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 22 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, and topped by a “green roof” for the purpose of storm-water management, among other things.

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 with Traditional Earth Skills LLC
• 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—Nature Photography and Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest
• 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)

Age Groups	Children Adolescents Adults Seniors
Community Services	Arts & Recreation Art / Writing / Poetry Music / Dance / Theater Recreation / Social / Sports Community Volunteer Opportunities Education Adult Education / Literacy School-Based Services Seasonal Programs Holidays Summer Camp

Last Updated: 10/18/23