SECAUCUS – The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) has received a $3,870 joint grant from the Bergen County and National Audubon societies to fund new plantings at Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus. Native shrubs, grasses and perennials will be installed at the entrance to the marsh’s trail and along the nature path to create habitats for songbirds and butterflies.
“The NJSEA is grateful to the Bergen County and National Audubon societies for their generous support in helping the Authority to enhance its valuable environmental resources,” said Wayne Hasenbalg, president and CEO of the NJSEA. “The plantings funded by this grant will benefit Mill Creek Marsh both environmentally and aesthetically by increasing wildlife habitat while heightening public enjoyment of the Meadowlands’ natural beauty.”
The plantings are part of the Mill Creek Marsh trail renovation project to repair damage incurred during several past storms, including Superstorm Sandy. The trail is currently closed and will reopen in the fall. Approximately 300 native herbaceous shrubs and perennials, including Red twig dogwood, Spicebush, Coneflower and Black-eyed Susans, will grow at the entrance to and along the trail. These plant species will help attract butterflies, which are not currently abundant in the area.
Hundreds of nature lovers each year traverse the Mill Creek Marsh trail and paddle in the marsh itself. The scenic, one-mile path provides breathtaking views of the wetlands and the New York City skyline that frames the 209-acre natural area. The dozens of Ancient White Cedar stumps that dot the marsh are the last remnants of a primeval forest that once covered a third of the Meadowlands for hundreds of years. The stumps serve as perches for egrets and shorebirds, making the marsh an especially popular destination for bird watchers.
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