If you step out of your house and go on Teaneck Road, just past the Care One Facility, on your left, you will end up at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy on Puffin Way. I have been there on many occasions, either by myself, or with my sister or one of my children. It is relaxing and peaceful because it is very quiet and you feel like you are far away from the hectic lives we all live on a normal basis. It is filled with greenery everywhere, scattered with some flowers here and there, depending on the season, and in some areas, you will find streams of water. The Teaneck Creek Conservancy was named one of New Jersey’s “Outdoor Treasures” by New Jersey Family Magazine in March 2018.

Recently, I went for a walk with my sister and we were lucky enough to see several deer. Unfortunately, when it came time to snap a photo, I was only able to capture one solo deer, but it was still lovely. The TCC is a 46-acre urban wetland system, which is part of Bergen County Overpeck Park, located just 10 miles from midtown Manhattan. The Teaneck Creek is home to many animals, such as coyotes, foxes, deer, box turtles and snap turtles, as well as monarch butterflies. Apparently, it also contains over 140 varieties of birds. I haven’t been lucky enough to capture any bird photos worthy of publishing, but I won’t give up. My sister is very quick at spotting many of the different colorful birds that like to frequent the area. A restoration plan currently pending with the Teaneck Creek Wetlands will ensure the continued preservation of the wetlands and allow more of the different animals to continue to migrate there throughout the year. In order to continue to enjoy these beautiful nature areas, we must keep these places free from debris and other garbage that is toxic to the animals and insects who inhabit these wetlands.

Accompanying this article are a few pictures from my walk with my sister in mid-July. Although I can’t always name the different flowers or plant life that I see when I travel to these nature parks or arboretums, I do enjoy sharing them with others.

Some of the flowers that bloom during mid and late August are zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias, lilies and alstroemeria. Petunias grown as annuals have one of the longest flowering seasons, starting mid-spring and continuing all the way to late fall.

The Teaneck Creek Conservancy is open year-round from 9 to 5 p.m. daily, is free of charge and is a nice place to go for a nature walk. It is located at 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ 07666.

By Rebecca Barkai

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