Building hours: Monday to
Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00
p.m. / Closed Sundays
Closings:
New Years’ Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day,
Election Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving &
Christmas Day.
Trails:
Open dawn to dusk seven days a week.
THE PARTNERSHIP
New Jersey Audubon and the
County of Essex have entered into an educational
programming partnership at
the
Essex County Environmental Center.
NJAS provides Outreach Programs for all ages and groups, Birding Field
Trips in Essex County,
Saturday Family Programs and Summer
Nature Day Camp.
FAMILY PROGRAMS
Join New Jersey Audubon for
family adventures in the wooded wetland habitat found at the
Essex County Environmental Center.
Experience the outdoors in a fun and safe way that is great for
the entire family. Each program features hands-on
activities and a hike.
All programs are held rain or shine and are designed for
children in Kindergarten to 3rd grade.
Program space is limited so please call 973.226.6082 or email
Kelly
to
register.
The cost for each program is $5 for NJAS Members and $7 for
non-Members.
FATHER'S DAY RIVER PLAY
Saturday, June 20
10:30 a.m. to noon
Enjoy the outdoors with Dad! Walk
through the Passaic River flood plain and play in the mud to
discover who lives beneath and what it they tell us about the
river. Boots and equipment provided.
BIRD WATCHING FIELD TRIPS
Led By Dave Hall, Associate Naturalist
Have you ever
wanted to "bird watch" but don't know where to begin?
Would you like to find some of the hidden gems in Essex County?
Let New Jersey Audubon be your guide!
Walks encourage beginners and challenge experts!
Early morning summer walks to enjoy the rich diversity of Essex
County parks. Summer is the time to see, hear, and learn the
species of birds that nest in Essex County. Early migrants could
begin passing through by late July. Peak flights of migrant
hummingbirds will occur the last week of August in Hatfield
Swamp.
Space is limited; please contact Kelly Wenzel at 973.226.6082
for more information and to register.
Cost: $6 members, $8 nonmembers.
Program space is
limited so please call 973.226.6082 or email
Kelly to register.
The cost for each program is $6 for NJAS Members and $8 for
non-Members.
Saturday Morning Walks
HATFIELD SWAMP
Saturday, May 23
8 to11 AM
This is the peak of spring migration, and birds should
be very diverse, including warblers in full song. Footing may be
wet. Hatfield Swamp Meet at King’s supermarket parking lot
in West Caldwell.
SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION
Saturday, June 13
8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
We will hike the trails of this large county park in search of
nesting birds, including Orioles, Bluebirds and Woodpeckers.
Meet at the Turtle Back Zoo parking lot.
HATFIELD SWAMP
Saturday, July 11
8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
This gem has many of the best breeding birds in Essex County.
Bring bug repellant.
Meet at the Kings parking lot in West Caldwell, close to Passaic
Avenue.
This trip will be lead by Kelly Wenzel.
HATFIELD SWAMP
Saturday, August 29
8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Explore under the power lines for migrant hummingbirds and other
early fall migrants. Bring bug repellant. Meet at the Kings
parking lot in West Caldwell, close to Passaic Avenue.
Thursday Morning Walks
TROY MEADOWS
Thursday, May 28
8 to 11 AM
Troy Meadows is one of the hidden gems of the Passaic River
Valley. We will seek nesting birds of a wet meadow and a
palustrine forest. Meet at the Essex County
Environmental Center in Roseland.
ESSEX COUNTY BECKER FARM TRACT
Thursday, June 11
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
We will look for late migrants, and breeding orioles, wrens and
other birds of summer. Meet at the Environmental Center in
Roseland.
EAGLE ROCK RESERVATION
Thursday, June 18
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Take a pleasant woodland ramble looking for the birds of summer.
Meet at the Memorial Plaza parking lot overlooking New York
City.
BRANCH BROOK PARK
Thursday, July 2
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
A walk through some of the paths of this varied park scene, that
holds a surprising variety of birdlife, from forest birds to
ducks and herons. Meet at the Northern Visitor’s Center.
WEEQUAHIC PARK
Thursday, July 23
9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Take an easy midsummer tour of breeding birds around the lake,
including ducks and swans. Meet at the parking lot
at the east end of the lake.
BROOKDALE PARK
Thursday, August 6
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Tour the Rose Garden and a search for late summer birds. Meet at
the Grandstand parking lot, near the playground.
GROVER CLEVELAND PARK
Thursday, August 27
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
We will circle the park, and also tour a nearby bird sanctuary
in Essex Fells. Meet at the tennis courts of Grover Cleveland
Park.
NJAS
in partnership with the Essex County Environmental Center also
offers
SUMMER NATURE DAY CAMP
Please Note: The August
sale is not occurring at the
Essex County Environmental Center.
Please visit one of the other 9 staffed
centers to enjoy HUGE discounts on quality merchandise.
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Become
a Family Member of NJ Audubon for just $35*
and save when you register for programs!
If you are
not a member and would like to become one, consider
joining
New Jersey Audubon Society.
*special
rate for new members only…regular rate $45 |
HISTORY OF THE SITE
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The Essex County Environmental Center is a facility of the
Essex County Park System. It is located in West
Essex Park which stretches along six miles of the
Passaic River starting at Bloomfield Avenue in Fairfield
and ending just beyond South Orange Avenue in
Livingston. The immediate grounds of the Essex
County Environmental Center include approximately 1 mile
of trails in a wooded wetland habitat with access to the
Upper Passaic River. Also on site are the newly
renovated Garibaldi Hall, fishing and boating areas, a
greenhouse and gardens, a raised boardwalk, and picnic
areas. The former Park Commission first began
acquiring land for West Essex Park in 1955. Money to
purchase the first piece of property came in part from
the sale of Oraton Parkway to the New Jersey Highway
Authority. Over subsequent years, other land was
purchased from more than 70 individual landowners.
The Center for Environmental Studies was established in
1972 and functioned for over 23 years as a place to
educate students about the environment. It was
officially closed in 1995 due to lack of funding but
organizations such as Rutgers Cooperative Extension, the
4-H, and Master Gardeners continued providing services
and programs at the site on a limited basis to meet the
needs of the community.
Essex County Environmental Center was
dedicated and opened
in May 2005. This state-of-the-art facility was
constructed as an environmentally sensitive building
using natural and recycled materials, innovative energy
saving technologies, and topped by a "green roof" for
the purpose of storm-water management. It also
houses a large public meeting room, interactive
exhibits, a wet lab, and a library.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Essex County Environmental
Center is dedicated to creating awareness, understanding
and appreciation of the environment and its relationship
to Essex County residents. Essex County Environmental
Center is devoted to uniting its twenty-two municipalities through developing and delivering holistic
educational programs and action projects that foster earth
stewardship to the County’s diverse populations and
habitats. The Essex County Environmental Center promotes
environmental sustainability and encourages individuals
and communities to live responsible lifestyles that
minimally compromise the earth’s resources planning for
the future of Essex County.
Click
here to visit the Essex County Environmental Center website.
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DIRECTIONS
From Livingston:
Drive north on Eisenhower Parkway to Eagle Rock
Avenue.
Turn left on Eagle Rock Avenue.
Follow “From Eagle Rock Avenue/Eisenhower Parkway intersection” below.
From Garden State Parkway North and South:
Take exit 145 NJPAC/Newark/280. Bear left off exit
to merge onto 280 West/The Oranges. Follow directions below from 280 W.
From Route 280 East or West:
Take exit 4A – Eisenhower Parkway South.
Continue to the light and turn right on to Eagle Rock Avenue. Proceed
approximately ¼ mile to the Center on the left.
Follow “From Eagle Rock Avenue/Eisenhower Parkway intersection” below.
From Eagle Rock Avenue/Eisenhower Parkway
intersection:
Drive west on Eagle Rock Avenue for about ¼ mile.
(You will pass 2 office buildings on the left; Ultimate Trading Corp. and ITW:
American Safety Technologies, Inc.)
*Note: The driveway entrance is difficult to see.
As soon as you see the “SLOW” markings on the road slow down. The driveway is
immediately after the 2nd office building on the left.
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