Liberty State Park Natural Resource Restoration Project

LOCATION: The site is located at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, Hudson County, NJ

PROJECT GOALS: To create tidal and non-tidal wetlands, to enhance upland forest, grassland, and wetland habitats​, to improve park connectivity and public use, and to address site contamination to ensure health, safety, and welfare.

PURPOSE: Habitat enhancement and wetland creation at Liberty State Park. The restoration of the interior section, currently fenced off and inaccessible, will provide substantial benefit to the park by linking previously developed and restored, but isolated, components of the park into one cohesive whole.

PROJECT SUMMARY: Liberty State Park is an extraordinary and unique public resource. With the Jersey City and Manhattan skylines, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island as a spectacular backdrop, it is also one of New Jersey’s most dramatic and highly visited parks.

The Liberty State Park Natural Resource Restoration Project will feature the creation and enhancement of freshwater wetlands, the addition of saltmarsh habitat, and the dramatic enhancement of upland maritime habitat transforming this area into an ecological gem within Jersey City. The project includes an extensive complementary and fully integrated system of trails, paths, wildlife observation structures, and accompanying interpretive signage to provide for responsible and suitable public access to various habitat areas.

SCHEDULE: Preparation work begun in Fall 2023 and construction is scheduled to begin by 2026.

  • Fall 2025: Final 100% Engineered Design Complete
  • Fall 2025: Advertise Bid for Construction of Interior Restoration
  • Winter 2025-2026: Award Construction Contract for Interior Restoration
  • Spring 2026: Begin Construction

Past Public Stakeholder Meetings

The NJDEP is in the planning stages of designing a new area of Liberty State Park. We are seeking community feedback on the types of recreation you would like to see in the design.

Interior Restoration and Active Recreation Updates
June 3, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

NJDEP has continued to make progress toward the remediation of the park’s interior. To help inform decisions regarding active recreation, we also distributed a survey which received over 3600 responses. We shared the survey results, the remediation progress, and other updates at a virtual public meeting on June 3, 2021 at 6 p.m.

Ecological Restoration at Liberty State Park 
February 4, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

Options for Active Recreation Amenities
January 21, 2021

Remediation of the Interior of Liberty State Park
January 7, 2021

30% Design Concept Virtual Public Meeting

30% Design Concept Plan and Renderings

  • Concept Plan and Renderings
    Please be advised, the design for this project has not been completed and all concepts and renderings are subject to change.

60% Design

aerial image of liberty state park