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.
As billion-dollar climate disasters pile up, and world leaders fail to act against global warming, lawsuits on behalf of impacted states, cities and other government entities have increased in number more
Avid hiker Maria* and her boyfriend were among the dozens of travelers who booked a tour of the Philippines’ Mount Pinatubo for April 18. Pinatubo, an active volcano, had its more
Residents say litter near their homes is "heart-breaking" as survey finds worst situation on record. more
First Moon samples collected in nearly 50 years and loaned by China for the first time are now in the UK. more
FEMA’s shake-up follows the cancellation of key climate resilience programs and growing uncertainty over the agency’s future. more
A Mongabay feature on Indigenous-led reforestation efforts in southeastern Brazil’s Atlantic Forest has been longlisted for the environmental reporting category of the 2025 One World Media Awards, a leading journalism more
It’s a voluntary program launched during a Republican administration, endorsed by manufacturers and well-recognized by U.S. consumers, who have saved an estimated $500 billion over the past 33 years guided more
The 28 most populous cities in the United States are all at least partly sinking. That’s according to a new study from the Columbia University Climate School. Researchers used U.S. more
Across the Pan-Amazon region, communities who developed the bioeconomy concept centuries ago and practice it today still have a hard time accessing its benefits. more
The search for intelligent life is looking in the wrong direction. There are billions of stars in our galaxy, some of them older than our sun and with Earth-like planets more
The world’s biggest seafood companies might seem to have a vested interest in healthy marine ecosystems and plentiful fish stocks. Many claim a commitment to biodiversity in their public messaging. more
President Donald Trump vowed to bring industrial manufacturing back to the United States. But in the coming weeks, his administration plans to gut a key program at the Department of more
Nearly two-thirds of all primates are in danger of disappearing, including 100 that have only been described by science in the last 25 years. To spotlight their plight, leading conservation more
A new study says 99.999% of the world’s deep seafloor is still unseen by humans. more
BAMAKO — Bourama Traoré and his brother, now aged 20 and 29, grew up along the banks of the Niger River. Their daily routine has always been simple: cast their more
For about 2% of the world’s amphibian species, it’s already getting too hot to survive in their natural habitats, according to a new study in Nature. If the planet keeps more
An absence of government legal and policy reforms is impacting the rights of Indigenous, Afro-descendant peoples and local communities associated with carbon programs in 33 countries in Asia, Africa and more
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. In a farmhouse overlooking the Upper Delaware River in the U.S., Barbara Yeaman more
Two organizations that operate close to the grassroots of solar power are struggling with the chaos of the Trump administration while also feeling invigorated by the challenge of working in more
A new report casts doubt on industry narratives about the “revolutionary” technology. more
Human-driven climate change made the extreme rainfall that caused dozens of deaths in early April in the U.S. South and Midwest more intense and likely, according to a new rapid more
As apex predators, lions (Panthera leo) roam the African savanna, and occasionally even the rainforests, as the only social big cats. A small, isolated population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo more
This story is co-published with Arizona Luminaria, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to community-centered reporting. MAMMOTH, Ariz.—When Hector Denogean Sr. got his first paycheck from his new job at the Christmas copper more
JAKARTA — Experts have lambasted Indonesia’s heavy push toward natural gas, saying it risks locking the country into fossil fuel dependency under the guise of clean energy, dealing immense damage more
A new study finds that the country's 28 most populous metros are losing elevation, from New York City to Seattle. more
California filed its latest lawsuit against the Trump administration Wednesday, this time for withholding billions of dollars allocated by Congress for electric charging infrastructure. California and attorneys general from 15 more
A lab focused on developing soybean farming in Africa was scheduled to shutter in April, a casualty of the Trump administration’s USAID cuts. Then a donor stepped in. Founders Pledge, more
The EPA is the nation's top environmental cop. In the last few months, the federal agency has significantly scaled back pollution enforcement. more
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would renege on decades of commitments to customers who’ve installed solar panels on their homes — all to shrink only a tiny fraction more
This story was originally published by High Country News . Eric Eriksen puts in long nights and weekends to keep the lights on in southern Colorado. As the CEO of more
Coffee agroforests in India’s Western Ghats mountains, where coffee shrubs are grown under the shade of trees, could be a good source of seeds for forest restoration efforts, according to more
In April this year, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo announced the launch of a national petrochemical city project in Mavanza village in Vilankulo district of Inhambane province. The coastline of Inhambane more
With the Atlantic hurricane season only weeks away, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is facing an unprecedented level of turmoil and uncertainty. President Donald Trump has suggested he might eliminate more
The spacecraft was meant to go to Venus but has been stuck in orbit for more than 50 years. more
Key datasets used to monitor the impacts of climate change in the Arctic have emerged as the latest victim of cost-cutting by the Trump administration at the National Oceanic and more
The rise in e-commerce has created a commensurate rise in demand for single-use paper packaging. Fast-growing, high-yield eucalyptus has become a popular choice for paper but farming communities in Mozambique more
A sea lion named Ronan is better able to keep a beat than the average human, a new study finds. Such ability in animals is generally thought to be unique more
The Energy Star program has quietly saved Americans billions in energy costs and has slashed emissions. Now it's now on the chopping block. more
President Trump’s recent order to expedite permits to begin deep-sea mining bypasses international agreements that protect oceans. By moving unilaterally, says the Ocean Conservancy’s Jeff Watters, the U.S. could endanger more
At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss the ecological significance of Mbalmayo Forest Reserve in southern Cameroon, one of several degraded forest patches scattered across the country. Located on the more
Climate change, land use change and biodiversity loss are combining to drive an increase in agricultural pests and expansion of their ranges with concerning implications for future global food security. more
KATHMANDU — Recently, one morning in Kathmandu, senior lawyer Padam Bahadur Shrestha reclined in his cluttered second-floor office in a neighborhood near Nepal government’s administrative headquarters Singha Durbar. On one more
Laid off workers are facing an uncertain and emotional job search. Here's what experts have to say about where to look — plus resources for those on the hunt. more
Scientists have raised the alarm about biodiversity loss if construction of an airport near South Korea’s west coast begins as proposed this year. In an open letter published in the more
In a blow to the government's clean energy ambitions, a company cancels a huge windfarm off Yorkshire. more
In a blow to the government's clean energy ambitions, a company cancels a huge windfarm off Yorkshire. more
The wealthiest 10 percent of people on Earth have fueled two-thirds of the warming since 1990, according to a new modeling study.Read more on E360 → more
The Republic of Congo’s recently announced plans to double oil production over the next three years puts it “fatally at odds” with its own stated goals for a clean energy more
VIENNA—Scientists at the European Geosciences Union conference last week said there is growing scientific evidence that global warming is driving a big increase in dangerous clear-air turbulence, which is invisible more
New research from the University of California, Davis on feeding seaweed to grazing cattle shows that the practice could significantly reduce the greenhouse gases released by livestock, which produce roughly more
The tick that causes Lyme can also spread babesiosis — and researchers fear doctors in the mid-Atlantic don't know about it. more
Forecasters are predicting higher temperatures across the U.S. and up to 10 hurricanes. Cutting federal programs could leave people even more vulnerable. more
Conservatives led by Friedrich Merz remain committed to renewables, but say "we must and we will change" an economic policy focused on climate. more
For three years in a row, Indigenous leaders have called for an end to carbon markets, carbon offsets, and geoengineering technologies. more
The Trump administration fast-tracked the project approval, reversing a Biden directive. more
Antonio Baclig spent eight years as a researcher at Stanford University scouring as many battery designs as he could find in search of something cheap enough to transform the grid. more
Lots of costly and dangerous things can go wrong with high-voltage transmission lines. Strong winds or equipment failures can cause individual lines on a tower to contact one another and more
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Long before “biodiversity hotspot” became a conservation cliché, Alwyn Howard Gentry was painstakingly more
BROOKWOOD, Ala.—The Trump administration has announced it will aim to fast track the permitting and environmental review of a major coal mine expansion in central Alabama as part of a more
A biotech company in the United States made headlines last month by revealing photos of genetically modified gray wolves, calling them “dire wolves,” a species that hasn’t existed for more more
Sir David says his new film Ocean is one of the most important of his career. more
A coalition of organizations has assessed how locally produced maps stack up against global open-access data sets to evaluate deforestation in the context of cocoa production. The assessment will be more
Political pressures may have driven the federal agency to backtrack on its decision to suspend automated weather translations. more
A new paper paints a grim picture for the future of fishing communities in the Gulf of Guinea along coastal West Africa. Faced with increasing ocean warming and declining fish more
BOGOTÁ — Logs float downstream in long lines on the murky waters of the Atrato River in the depths of the Pacific rainforests of Colombia’s Chocó department. With few roads, more
Last month, 48 animals — including endangered species like Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus), greater adjutant storks (Leptoptilos dubius) and Bengal slow lorises (Nycticebus bengalensis) — were found to be more
After hiding underground for the last 17 years, billions of cicadas will take to the skies this summer, from Tennessee to Cape Cod. Read more on E360 → more
When Ridzki Sigit first encountered the idea of joining Mongabay, we had yet to establish a presence in the language of his native Indonesia. The prospect was novel, even daunting: more
Researchers may have finally cracked the centuries-old mystery of why African honeyguide birds sometimes lead human honey-hunters to dangerous animals instead of bees: they could just be recall errors. Honeyguides more
According to a new report by Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, some 42,000 jobs are now at risk, as Republicans consider repealing IRA tax credits to pay for President Trump’s proposed more
People in Asia are exposed to levels up to six times higher than their counterparts in the West. more
A battle is brewing over who gets to plug into the Midwest’s power grid first. Utilities and state regulators are backing a plan that would fast-track certain new fossil-gas power more
Proposed legislation in North Carolina that would allow utility Duke Energy to charge customers for power plants still under construction is taking heat from opponents across the political spectrum, in more
New Jersey’s Attorney General Matthew Platkin joined 17 other attorneys general on Monday in challenging the Trump administration over its “unlawful” attempt to freeze the development of wind energy. In more
The Trump administration turned the offshore wind industry on its head last month when it slapped a stop-work order on New York’s Empire Wind 1 project. The move launched local more
In a field of muddy results, it's among the clearest findings that one cognitive scientist has seen in his career. more
Even as Oak Flat moves ahead, the mining industry commits to voluntary guidelines to consult with communities. more
This story was originally published by Grist . Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here . Around the world, farmers are retooling their land to harvest the hottest new commodity: more
The wildfires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles County in January were the most catastrophic in its history . Made worse by climate change , the disaster caused as much more
The Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID has done more than cut off life-saving humanitarian assistance. It has also eliminated funding for environmental protection and conservation work in dozens of countries, more
Watchdog groups and tech giants want more clean energy. But some fear the utility is pursuing a big fossil-gas expansion plan outside of public scrutiny instead. more
Could you explain "insights into oral chemesthetic perception" using dance moves? more
“I have never felt more uncertainty about our business in my entire 40-plus-year career.” more
Sandeels are a vital source of food for seabirds that live along the UK coastline. more
This analysis and news roundup comes from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. California is a trendsetter when it comes to cleaning up transportation. more
A boom in avocado production in Mexico has led to illegal deforestation and an influx of drug cartels dominating the lucrative trade. But Indigenous communities have fought back against the more
In 2019, the UK committed in law to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. Now the political climate has changed. more
Warming fueled the hot, dry, windy weather that gave rise to a spate of record-breaking fires in South Korea in March, an analysis finds.Read more on E360 → more
It has been moved to Germany's Black Forest in preparation for its release more
The people who grow and sell America's food no longer trust the USDA. We made a timeline to show you what happened. more
The largest solar farm east of the Mississippi River now provides 100% of the electricity powering Loyola University in Chicago, and starting next fall the solar array will also be more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . Clean energy is the most popular form of energy in the world. By a long shot. More than 90% more
Illinois is going to need a whole lot more workers to realize its clean energy aspirations. The state has some of the nation’s most ambitious climate laws, with a target more
Massive power cuts brought parts of Spain, Portugal and France to a standstill this week. more
More than 60 environmental, business, and housing groups are asking Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, not to delay the state’s commitment to getting more electric vehicles on the road, more
This story was originally published by Grist . Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here . Raymond Ward wants to see solar panels draped over every balcony in the United more
Study provides hope for future of the axolotl amphibian, pushed to the brink of extinction in Mexico. more
Facing high tariffs in the U.S. and Europe, Chinese solar and battery companies have been selling a growing share of their products to poorer countries, a new analysis finds.Read more more
When utility Duke Energy backed North Carolina legislation four years ago to spur new investments in natural gas and nuclear power, opposition from pulp and paper mills, furniture factories, and more
It’s a tough time for electric trucking in the U.S. The Trump administration has cut off funding for heavy-duty vehicle charging and port infrastructure. Republicans in Congress are trying to more
The government has made little progress in preparing the UK for rising temperatures, climate watchdog the CCC says. more
Conversations about AI and the power grid tend to focus on the demands that the developing technology will place on the country’s aging energy infrastructure. But Josh Brumberger, CEO of more
A justice on the Brazilian Supreme Court has directed the government to seize private lands where forests have been illegally razed. Read more on E360 → more
The new satellite will be able to see through clouds and forest canopies. more
In several states, Republican lawmakers are taking the lead on an unexpected policy priority: encouraging more community solar. This year, Republicans in Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio have sponsored bills more
Two new studies suggest that devoting a small fraction of U.S. farmland to solar power would be a boon both for the energy system and for farmers themselves.Read more on more
Connecticut lawmakers are touting newly introduced legislation as a way to lower out-of-control power bills, but opponents say it could devastate the state’s renewable energy progress. Provisions of the complex, more
The prolonged dry, sunny weather in March and April created ideal conditions for wildfires to spread. more
Researchers are starting to pay closer attention to the widespread damage wrought by agricultural herbicides. Drifting sprays may not kill trees, shrubs, and other nontarget plants outright, but experts believe more
This analysis and news roundup comes from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. It’s been nearly three months since the Trump administration began sending more
Four months after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena, California, wildlife is making a comeback. Read more on E360 → more
This story was originally published by Minnesota Reformer . The Minnesota Senate earlier this month advanced a bill , sponsored by lawmakers from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, that would sunset the more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . President Donald Trump’s attacks on federal climate policy and his supply-chain-scrambling tariffs are taking a toll on the clean-energy more
Climate activists may be going deeper underground. more
Climate activists may be going deeper underground. more
Climate activists may be going deeper underground. more
Reaction to White House proposals to cut funding for Nasa and a future asteroid fly past more
One sign read “Let the Wind Power Our Future.” Others displayed nothing more than the giant gold seal of America’s largest electrical workers union. These logos and slogans stood out more
Electrowinning is a time-tested method for removing impurities from metals, and it’s able to run on clean electricity and at the same temperature as a fresh cup of coffee. Could more
The UK Energy Secretary was speaking at the opening of a two day summit on energy security. more
The clean energy industry has had plenty to contend with since President Donald Trump resumed office: rapidly fluctuating tariffs, financial market chaos, and both rhetorical and practical attacks on Joe more
One of the largest utility scandals in U.S. history has remained largely unknown outside Ohio — until now. Last week, HBO released a documentary that covers the long, sordid saga, more
The Trump Administration’s dismantling of USAID has done more than cut off life-saving humanitarian assistance. It has also eliminated funding for environmental protection and conservation work in dozens of countries, more
As electric and gas bills rise across the country, a poll released today finds that an overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. are concerned about growing energy costs — more
By several measures, air pollution is getting worse in the U.S., a trend due in large part to more severe heat and wildfires, according to a new report.Read more on more
Georgia Power, which expects a boom in power demand from data centers, says it needs to get a lot more electricity online — fast. So what kind of power plants more
Skeletons and artefacts unearthed from the site near Cardiff Airport are baffling archaeologists. more
Each time a hurricane batters Florida, the country's second-largest market for solar energy , broken panels pile up in landfills. OnePlanet Solar Recycling has a plan to tackle that problem. 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. At more
The mission will explore new ways of reducing the cost of feeding an astronaut. more
Amid tariff threats from the US, energy and economic security are key issues in Canada's federal election. more
Batmunkh Luvsandash has fought to protect more than a million acres of steppe lands in his native Mongolia. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, he explains how, by drawing more
For the first time, wild chimpanzees have been caught on film sharing fermented fruit. The footage comes from Cantanhez National Park in the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau, where camera more
Californians face steep up-front costs if they want to install solar panels to produce clean power and batteries to back up their homes in outages. A new state program will more
The Chicago Teachers Union expects its new, hard-fought contract to help drive clean energy investments and train the next generation of clean energy workers, even as the Trump administration attacks more
Scientists are investigating for the first time how dangerous the island's next big one could be. more
This analysis and news roundup comes from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. On Wednesday afternoon, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of more
See more from Canary Media’s "Chart of the week” column . The future of the U.S. electric vehicle transition is murky — but at least through the first three months more
This story was originally published by Floodlight. In a move energy advocates say will increase electric bills for Louisiana residents and allow the state’s utilities to keep earning money for more
A pilot project will test whether it is a useful way of fighting climate change. more
Translating noisy geese to time travel across the universe. more
The Shompen, residents of a small island in the Indian Ocean, are among the world's last isolated tribes. But that may soon change as the Indian government moves forward with more
Aubrey Gunnels, CEO of 3V Infrastructure , understands the risks involved in installing and owning EV chargers in thousands of apartment building garages and condominium parking lots. She also sees more
Ohio consumer and environmental advocates are calling on state regulators to address disparities within FirstEnergy’s grid after a recent report found disadvantaged communities are more likely to rely on older, more
Could discoveries of alien life ever change the human psyche in how we view ourselves and each other? more
Could discoveries of alien life ever change the human psyche in how we view ourselves and each other? more
Stunned scientists say the extremely rare squid can weigh up to 500kg (1,100lb). more
Wildfires 'could spell the end' for rare species such as water voles and hen harriers. more
The " Eating the Earth ” column explores the connections between the food we eat and the climate we live in. NEW YORK — Our food system generates one-third of more
Nearly 3 million Massachusetts households will have the chance to start saving money on heating next winter under new seasonal heat-pump rates from the state’s three major electric utilities. Regulators 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
SEE CALENDAR VIEW
[MEC id=”266558″]
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.
Follow us on
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.
Photo Gallery
