A variety of programs are being offered at the Essex County Environmental Center during the month of October that will teach children and adults about nature and help them gain a greater appreciation and understanding of our environment. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. invites children and adults to visit the Environmental Center where they can enjoy an enriching recreation experience through nature and conservation activities and participate in the 5th Annual Octoberfest Celebration scheduled for Saturday, October 3rd.
"Our Environmental Center has become the premiere location for environmental education and nature appreciation. With the help of our partner groups, our dynamic schedule of events and activities will captivate all ages," DiVincenzo said. "Walk in our woods, discover habitats, get pointers on gardening, learn about nature photography and much more. It’s all about nature and it’s all at our Environmental Center," he added.
Events scheduled for October are as follows:
"Little Explorers Nature Program" is a child-caregiver class that uses stories, walks and crafts to develop an awareness and appreciation for science and nature for the child as well as the caregiver. Each week, a different nature or science topic is covered. Space is limited. Advance registration and payment is required. Cost is $5 per child per session (additional material fees may apply).
Little Explorers Nature Program will be held as follows:
Dates: Thursdays from October 1 to November 19, 2009
Times: 10 a.m. for ages 18 months to 3 years 1 p.m. OR 3 p.m. for ages 3 to 5 years
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"5th Annual Octoberfest Fall Family Celebration" is an all-day event for the whole family to enjoy. There will be fun-filled activities, including a farmer’s market featuring a variety of NJ Fresh seasonal produce, games, canoeing, Native American life, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, nature crafts, food and more. Admission is free. Some items may be for sale.
Octoberfest will be held as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Nature Art Club – Organic Crafts for Children" is appropriate for children ages 7 to 12. Explore the connections between nature and art in each creative, hands-on workshop designed to introduce club members to new, fun and imaginative projects. Projects vary from painting with plants to creating a 24-hour glow-in-the-dark terrarium. Space is limited. Advance registration and payment is required. Cost is $5 per child per session (additional material fees may apply).
Nature Art Club will be held as follows:
Dates: Wednesdays, October 7 & 21; November 18, 2009
Times: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Learning Lightroom" will be presented by the Essex County Nature Photography Club. Essex County Nature Photography Club member Nath Kaplan will discuss and explain the workings of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software, which is designed specifically for professional and advanced amateur photographers. Lightroom is a work-flow management/image processing tool that enables users to import, process, manage, and showcase large volumes of digital photographs so less time is needed to sort and organize images, and more time can be spent on shooting and perfecting them. Cost is $7 per adult and free for ECNP members.
Learning Lightroom will be held as follows:
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Birding Hike in Essex County Grover Cleveland Park" will be presented by the New Jersey Audubon Society. Participants will visit this beautiful Essex County park and explore a nearby reserve in Essex Fells. Space is limited. The hike is free. Contact Kelly Wenzel at 973-226-6082 for more information and to register.
Birding Hike will be held as follows:
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2009
Time: 9 a.m.
Place: Essex County Grover Cleveland Park, Brookside Drive and Runnymede Road, Caldwell/Essex Fells, NJ
"Birding Hike in the Hatfield Swamp" will be presented by the New Jersey Audubon Society. Participants will have a great chance to see migrating birds and some native wildlife. Dress appropriate for the weather. Meet at the parking lot of King’s Grocery in West Caldwell. Space is limited. Cost is $6 for NJAS members and $8 for non-members. Contact Kelly Wenzel at 973-226-6082 for more information and to register.
Birding Hike will be held as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Place: King’s Supermarket near the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Passaic Street, West Caldwell, NJ
"Fall Discovery Walk with Cider Tasting" is a perfect outing for the whole family to enjoy. Discover the seasonal changes taking place this autumn while walking the trails around the Essex County Environmental Center and sipping fresh pressed apple cider. Advanced registration required. Cost is $5 per child, $7 per adult and $9 per family.
Fall Discovery Walk will be held as follows:
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009
Time: 12 Noon
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Bug Club" is appropriate for children ages 6 to 10. This club is for young people who want to explore the wonders of insects through field walks, games, stories and crafts. Learn how butterflies migrate, watch dragonflies dance, discover who is living under that log and investigate where insects fit into the food web. Space is limited. Advance registration and payment is required. Cost is $5 per child per session (additional material fees may apply).
Bug Club will be held as follows:
Dates: Tuesdays, October 13 & November 17, 2009
Times: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Food for Life: Saving the Environment with Your Fork" is sponsored by the West Essex Park Conservancy and the Essex Sierra Club Singles Group. Suzanne Dragan, Director of Food for Life, will discuss the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based vegetarian diet. Food for Life strives to improve the public’s health by promoting a plant-based vegetarian diet which is good for people, animals and the environment. Free recipes will be provided and savory nutritious treats can be sampled. Cost is $7 per adult and free for WEPC/Sierra Club members.
Food for Life will be held as follows:
Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Green Thumb Club – Garden Wizardry for Kids" is geared for children ages 5 to 11. This gardening club offers the history, wild stories and insights into many of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy every day. Projects to enjoy onsite or take home will be offered at each session. Space is limited. Advance registration and payment is required. Cost is $5 per child per session (additional material fees may apply).
Green Thumb Club will be held as follows:
Dates: Wednesdays, October 14 & 28; November 4 & 25, 2009
Times: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Rock-N-Roll Geology Club" is geared for children ages 6 to 12. Rocks are used every day –in roads, buildings, electronics, jewelry, body care products and more! Learn about local rocks and start an amazing rock collection. Space is limited. Advance registration and payment is required. Cost is $5 per child per session (additional material fees may apply).
Rock-N-Roll Geology Club will be held as follows:
Dates: Thursdays, October 15 & November 19, 2009
Times: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Storm-Water Management in Your Backyard" is a three-part workshop presented by the Rutgers University Cooperative Research and Extension Water Resources Program. It is geared toward homeowners and environmental enthusiasts wishing to become more familiar with storm-water pollution. The presentation will include background information in the areas of stream ecology, urban hydrology, pollution sources and federal/state regulations, as well as offer information on some of the latest storm-water best management practices. The final component will discuss management practices, rain gardens and rain barrels for homeowners wishing to do their part. Cost is $15 per adult for all three sessions. (An additional materials fee of $35 is required for the Rain Barrel program on November 7th. Participants will leave class with a ready-to-use rain barrel made from a re-used 55-gallon plastic container.)
Storm-Water Management will be held as follows:
Dates and Times: Thursdays, October 15 & 29, 2009 at 7 p.m. AND Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Full Moon Hike" is appropriate for all ages. Walk the trails around the Essex County Environmental Center and experience the night life under the light of the moon. Discover crepuscular creatures on a feeding frenzy before the long winter ahead. The hike will be followed with a campfire and roasting of marshmallows. Bring flashlights. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Advanced registration required. Cost is $5 per child, $7 per adult and $9 per family.
Full Moon Hike will be held as follows:
Date: Friday, October 16, 2009
Time: 6 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Green Kids Club" is geared for children ages 9 to 14. This exciting after-school program engages students in fun nature-based activities while educating them on environmental issues. This club fosters an ethic of stewardship and offers young people the opportunity to take part in hands-on conservation and restoration projects. Space is limited. Advance registration and payment is required. Cost is $5 per child per session (additional material fees not included).
Green Kids Club will be held as follows:
Dates: Tuesdays, October 20 and November 24, 2009
Times: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Birding Hike in Essex County Branch Brook Park" will be presented by the New Jersey Audubon Society. Take a leisurely walk in this Olmstead-designed park. It is beautifully laid out, and attracts a variety of birds in any season. Meet at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center parking lot. Space is limited. The hike is free. Contact Kelly Wenzel at 973-226-6082 for more information and to register.
Birding Hike will be held as follows:
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009
Time: 9 a.m.
Place: Essex County Branch Brook Park, Cherry Blossom Welcome Center Near Mill Street, Newark, NJ
"New Jersey Woodturners" will be presented by the New Jersey Woodturners Association. Discover the wonders of creating art from found pieces of wood, wood species, and turning tips and techniques. Topics vary month to month; call the Environmental Center for details. Cost is $7 per adult and free for NJWA members.
New Jersey Woodturners will be held as follows:
Date: Monday, October 26, 2009
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, Garibaldi Hall, 621A Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
"Recovery: New Jersey Wildlife Habitat Renewal" is an exhibit of ceramic sculptures and paintings created by South Mountain Conservancy board member and Maplewood resident Tricia Zimic. This is the first of a series of shows in which this expanding body of work will be displayed throughout NJ environmental centers, culminating in a major museum show in 2011. Zimic’s artistic focus in this series is on endangered species and New Jersey landscapes that are dwindling or now gone because of urban sprawl and the failure to take care of our lands. The artistic message is revealed through the juxtaposition of decaying New Jersey landscapes and the persistence of wildlife, striking the viewer on both a visceral and intellectual level. The exhibit will be on display at the Environmental Center until November 30th. Light refreshments provided. Admission is free.
The Opening Reception will be held as follows:
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ
Registration is required for all programs at the Essex County Environmental Center, unless otherwise noted. For more information or to register, please call 973-228-8776.