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Restoring Onondaga Creek

Environmental Action Lab

Restoring Onondaga Creek

Through a Syracuse Parks Department initiative, TEAL has adopted the Kirk Park section of the creek, taking on responsibility for its care and maintenance. This area will serve as the heart of our volunteer events and educational programs. By partnering with organizations like the Creek Rats, we will expand our impact, organizing restoration efforts across multiple locations.

Location

Kirk Park, Syracuse, NY

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Project Overview

Mission & Vision

The Onondaga Creek Restoration initiative is a community-led effort to revitalize an important natural resource through ecological care and environmental justice. TEAL has adopted the Kirk Park section of the creek, transforming it into a hub for restoration, education, and collective stewardship. Our mission is to restore the health of the creek while strengthening connections between people, land, and water through permaculture, community action, and environmental awareness.

Community Impact

The restoration of Onondaga Creek brings together neighbors, organizations, and volunteers to reimagine what urban ecology can look like. Through partnerships with local groups like the Creek Rats, we support efforts such as trash removal, invasive species management, native planting, and habitat creation across multiple areas of the watershed. These actions help restore biodiversity, support pollinators and local wildlife, and improve water quality throughout the community.

A thriving creek ecosystem provides essential benefits for nearby gardens, green spaces, and farms—offering natural pest control, pollination, and stronger ecological resilience. It also creates a healthier and more vibrant community environment, where access to clean, green spaces supports overall well-being and fosters pride in place.

Onondaga Creek Stewardship

Connecting our farm work to the broader watershed through water quality monitoring and environmental restoration efforts along Onondaga Creek.

Water Quality Monitoring

Our team regularly collects water quality data from Onondaga Creek to track environmental health indicators including pH levels, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and nutrient content. This ongoing monitoring helps us understand the creek's ecosystem health and the impact of urban runoff on local waterways.

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The data we collect contributes to broader community science efforts and helps inform restoration strategies. By understanding water quality patterns, we can better address pollution sources and advocate for watershed protection.

Creek Cleanup & Restoration

Regular community cleanup events along Onondaga Creek help remove litter, invasive vegetation, and debris that impact water quality and wildlife habitat. These hands-on restoration efforts bring neighbors together while making a direct positive impact on our local ecosystem.

​Beyond cleanup, we work to restore native vegetation along the creek banks, create wildlife corridors, and educate community members about the connection between urban activities and watershed health. Every piece of trash removed and every native plant restored helps improve our shared environment.

Support Our Environmental Work

Help us expand our projects and create lasting environmental change in communities across Brooklyn, Syracuse, and Puerto Rico.

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