New Jersey Meadowlands

During the 20th century, much of the Meadowlands area was urbanized, and it became known for being the site of large landfills and decades of environmental abuse.

A variety of projects began in the late 20th century to restore and conserve the remaining ecological resources in the Meadowlands.

[2] Before European settlement, the area consisted of several diverse ecosystems based on freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater environments.

Considered by residents of the area through the centuries as wastelands, the Meadowlands were systematically subject to various kinds of human intervention.

In spite of this, the New Jersey Legislature, promoted by Richard W. DeKorte, created the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission in 1969 to attempt to address both economic and environmental issues concerning the wetland region.