.1
Converted
to Estuarine Water 22.5
---------------------------------------- ---------
Subtotal 204.7
Unconsolidated
Shore Filled Unidentified
Use 0.3
Total
Wetland Loss All Causes 205.0
In 1995, about 5,541 acres of wetlands were inventoried in the Meadowlands region (Figure 3). Wetlands occupied over 1000 acres more than deepwater habitats which totaled 4,336 acres.
Wetlands
Estuarine wetlands were most abundant, representing 88 percent of the area’s wetlands (Table 10). The remaining wetlands were palustrine types, with the exception of just 7.5 acres of riverine wetlands (seasonally flooded streambeds). Overall, vegetated wetlands predominated, comprising 91 percent of the wetlands.
Estuarine Wetlands. Estuarine emergent wetlands alone made up 81 percent of the area’s wetlands. Irregularly flooded wetlands (i.e., inundated less than daily by tides) represented 90 percent of the estuarine wetlands, with the rest being regularly flooded (i.e., subject to daily flooding). Common reed dominated or co-dominated nearly 97 percent of the estuarine wetlands. According to the updated NWI maps, slightly brackish wetlands were more abundant than the more saline types. The former type accounted for 2,871.3 acres or 59 percent of the estuarine wetlands. Nonvegetated wetlands (mostly regularly flooded tidal flats) represented about eight percent of the estuarine wetlands.
Palustrine
Wetlands. Emergent wetlands also dominated the
freshwater reaches of the Meadowlands area.
They represented almost 48 percent of the palustrine wetlands and 58
percent of the vegetated types. Common
reed marshes were most abundant. This
species dominated or co-dominated 41 percent of the palustrine wetlands. It produced significant cover for 72 percent
of the palustrine emergent wetlands (including mixed communities with
shrubs). Forested wetlands covered
nearly 200 acres, counting mixed shrub/forested types. Two-thirds of the forested wetlands were
nontidal, while one third was tidal.
Ninety-eight
percent of the area’s deepwater habitats was estuarine (salt/brackish) water
(4,264.5 acres). The remaining deepwater
habitat was represented by 39.1 acres of lacustrine waters and 32.4 acres of
riverine waters (mostly tidal fresh).
Figure
3. Map showing the general distribution
of wetlands and deepwater habitats in the Hackensack Meadowlands area in 1995
based on the National Wetlands Inventory.
Table 10. Status of wetlands in the
Meadowlands region in 1995.
Estuarine
Wetlands
Aquatic Bed Regularly Flooded 1.0
Emergent Irregularly Flooded 4,360.2
(includes 4,236.7 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Regularly Flooded 103.8
(includes 87.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 13.0
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Irregularly Flooded 12.2 (all w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub/Emergent Irregularly Flooded 2.3 (all w/Phragmites)
--------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Vegetated 4,492.5
Unconsolidated Shore Regularly Flooded 395.9
Unconsolidated Shore Irregularly Flooded 3.4
---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Estuarine Nonvegetated 399.3
Total Estuarine 4,891.8
Palustrine
Wetlands
Emergent Tidal 181.9
(includes 164.6 a. w/Phragmites)
Emergent Nontidal 96.8 (includes
27.0 a. w/Phragmites)
Scrub-Shrub Tidal 17.2
Scrub-Shrub Nontidal 13.6
Emergent/Scrub-Shrub Tidal 28.0 (all
w/Phragmites)
Forested Tidal 47.1
Forested Nontidal 63.0
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Tidal 16.1
Scrub-Shrub/Forested Nontidal 66.7
-------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Vegetated 530.4
Unconsolidated Bottom Tidal 34.5
Unconsolidated Bottom Nontidal 54.0
Unconsolidated Shore Tidal 23.1
-------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
Subtotal Palustrine Nonvegetated 111.6
Total Palustrine 642.0
Riverine
Wetlands 7.5
GRAND
TOTAL – ALL WETLANDS 5,541.3
A
Century of Aquatic Habitat Changes in the Meadowlands
A
series of maps show the changes in wetlands from 1889 to 1995 (Figure 4 - map
panel). The first map shows the
approximate extent of wetlands in the study area in the late 1800s based on our
interpretation of an 1889 topographic map compiled by the State of
Table
11. Changes in the extent of wetlands
and deepwater habitats in the Meadowlands area from 1889 to 1995.
Year Wetland % of 1889 Deepwater Habitat % of 1889 Acreage Wetld Acreage (DWH) Acreage DWH Acreage
1889 20,045 100% 2,943
100%
1953/54 13,419 67% 2,847 97%
1966 10,650 53% 3,855 131%
1976 7,607 38% 2,624 89%
1984/85 5,739 29% 4,321 147%
1995 5,541 28% 4,336 147%
Table
12. Annual wetland loss rates for the
Meadowlands area.
Acreage Lost Loss Rate (acres/yr)
1889-1953/54 6,626 102
1953/54-1966 2,769 231
1966-1976 3,043 304
1976-1984/85 1,868 208
1984/85-1995 198 20
Figure
4. Sequence of maps showing the general
extent of wetland, water, and dryland
(upland)
in the Meadowlands study area from 1889 to 1995.
Click
for larger image
Discussion
John
Quinn’s “Fields of Sun and Grass: An Artist’s Journal of the New Jersey
Meadowlands” (Quinn 1997) presents a descriptive account of how the Meadowlands
have changed since early times. Much of
the following discussion is taken from this book.
While
the Meadowlands were used by native Americans to hunt game and gather other
foods, their most significant impact might have been burning marshes and
forests to flush out the game. More
lasting impacts to the Meadowlands probably began with European settlement of
the
Filling
of tidal wetlands and shallow aquatic habitats at the
By
1995, only 28 percent of the wetlands that occurred in the late 19th
Century remained, and most were severely degraded. The HMDC (now the New Jersey Meadowlands
Commission) has set aside more than 8,400 acres for open space, waterways, and
wetlands (Figure 5). Only one third of the wetlands in the District occurs
within the “Marshland Preservation Zone.”
Most wetlands within the designated Hackensack Meadowlands District are
located in areas zoned for development and may be considered at risk (Figure 6;
Table 13).
Despite
the degradation and destruction of habitat, the Meadowlands remain a viable
fish and wildlife resource. More than 265 species of birds use the area,
including numerous breeding species of concern, such as black-crowned night
heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), blue-winged teal (Anas discors),
northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), common moorhen (Gallinula
chloropus), American coot (Fulica americana), and spotted
sandpiper (Actitis macularia) (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et
al. 2000). The Meadowlands is recognized
as a major link along the Atlantic Flyway for migratory species (especially
shorebirds) and an important overwintering area for species including
canvasback (Aythya valisineria), redhead (Aythya americana),
bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), lesser scaup (Aythya affinis),
greater scaup (Aythya marila), ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis),
hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus), and common merganser (Mergus
merganser). It also serves as an
important food source for the detritus-based food web of the New York/New
Jersey Harbor Estuary ecosystem (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et al. 2000).
This urban wetland complex also provides significant natural aesthetics to the
surrounding built-up landscape and offers opportunities to millions of people
in the New York-Newark metropolitan area to see waterfowl (ducks, Canada geese
- Branta canadensis, common moorhen, and American coot), wading
birds (herons, egrets, glossy ibis - Plegadis falcinellus, and
occasionally the secretive least bittern - Ixobrychus exilis),
shorebirds, numerous passerines (especially red-winged blackbird - Agelaius
phoeniceus), muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), raccoons (Procyon
lotor), and other wildlife.
The
future of the Meadowlands remains in the hands of
Figure
5. Map showing preservation areas,
parks, and recreation areas in the Hackensack Meadowlands District. (Source: http://www.hmdc.state.nj.us)
Figure
6. Map showing zoning for the Hackensack
Meadowlands District. (Source: http://www.hmdc.state.nj.us)
Table 13. Extent of wetlands (including ponds) in designated zones within the Hackensack Meadowlands District. (Note: Our study area covers more area than this District.)
Acres of Acres
of Total
Estuarine
Palustrine Wetland
Zone Wetlands Wetlands Acres
Airport Facilities 0 186.5 186.5
Heavy Industrial 136.8 45.2 182.0
Highway Commercial 32.5 0 32.5
Island Residential 23.9 0 23.9
Light Industrial/Distr. A 371.9 27.5 399.4
Light Industrial/Distr. B 201.4 43.2 244.6
Limited Commercial 33.9 0 33.9
Low Density Residential 19.2 <0.1 19.2
Marshland Preservation 1,623.5 2.9 1,626.4
Park & Recreation 110.6 67.5 178.1
Parkside Residential 2 28.8 0 28.8
Parkside Residential 3 3.4 0 3.4
Planned Development Ctr 475.1 0 475.1
Public Utilities 110.6 2.6 113.2
Redevelopment Area 431.2 39.7 470.9
Special Use 1 36.6 0 36.6
Special Use 2 152.1 0 152.1
Special Use 3 148.7 1.6 150.3
Sports Complex 140.1 25.0 165.1
Transportation Center 1 0 31.3 31.3
Water 186.8 0.6 187.4
Waterfront Recreation 11.8 3.5 15.3
Wetlands Totals 4,431.6 477.1 4,908.7
The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the New Jersey Division of Fish
and Wildlife (NJDFW) have established the following goals for the Meadowlands
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2002):
·
Improve conditions for all native plant, fish and wildlife species
·
Clean up contaminated sites and reduce the effects of pollution on fish
and wildlife
·
Acquire, preserve, and restore remaining undeveloped tracts of land to
key functioning parts of the Meadowlands ecosystem
·
Control invasive and exotic species
·
Enhance, restore, and maintain ecosystem integrity
·
Increase public awareness and education about the Meadowlands and its
regional importance through an expanded number of public access points with the
Meadowlands, and by encouraging increased but ecologically responsible use of
these public access facilities
The
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) is acquiring wetlands and management
rights and making zoning changes (e.g., redevelopment zones to Marshland
Preservation Zone) in an effort to protect the remaining wetlands. Plans are also underway to restore the
Hackensack Meadowlands ecosystem. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the
Service, and the NJMC are working on a feasibility study that will provide the
foundation toward the development of a comprehensive restoration implementation
plan. Wetland restoration and enhancement
efforts include restoring tidal flow, removing contaminated soils, creating
open water areas, controlling invasive species (common reed – Phragmites
australis and purple loosestrife - Lythrum salicaria), and
regulating water levels (www.meadowlands.state.nj.us/eip/wetlands.html). Presently, the NJMC is implementing these
types of activities on 12 sites in the Meadowlands, while the NJDFW manages the
Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management Area.
The
main hope for the future of Meadowlands wetlands as well as for other urban
wetlands is that as many as possible will be set aside as open space for our
benefit and for future generations and that wetland restoration efforts will be
accelerated to revitalize significantly impacted wetlands and to rebuild lost
wetlands wherever practicable. Wetlands
are natural resources that, among other things, increase the quality of life
for urban residents across
Acknowledgments
Special
thanks go to Dr. Benjamin Tuggle for providing support for this study. Ralph Tiner served as principal investigator
for this project. He designed the study,
analyzed the data, and prepared the report.
Technical
support for this project was provided by Region 5 National Wetlands Inventory
staff. John Swords performed wetland
photointerpretation for the trends analysis, while interpretation of the 1995
photos to prepare updated NWI data was done by Lisa Reisner, Lauren McCubbin,
and Meaghan Shaffer. Bobbi Jo McClain
applied geographic information system (GIS) technology to prepare statistical
summaries and maps/figures for the report.
Herbert Bergquist and Gabriel DeAlessio assisted with GIS applications.
Staff
from the Service’s
The
Service’s New Jersey Field Office provided some background material used for
this report and reviewed the draft report.
References
Cowardin,
L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, and E.T. LaRoe.
1979. Classification of Wetlands
and Deepwater Habitats of the
Quinn,
J.R. 1997. Fields of Sun and Grass: An Artist’s Journal
of the New Jersey Meadowlands.
Robichaud,
B. and M. F. Buell. 1973. Vegetation of
U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Hackensack
Meadowlands Development Commission.
2000. Wildlife Management Plan
for the
[1] Most (56%) of the transitional land identified from 1966 to 1995 became industrial land by 1995, while 15% became transportation/communication facilities, 10% other urban built-up land, 7% institutional/governmental land, 5% residential, 4% transitional land (in 1995), 2% shrub rangeland, and 1% commercial development land.
[2] The difference between the extent of estuarine emergent wetland from 1984/85 to 1995 (204.6 acres) and the change of 204.7 acres of loss listed in Table 9 is due to round-off.
[3] The HMDC’s name was officially changed to the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission in August 2001 (http://www.hmdc.state.nj.us).