This image features the view of the Manhattan skyline from atop Section 1/9 , the final resting place of the remains of the WTC site. It is imperative to highlight the care and respect with which DSNY approached these materials and also honor those who lost their lives on 9/11. As Freshkills Park is brought to life, it is important to emphasize the rich history and immense beauty of the land that those remains are now a part of.
photos below courtesy of Freshkills Park Alliance
A Black Swallowtail sits atop a budding plant in a vast field of stones and greenery. (Image Courtesy of Freshkills Park Alliance)
A bee sits atop a flower in a patch of leaves and weeds. (Image Courtesy of Freshkills Park Alliance)
Countless species of flora and fauna have called Freshkills home for millennia. Today, the park, and the final resting place of WTC remains, is home to a wide array of birds, plants, foxes, pollinators, fish, reptiles, and much more. Read on to learn about the history of the land and the wildlife that continues to flourish in the lush, rolling hills and thriving waters.
exploring the park now.
Want to learn about what’s happening at Freshkills Park now? Visit their blog, and read excerpts from their most recent publications below, to find out about development changes and updates related to wildlife and the environment.
Living Shoreline Researchers collecting data at Freshkills Park. (Image courtesy of Freshkills Park Alliance)
Bivalves And Waterfront Restoration
“Freshkills Park has ribbed mussels and oysters in its waters and shorelines; they are found in clusters and sometimes individuals attach to debris that is sunken in the water. With consistent shoreline clean ups at Freshkills, the accumulation of debris that washes in from the NYC waterways is minimized and the bivalves along the shoreline positively impact the clarity of the Park’s waters.”
Sedge Wren sits between thin green leaves. Photo credit: Dr. Shannon Curley via Freshkills Park Alliance.
Sedge Wren Return To Nest At Freshkills Park
“Sedge Wrens returning to breed at Freshkills Park for the second year in a row highlights the importance of this site to sensitive and regionally-rare grassland birds, as well as the potential of reclaiming landfills for green space. “
Four Ospreys stand atop their nest against the backdrop of grey skies. (Image Courtesy of Freshkills Park Alliance)
It’s Fledgling Season For The Osprey At Freshkills Park
“This year, Freshkills Park was home to seven successful nests, with 13 juveniles ready to fledge at any moment. The fledglings can be distinguished from the adults by the speckling on their wings, as well as a bright red iris, which will gradually change to yellow over the course of a few months.”
Wetlands from a distance. (Photo Credit; Alex MacLean; Image Courtesy of Freshkills Park Alliance)
In addition to a variety of pollinators, fish, foxes, and other wildlife, there are numerous possibilities for new and returning species to thrive and flourish due to ongoing restoration projects and tree growth! Read more about this in the news and in the archives:
In order to ensure that Freshkills Park is a flourishing, biodiverse, healthy ecosystem, it is necessary for environmental testing operations to run efficiently.
__“People from as far away as Europe visit us to inspect our gas and leachate collection systems because of their magnitude. So what we do on Staten Island is not done anywhere else on this scale.”
— Ted Nabavi, Urban Omnibus
birds of the park.
To see a list of birds spotted by birders at Freshkills Park visit the Freshkills Park hotspot page.
more in this exhibit
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Visit the virtual memorial wall, commemorating members of the DSNY community who we have lost to 9/11-related illnesses. You will always be remembered.
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Explore more photo collections from the DSNY archives, the NY State Museum, and members of the DSNY community.
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This exhibit is a starting point to learn more about DSNY and the 9/11 story. Explore more resources here, including online archives + virtual exhibits.