Losen Slote Creek Park

Category: Candidate Restoration/Preservation Site Losen Slote Creek Park

Location: Northwest of the Mehrhof Pond site and bordered to the west by Losen Slote Creek in Little Ferry, Bergen County.

Latitude/Longitude: 40.83756/-74.03893

Current Land Use: Freshwater wetland and public park

Size: 26 acres

Current Ownership: Borough of Little Ferry (NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement for public access.)

Site Description: The Losen Slote Creek Park site was part of the extensive plantation of Captain John Berry, an early Meadowlands landowner. During Captain Berry’s time, the area was a semi-wilderness of cedar swamps, cattails, and wet woodlands. In the 18th century, the site was harvested for salt hay from the tidal portions of the site. In the 19th century, the site was diked and drained, and as a result, much of the formerly tidal areas are now upland. The park was protected in 1990 per an agreement between the Town of Little Ferry and the NJMC. The recreational section of the park contains a two-acre children’s playground, a regulation-size roller hockey rink, and an educational and recreational resource area with outdoor classrooms. The undeveloped portion consists of an inner coastal plain lowland forest. A plant inventory was completed in 1991. Some existing wetlands on the property were enhanced in 1992; however, some areas onsite could still be enhanced. The park is located adjacent to the Bergen County Utilities Authority Nature Preserve. The site is one of the few remaining remnants of lowland forest in Bergen County.

Existing Site-Specific Data Inventory

A. Survey, Maps, and GIS

HMD regional data exists inclusive of this site. A survey was completed in 1987.

B. Real Estate/Ownership

Owned by Borough of Little Ferry. (NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement for public access.)

C. Site History & Land Use

Site history information was compiled in 1987.

D. Biological Studies – Fauna

No data obtained.

E. Biological Studies – General Environmental

Baseline wetland data and quality assessments conducted in 1991 for a zoning permit application.

F. Geotechnical

No data obtained.

G. Hydraulics and Hydrology

No data obtained.

H. Water and Sediments

No data obtained.

I. Historical/Cultural Resources

No data obtained.

J. Restoration/Remediation Design Plans

No data obtained.

Site Reports

Site #18 – Losen Slote Creek Park

Category: Candidate Restoration/Preservation Site

Location: Northwest of the Mehrhof Pond site and bordered to the west by Losen Slote Creek in Little Ferry, Bergen County.

Latitude/Longitude: 40.83756 / -74.03893

Current Land Use: Freshwater wetland and public park

Size: 26 acres

Current Ownership: Borough of Little Ferry (NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement for public access.)

Site Description: The Losen Slote Creek Park site was part of the extensive plantation of Captain John Berry, an early Meadowlands landowner. During Captain Berry’s time, the area was a semi-wilderness of cedar swamps, cattails, and wet woodlands. In the 18th century, the site was harvested for salt hay from the tidal portions of the site. In the 19th century, the site was diked and drained, and as a result, much of the formerly tidal areas are now upland. The park was protected in 1990 per an agreement between the Town of Little Ferry and the NJMC.

The recreational section of the park contains a two-acre children’s playground, a regulation-size roller hockey rink, and an educational and recreational resource area with outdoor classrooms. The undeveloped portion consists of an inner coastal plain lowland forest. A plant inventory was completed in 1991. Some existing wetlands on the property were enhanced in 1992; however, some areas onsite could still be enhanced. The park is located adjacent to the Bergen County Utilities Authority Nature Preserve. The site is one of the few remaining remnants of lowland forest in Bergen County.

Existing Site Specific Data Inventory

* – Report repeated under multiple data categories and/or sites.

A.  Survey, Maps, and GIS

Relevant survey, mapping, and GIS data for the Meadowlands can be found in the Meadowlands-wide site report under data category A.

1.      *Talge, H. Survey of the Losen Slote Creek Park and Adjacent Lands. August 1987. [4] Discusses the natural history of Losen Slote Creek Park, including maps.

B.   Real Estate/Ownership

Losen Slote Creek Park is owned by the Borough of Little Ferry, from whom NJMC has a 99-year lease agreement for public access.

C.  Site History & Land Use

2.      *Talge, H. Survey of the Losen Slote Creek Park and Adjacent Lands. August 1987. [4] Discusses the natural history of Losen Slote Creek Park, including maps.

D.  Biological Studies – Fauna

No data obtained.

E.   Biological Studies – General Environmental

3.      Paulus, Sokolowski, and Sartor, Inc. Zoning Certificate Application: Proposed Sludge Dewatering Facilities. Bergen County Utilities Authority. 1991. [1a] BCUA proposed to construct a sludge de-watering building in an existing, cleared area to implement the long-term sludge management plan. The application package included a completed application form, statement of compliance with environmental performance standards, and a wetland delineation survey. Included a review of the NWI maps and the HMDC Wetland Bio-zones Inventory, as well as an onsite soils/hydrology/vegetation investigation. The approximate limits of the wetland are shown on Plate 1, which is missing.

F.   Geotechnical

No data obtained.

G.  Hydraulics and Hydrology

No data obtained.

H.  Water and Sediments

No data obtained.

I.    Historical/Cultural Resources

No data obtained.

J.   Restoration/Remediation Design Plans

4.      HMDC. Losen Slote Creek Park Woods; Contract EI- 103. May 1992. [1a] Set of drawings of enhancement plans for Losen Slote Creek Park.

K. Bibliographic Updates                   

Site #18: Losen Slote Creek Park