Essex County Environmental Center

05/29/2026

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY 2026
Saturday, June 6; 9am to 1pm
For all ages. Celebrate the first annual National Trails Day with the Essex County Parks Department! A variety of hikes for all ages and abilities will be offered in select Essex County Parks locations, led by the Essex County Environmental Center, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo and our partner organizations—South Mountain Conservancy, Hilltop Conservancy, Branch Brook Park Alliance, NYNJ Trail Conference, and the New York City Parks Plant Ecology Center and Nursery (PECaN). FREE
For details and to register, click here
https://essexcountyparks.org/.../national-trails-day-2026

05/22/2026

Unleash yout Teen's Inner Leader!
Join our TEEN TRAILBLAZER CAMP

June 29th through July 2nd (4-day camp)
Monday to Thursday; 9:30am to 1:30pm; $320 per child per week
For ages 13 to 16. Captain a canoe! Navigate the trail! Lead a frog pond exploration! Learn First Aid! Through teambuilding and outdoor adventures, this program gives teens the confidence, motivation, and skills to become leaders.
REGISTER HERE
https://my.hornblower.com/assets/scripts/checkout.html?propertyID=ecec&bookingTypeId=1114771%20

Held at Essex County Environmental Center, 621b Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ 07068

Scholarships are available for families in need through acquired grant funding.

For more information, please contact David Alexander,
[email protected].

05/21/2026

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY 2026
Saturday, June 6; 9am to 1pm
For all ages. Celebrate the first annual National Trails Day with the Essex County Parks Department! A variety of hikes for all ages and abilities will be offered in select Essex County Parks locations, led by the Essex County Environmental Center, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo and our partner organizations—South Mountain Conservancy, Hilltop Conservancy, Branch Brook Park Alliance, NYNJ Trail Conference, and the New York City Parks Plant Ecology Center and Nursery (PECaN). FREE

For details and to register, click here
https://essexcountyparks.org/facilities/environmental-center/calendar/national-trails-day-2026

04/23/2026

04/23/2026

Due to the forecast of inclement weather, Earth Day at the Essex County Environmental Center has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 26th from 11 AM to 3 PM.

04/22/2026

🌎🌿 Happy Earth Day from the Essex County Parks System! 🌿🌎

Today, we celebrate the beauty and importance of our natural spaces—from the blooming landscapes of Essex County Branch Brook Park to the serene trails of South Mountain Reservation and beyond. With 24 parks and 4 reservations, Essex County is proud to protect and preserve these green spaces for generations to come.

Join us in honoring our planet by getting outside, exploring your local park, and doing your part to keep our environment clean and thriving. 🌱♻️

🌱 Celebrate with us! Join us for our Earth Day event at the Essex County Environmental Center on Sunday, April 26th from 11 AM to 3 PM. Enjoy a fun-filled day of crafts, games, eco-friendly vendors, and outdoor activities for all ages as we come together to appreciate and protect our planet.

04/20/2026

MASTER GARDENER PLANT SALE
Saturday, May 9; 9am to 3pm
For all ages. Stop by the Rutgers Master Gardener’s annual plant sale for a wide variety of annuals, perennials, ornamentals, shrubs, small trees, tomatoes and herbs. Master Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale will also be hosted at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, 474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair, on Friday, May 1 from 10am to 4pm and Saturday, May 2 from 9am to 3pm. For more details, call the Rutgers Master Gardeners’ Helpline at 973.228.2210 from Monday to Thursday between 10am and 2pm.

Admission is FREE but plants will be for sale.

04/20/2026

COLORFUL BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY
Thursday, May 7; 6-7:30pm
For families. We are lucky to have a diversity of backyard birds in our neighborhood including American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal and Eastern Bluebird. We’ll explore what makes birds unique by examining beaks, wingspan, weight and bird song. Then we’ll explore our trails with binoculars for inspiration to then use our creativity and watercolors to paint representations of our favorite birds. Fee: $12 per child and $15 per adult

Register Here:
https://essexcountyparks.org/facilities/environmental-center/calendar/colorful-birds-of-new-jersey

Held at Essex County Environmental Center, 621b Eagle Rock Ave, Roseland, NJ 07068

04/20/2026

Last chance to register for Garden Club! We hope you'll join us!

04/17/2026

Congratulations Aaditya Reddy, Troop 115, Short Hills on the completion of his Eagle Scout Project!
Arshaan is to be commended for planning, supervising, and constructing Native Pollinator Hotels for the Essex County Environmental Center. His leadership and volunteerism set a fine example and his pursuit of becoming an Eagle Scout is greatly admired. We look forward to him achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in the near future.

To inquire about scout, service and conservation themed projects, email David at [email protected]