About
Registration is accepted in-person, by mail or can be completed online.
The Essex County Environmental Center is an environmental education center with a mission to create awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the environment and its relationship to Essex County residents. The Center is dedicated to uniting its twenty-two communities through integrated educational programs including hands-on activities.
The Center, a facility of the Essex County Park System, is located in Essex County West Essex Park, a wooded wetland habitat with access to the Passaic River which makes for an interesting and affordable site to book a naturalist led field trip for school groups, scouts, adult and community groups. This state-of-the-art facility was constructed as an environmentally sensitive building using natural and recycled materials and innovative energy saving technologies.
To fulfill its mission, the Center has established partnerships with the following environmental organizations: *NJ Audubon *Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County— including the Rutgers Master Gardener and 4 H Youth Development programs *Essex County Environmental Commission *Essex County Beekeepers *NJ Woodturners *
The following services are offered by the Center year-round:
Public Programs for All Ages— Toddler through Senior
Field trip and/or Outreach Programs for School, Scout, Adult and/or Community Groups
Lenape Learning Programs
Professional Development Workshops for Educators
Special Seasonal Events— Butterfly Tent Safari, Earth Day, Arbor Day, and Octoberfest Fall Family Celebration
Youth Camps—Spring, Summer, Winter and Holiday Camps
Contests—Parks Photography, gARTbage Art and Forest Feeder
Adult Yoga and Meditation Programs
Tot and Pre-K Little Explorer Nature Programs
Interactive Energy and Conservation Exhibits
Nature-themed After-School Clubs
Nature-themed Birthday Parties
*Rental Opportunities Available (Rooms, Facilities and Grounds)
