New Jersey starts 112-acre forest wetland restoration along Raritan River

The Story in Brief

A 112-acre restoration project has begun along the Raritan River in New Jersey to convert retired agricultural fields into forested and scrub-shrub floodplain habitat, compensating for contamination from the American Cyanamid Superfund Site, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said. The project on land owned by Duke Farms will plant about 50,000 native trees and shrubs, control invasive plants, create three acres of vernal pools, and install a deer fence.

The work follows a settlement finalised on July 16, 2024, between the US Department of Justice, New Jersey and Wyeth Holdings LLC. The restoration includes 15 years of monitoring and adaptive management. Floodplain forests, among the most biologically diverse habitats in the region, are expected to benefit birds, bats and amphibians, while also improving water quality and flood storage.