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.

The Craft Show at Oktoberfest

Are you a crafter interested in participating in this year’s Oktoberfest?  Click here to go to our Crafter’s Page.

The Craft Show at Oktoberfest features a high quality craft show with up to 75 crafts persons bringing their handmade crafts in many medias. It’s a great place for holiday shopping, for gifts, or for items for your own use and enjoyment.

There will be German music, German food, vegan & vegetarian food options, water and soft drinks; Korean delicacies; canoe rides, and more!

In Memory of John Goodwin

The Demarest Nature Center mourns the loss of co-founder John Goodwin, who died March 22 at age 75.  In the 1970s there was pressure to cut down the trees in what’s now the nature center and build a golf course, or a massive athletic complex, or both.  John was an integral part of the group of concerned citizens who fought successfully to preserve the land in its natural state.  The people of Demarest owe a debt of gratitude to John and his fellow founders.

John remained involved in the nature center in the four decades since the founding, sometimes serving on the board of trustees and other times simply serving as a volunteer.  He continued to contribute even after multiple sclerosis gradually crippled him, forcing him to get around on an electric scooter.

One of John’s favorite roles as a volunteer was co-judging the annual photo contest, which is for pictures taken within the nature center.  John was a professional photographer who took iconic pictures of the anti-war and civil rights movements and later traveled the world as an official photographer for the United Methodist Church.  In his honor, the Demarest Nature Center is naming the photo contest after him.  Henceforth it will be known as the John Goodwin Photo Contest.

John will be sorely missed.

 TripAdvisor

The Demarest Nature Center is on TripAdvisor!  Feel free to share your experiences with us.  We would appreciate your feedback.