Welcome To The Demarest Nature Center
The Demarest Nature Center is located in Demarest, NJ, USA, and is open to all persons, residents and non-residents alike, every day of the year. In addition to preserving and protecting important open space here in the midst of a large metropolitan area, the center seeks to educate young and old alike as to the beauty of nature and the importance of protecting our environment.
We, the trustees of the Demarest Nature Center Association, encourage you to use this site to find out more about the Demarest Nature Center and its programs. Click on the topic of your choice and find out more; the links will tell you about the Center, introduce you to our events and endeavors, and also take you to other nearby nature centers, as well as environmental organizations, National Parks, and suggestions for things to do.
The site is constantly growing and being updated, so we hope you will come back again and again.

It would likely be complicated, messy and involve big lawsuits, according to experts and former officials. more

Scientists find out how the epic deep sea migration of a tiny animal is storing planet-warming carbon. more

Mongabay India won an excellence in audio reporting award recently from the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA). The award was for the limited series podcast Wild Frequencies. SOPA, which more

A new report by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) finds that more than half of the 95 legal cases initiated around the world since 2009 by those more

Since the first scientific critiques of fossil fuels, oil companies have gone from being the “wealth of nations” to “destroyers of the planet.” In financial market terms, they have become more

TAPLEJUNG, Nepal — In the misty hills of eastern Nepal near the border with India, 48-year-old farmer Surya Bhattarai patrols the steep slopes of Sudap Community Forest in Taplejung district. more

As oil companies push for drilling on the Amazon coast, an underwater war silences the ocean’s most vocal creatures. more

Among Indigenous Naga tribes in India’s northeastern state of Nagaland, hunting traditions are transforming as cheap homemade guns make targeting commercially valuable large mammals easier, a recent study finds. “Indigenous more
Election Day in New York City was a scorcher. Temperatures at Kennedy Airport reached 102 degrees last Tuesday, making it the city’s hottest June day since 1948. Average June temperatures more
As autocratic regimes around the world increasingly step up attacks on scientists and academic freedom, a team of researchers has published a new anti-autocracy handbook to help scientists protect their more
Governments’ existing human rights obligations require them to do all they can to mitigate the harms of the climate crisis, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights concluded in a new more
In the end, President Donald Trump’s giant tax and spending plan rocketed past both fiscal hawks and social moderates in the House with no changes on Thursday. The $4 trillion more
Provisions in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act phasing out tax breaks for solar and wind projects would stunt such development in Texas and make these renewable energy sources more
CHICAGO—Southwest Side residents implored city health and planning officials last week to reconsider the future of two century-old towering grain elevators, empty for years, that an asphalt company wants to more

Once Trump signs the megabill, the country will no longer have a federal plan to address the climate crisis. more

From Alaska to Arizona, tribes are confronting the possibility of stalled projects, energy outages, and economic disruption. more
Juanita Constible has analyzed state workplace heat standards across the United States for the Natural Resources Defense Council since 2018. But she first encountered heat stress as a wildlife biologist more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency placed 139 employees on administrative leave Thursday, an agency spokesperson confirmed, after they signed a “Stand Up for Science” petition using their official titles and more

NAIROBI — Swarms of desert locusts are moving across parts of North Africa. With unusually heavy rains in late 2024 supporting growth of vegetation, and rising temperatures since February 2025 more

Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon are working to revive populations of the aguaje palm tree, commercially valued for its fruits, by shifting to more sustainable harvesting practices, Mongabay’s Aimee more

African Parks has generated $7.35 million in carbon credit sales from Chinko National Park in the Central African Republic, Helge Mahne, global funding director for African Parks, confirmed to Mongabay more

Hands on with the new research at this year’s Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition more

A recent conservation initiative is closely monitoring the return of 20 critically endangered red-crowned roofed turtles in India’s Ganga River, where the species was nearly wiped out, reports Mongabay India’s more

Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Sandhya Sekar never intended to lead a newsroom. Trained as an ecologist with more

MethaneSat was meant to keep track of potent greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas production. more

MethaneSat was meant to keep track of potent greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas production. more
Last year Meta identified 135 materials that could potentially be used to draw down carbon dioxide, work it described as "groundbreaking." But when scientists tried to reproduce the results, they more

At Abdullahpur Government Primary School in Akhaura area, in eastern Bangladesh’s Brahmanbaria district, the day begins with the stench of sewage wafting from an adjacent canal, Katakhal. Located in eastern more

A family of giant river otters was released into the Iberá National Park in northeast Argentina on July 1. The endangered species, with no known breeding populations in Argentina over more
MOSS LANDING, Calif.—Vernon Trindade learned the water from the well he was digging wasn’t safe to drink around 1985 when he and his wife were building a live-work space with more
President Donald Trump landed this week on an airstrip in the Florida Everglades for a visit to a swiftly assembled detention facility that federal and state officials say will house more

The bill, which just passed Congress, is a bailout for commodity growers and leaves small farmers — and U.S. consumers — out to dry. more

A new study has shown the first habitat suitability model for the endangered bear cuscus in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi, showing its limited and fragmented range, much of which is threatened more

The freeze comes after six price hikes in three years. more
Canary Media’s “ Electrified Life ” column shares real-world tales, tips, and insights to demystify what individuals can do to shift their homes and lives to clean electric power. As more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . Congress moved one step closer to passing President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” this week — and with more

Pacing paw-to-paw, the fishing cat hisses. About twice the size of a domestic cat, its grey-green eyes fix on the keeper who carries a tub of tilapia on the other more
Congress has passed President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” taking an axe to clean energy, though it was slightly blunted in Senate negotiations earlier this week. On Thursday, the House more

Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR), a California nonprofit that focuses on rural economic development, has canceled plans to build two industrial-scale wood pellet plants in the state. The organization cited more

Saiga antelopes, among the most ancient living mammals, are set to be reintroduced to China 75 years after they went extinct in the region, thanks to a donation of 1,500 more

Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Once vanishing from view in the dense Atlantic Forest, jaguars are again stalking the more

A sweeping reform to the California Environmental Quality Act has divided environmentalists and climate advocates. more

Catholic bishops representing more than 800 million people across the Global South, for the first time in history, issued a joint statement demanding an “ambitious implementation” of the Paris Agreement. more

Tools to address PFAS pollution are limited. Here's what researchers are learning about how these chemicals travel through the environment — and what farmers and landowners can do about it. more
State legislators pushing to unravel North Carolina’s climate law say their bill will give utility Duke Energy more leeway to build new gas and nuclear power plants and save its more

A DNA bone test on a man who lived 4,500 years ago sheds new light on the rise of Ancient Egypt. more

One year ago, Cambodia jailed five activists from the award-winning environmentalist group Mother Nature Cambodia for plotting against the government, after they had sounded the alarm about river pollution and more

From Shakespeare’s plays to William Wordsworth’s poetry to J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy realms, Britain’s lush green forests are described as a paradise of trees. Thousands of species have called these oak, more
A decade after Flint, Michigan, was beset by widespread lead contamination, officials confirmed the city has replaced its lead pipes, as ordered by a federal court.Read more on E360 → more

It says drought has compounded poverty, hunger, and energy insecurity worldwide. more

It says drought has compounded poverty, hunger, and energy insecurity worldwide. more

In a decision welcomed by advocacy groups and researchers, South Africa’s Cabinet has approved a ban on the import of Terbufos, a highly toxic pesticide linked to the deaths of more

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish authorities say two people have died in northeastern Spain in a wildfire that spread quickly before firefighters brought it under control. Catalan regional president Salvador more

In Colombia’s Middle Magdalena region, a patchwork of forest corridors is linking up isolated populations of the critically endangered brown spider monkey (Ateles hybridus). Composed of native and fruit-bearing trees, more

ANTANANARIVO — Researchers studying a coral disease that has devastated reefs across the Caribbean say they’ve come up with a promising treatment that avoids the long-term harm associated with antibiotics, more

A new report documents how cities around the world are becoming more liveable and sustainable in the face of climate change. more
RENO, Nev. — I was supposed to be looking at the largest energy-storage installation ever assembled from used electric-vehicle batteries, the tantalizing new side project of former Tesla Chief Technology more

We take a look at river, reservoir and groundwater levels after a particularly dry few months. more

We take a look at river, reservoir and groundwater levels after a particularly dry few months. more
Critics are calling it "the most anti-environmental bill of all time." more

Jean-Gaël “JG” Collomb says community-based conservation organizations know best how to tackle the complex conservation challenges unique to their ecosystems. However, they’re also among the most underserved in terms of more

The blue crane, South Africa’s national bird, is now at greater risk of extinction, as a new regional assessment lists the species as “vulnerable.” “A Near-Threatened listing is no longer more

Experts say the most impactful decisions have enabled the Trump administration to gut the federal workforce and freeze funding. more

MARERENI, Kenya — The scorching afternoon sun stretches across the semiarid landscape of Marereni, in Kenya’s Kilifi county, where salt and sea shape both the land and the lives that more

KARACHI — From the sands of Manjhaar Beach on the far outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, an island is just visible 10 kilometers, about 6 miles, offshore. Mist rising from the more

WASHINGTON (AP) — Legally mandated U.S. national climate assessments seem to have disappeared from the federal websites built to display them. The reports tell state and local governments and everyday more

Several proposals seeking greater protection of more than 70 shark and ray species from commercial trade were raised this week for deliberation at the 20th meeting of CITES, the global more

In Australia, millions of newly hatched Bogong moths embark on an impressive journey twice a year. Each spring, they hatch from eggs in their breeding grounds in Australia’s southeast and more
Under a new agreement, London will source enough solar power to run its light railway and tram networks entirely on renewable energy.Read more on E360 → more
Dominion Energy’s latest plan to meet power demand in the coming years ignores Virginia’s carbon-free electricity deadline and should be rejected by state regulators, say clean energy advocates. A 2020 more
New research sheds light on how rising temperatures are squeezing farmers and raising prices for consumers. more
Senate Republicans have crafted a tax and spending bill that would create an unprecedentedly hostile landscape for the development of solar and wind power. If passed in its current form more

Scientists are clear that global warming is making heatwaves like this hotter and more likely. more

We're losing vital agricultural land. But is solar the main culprit? more

The move threatens treaty rights and salmon recovery as energy demands from AI and crypto surge. more
Gary Yerman, 75, sat nervously in a noisy ballroom in Virginia Beach, Virginia, counting down the minutes until he could shed his ill-fitting double-breasted suit for a sun shirt and more
Thousands of Ohio jobs are at risk as Republicans in Congress decide the fate of the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits, according to two new reports. The 2022 more

Utah used actors, AI, stagecraft, and NDAs as it sought to sway public opinion and take control of 18.5 million acres of federal public land. more

The urban heat island sits in a rural heat ocean. more

Experts say repealing the "Roadless Rule" won't help stop fires, but it will help loggers. more
Thorny questions about who will pay for global climate action derailed a climate summit in Bonn, Germany, this week. more
This analysis and news roundup comes from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. Record-breaking heat swept across the eastern U.S. this week — and more
The Trump administration is outwardly hostile to clean energy sourced from solar and wind. But thanks to close ties to the fossil fuel industry and new technological breakthroughs, U.S. geothermal more
From New York to Paris to Beijing, urban trees are enjoying an extra-long growing season, a new study finds.Read more on E360 → more

The first tourist season since the storm reveals how much the river and livelihoods have changed. more
An analysis of 500 watersheds found levels of organic carbon, phosphorus, and other pollutants up to 103 times higher after a wildfire. more
This story was originally co-published by Floodlight and The Texas Tribune. Whisper Valley is a peek into what the future could look like. The sweeping community in the Austin, Texas, more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . Wind and solar are on the rise worldwide — here are the 10 countries that rely on the clean-energy more

More than 4,000 Tuvalu citizens have entered the ballot for a world-first climate visa to Australia. more

Scientific evidence suggests ash trees are ‘fighting back’ against a deadly disease. more

The science behind US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites. more

The city with the most lead service lines in the country doesn’t plan to finish replacing them until 2076. more
A planned EV battery factory in Indonesia poses a grave threat to an uncontacted tribe, a watchdog group warns.Read more on E360 → more
Massachusetts last week enacted a revamped version of its solar incentive program that developers and advocates say should keep the state’s solar industry moving forward even as the Trump administration more
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News , a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy, and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here . In Richmond, more

Scientists start a controversial project to create the building blocks of human life, in what is thought to be a world first. more
New York just took a major step to put gas in the past. Last week, legislators repealed a decades-old rule incentivizing new gas connections. Currently, building owners who are within more
The U.S. battery supply chain just got a little stronger. LG Energy Solution, a division of the major Korean battery manufacturer, is now producing battery cells for grid-scale energy storage more

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become only the second Indian to travel to space. more

Lab-grown beef, chicken and even quail are served in restaurants in some countries around the world - and now some cultivated meats could soon be sold in the UK too more
A slowing economy and the rapid growth of wind and solar have blunted demand for coal in China. Increasingly, producers are selling coal overseas.Read more on E360 → more
This story was originally published in the Daily Yonder. For more rural reporting and small-town stories, visit dailyyonder.com . Despite the Trump administration’s efforts to slow federal funding for building more
Global demand for steel is rising , and with it, emissions from the coal-fired blast furnaces that churn out around 70% of the world’s supply. American steelmakers are less reliant more

The telescope should detect killer asteroids and may even find the ninth planet in our solar system. more

Orcas have been filmed using kelp as a tool to massage each other more
Endangered eels, a top target for wildlife traffickers in Europe, are generating billions in profits for smugglers globally, according to two new reports.Read more on E360 → more
As some state legislatures try to roll back clean energy measures, a successful policy for community solar in Minnesota has survived a political fight to end it. Earlier this month, more
Canary Media’s " Electrified Life ” column shares real-world tales, tips, and insights to demystify what individuals and business owners can do to shift to clean electric power. CENTENNIAL, Colo. more

Destroying Iran's stores of enriched uranium would bring danger for people nearby but not trigger another Chernobyl. more
In conflict areas from Ukraine to Palestine, storage facilities holding seeds vital for future plant breeding are being lost. Scientists are rushing to send some remaining seeds to a “doomsday” more
In the aftermath of a massive blackout that hit Spain and Portugal in April, some pundits were quick to blame wind and solar for the loss of power. But official more
This analysis and news roundup comes from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. The Senate Finance Committee released its portion of the “Big, Beautiful more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . Rooftop solar is already struggling in the U.S. — but the budget bill passed by House Republicans last month more

Shoreline litter data research shows policies caused a relative decrease in the percentage of plastic bags. more

We investigate the role our forests are playing in offsetting carbon emissions. more
Senate Republicans released a draft budget on Monday that presents a slightly less draconian prescription for clean energy tax credits than what the House had put forth. In May, House more
Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman is being remembered by advocates and lawmakers as one of the most important climate and clean energy leaders in the state’s history. From the more

Thousands of fragments of plaster are pieced together to reveal frescos from a Roman London villa. more

Thousands of fragments of plaster are pieced together to reveal frescos from a Roman London villa. more

The Earth could be doomed to breach a key climate target in as little as three years, scientists warn. more
A warmer world is expected to bring more thunderstorms, especially at higher latitudes. Scientists are now reporting a dramatic surge in lightning in the Far North and are scrambling to more
Heaps of discarded clothing from the U.K. have been dumped in protected wetlands in Ghana, an investigation found.Read more on E360 → more
This week, Senate Republicans joined their House colleagues in proposing to curtail a slew of clean energy incentives . Losing those could upend many a clean energy business, but the more
It was supposed to be the United States’ grand entry to the global race to make green steel — a symbol of a return to American innovation and of revival more
A recent pact between North Dakota and the Trump administration shows how coal-friendly states could enshrine lax standards and block future federal enforcement on toxic coal ash pollution. North Dakota more
A big-budget offshore wind project that would clean up a contaminated California port and turn it into America’s first hub for floating wind turbines is the latest target of an more

The Environment Agency warns England needs a 'continued and sustained effort' to cut water demand. more
In the long-contentious Klamath River watershed, an experiment that turned a barley field into a wetland not only improved water quality. It also offered a path forward for restoring populations more
When the magnetic field around the Earth grows stronger, oxygen levels rise. That is the surprising finding of a new study looking at more than half a billion years of more
Supporters of a major clean energy bill that fell short in the final days of Illinois’ legislative session are licking their wounds and trying to figure out what went wrong more
After years of delay, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio is finally scrutinizing fees that could have enabled FirstEnergy’s bribes and other alleged violations related to House Bill 6, the more

The long-term impact of the chemical on human health is still unclear and being researched. more
This analysis and news roundup comes from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. On Wednesday, the U.S. EPA proposed repealing Biden administration rules that more
Of the forest lost so far this century, roughly a third was destroyed to make room for farms, a new analysis finds. Those woodlands, which spanned an area larger than more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . Amid rising power bills and surging energy demand , Republicans in Congress are set to undermine the country’s primary more
Sen. Martin Heinrich, Democrat from New Mexico, joined Canary Media's live event in Washington, D.C., on June 4 for an interview with David Roberts of the Volts podcast . Listen more

The government sets out spending plans on five years of science. Where will the money go? more
A legislative proposal in Maine that would impose new fees on community solar projects is having a chilling effect on solar developers, some of whom say they may stop working more
Rep. Buddy Carter, the Republican congressman for Georgia’s 1st congressional district, joined Canary Media’s Julian Spector for an interview on stage on June 4 at our Canary Live event in more
Residential customers of Duke Energy in North Carolina could pay $87 million more per year for electricity under a proposal rocketing through the state legislature, a new study shows. The more
A growing number of cities have launched initiatives to reuse the wood waste from construction and demolition that now ends up in landfills. The challenge, proponents say, is to deploy more
This story was originally published by Floodlight. Republicans and Democrats alike are less likely to support renewable energy than they were five years ago, according to a survey released last more
U.S. companies that install and finance residential solar have been struggling for years with rising interest rates and unfavorable policy shifts in California , the country’s biggest rooftop solar market. more
On Friday, air-quality regulators for Southern California rejected a plan to gradually phase down a major source of pollution: new gas-burning space and water heaters in homes. It’s a blow more
The flooding of Ukraine’s Irpin valley thwarted Russia’s assault on Kyiv in 2022. Now, scientists are proposing Europe create a band of restored and protected wetlands along its eastern borders more
Chinese locales are looking to lure top scientific talent from overseas by offering lavish sums for resettling, as well as housing, health care, and other perks. The moves come as more
A new state law will require Ohio utilities and regulators to consider how technology might offer cost-effective options for improving the state’s aging electric grid. Ohio’s grid, like those in more
The Texas Legislature ended its biennial session without passing a slew of bills that could have killed the state’s booming solar and battery sector , and by extension, the ability more

Campaigners say that farmers' fields are being contaminated by chemicals and microplastics in sewage sludge. more
Drug traffickers are violently seizing Indigenous lands in the Peruvian Amazon to clear rainforest and grow coca. To combat the drug trade, a new report calls for titling Indigenous territories more
Our Mission

According to the 1972 articles of Incorporation, the purposes of the organization are:
- To acquire or lease undeveloped lands and establish thereon educational building(s).
- To develop natural history and conservation education programs in cooperation with schools, colleges, hospitals, youth groups and other organizations which will develop an understanding and appreciation of natural resources.
- To cooperate with national, state, county, municipal and private natural resource agencies in providing an outdoor laboratory in which to demonstrate natural resource problems and management techniques.
Check Out Our Latest Newsletter
Events
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What We Sponsor
The DNC sponsors numerous programs to bring residents of Demarest and the surrounding areas into closer contact with wildlife and the natural world. Programs have varied, including adult oriented sessions on topics such as hiking the Appalachian trial or composting, family hikes in Harriman Park or along the Palisades, and various children’s programs. Local outdoor activities have been held at the Nature Center, Wakelee Field, various school grounds, and at the Duck Pond.
Tripadavisor
The Demarest Nature Center is on TripAdvisor! Feel free to share your experiences with us. We would appreciate your feedback.
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Demarest Nature Center
Box 41
Demarest, NJ 07627
Location
Trail Map
You can download a Trail Map here.
Become a Member

Since its incorporation in 1977 the Demarest Nature Center Association has cared for a 55-acre parcel of land bordered by Columbus Road on the west and County Road on the east. The Demarest Nature Center is open to all every day of the year. In addition to protecting woods, vernal ponds, meadows, and a section of the Tenakill Brook, as well as establishing and maintaining walking trails, the center provides educational events for everyone about the beauty of nature and the importance of preserving our amazing forest habitat. Your membership dollars go towards sponsorship of environmental education programs for kindergarten through the fourth grade in the Demarest schools, and a yearly scholarship given to a local high school senior who plans to pursue environment-related studies in college. Your membership also helps support our birdhouse/bird feeder building program, our annual photo contest, Breakfast in the Woods (free to all members), and the Craft Show at Oktoberfest/Fall Festival Event.
The Demarest Nature Center Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, run solely by volunteers and receives no funding from the Borough of Demarest.
Residents of Demarest receive all DNC mailings as postal patrons. Non-resident members receive DNC mailings by 1st class mail.