There’s a new nature center in town.
The Tulpehaking Nature Center is set to open this fall as the Mercer County Park Commission’s newest center for environmental education.
The nature center is the visitor’s home base for exploring the Abbott Marshlands, a naturally and historically important area south of Trenton containing 3,000 acres of urban green space, 19 miles of hiking and kayaking trails, and one of the most significant American Indian archaeological sites in the eastern United States.
A busy schedule of programs are set to celebrate the nature center’s grand opening and explore the Abbott Marshlands.
Meet the Marsh: 2-4 p.m. Sept. 21 at Tulpehaking Nature Center. Naturalist and nature center manager Kelly Rypkema is set to lead a guided walk into the Abbott Marshlands.
World Rivers Day: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Sept. 28 at Crosswicks Creek and the Delaware River in Bordentown. Coalition for the Delaware River Basin project coordinator Kim Beidler and Bordentown Heritage executive director Michael Skelly lead a walk focusing on the waterways and observing the D&R Canal Lock 1, RR bridge and possibly a bald eagle’s nest.
Best of Voices for the Abbott Marshlands photography exhibition: Oct. 11-Nov. 17 at Tulpehaking Nature Center during center hours.
Family Fun Day at the Nature Center: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 11 at Tulpehaking Nature Center. Celebrate the grand opening of the county’s new nature center with a day of family activities, tours, and giveaways.
Kayaking Spring Lake: 1 and 3 p.m. Oct. 12 at Roebling Park in Hamilton. Mercer County naturalist Jenn Rogers leads a kayak tour observing the plants and wildlife of spring lake. Kayaks provided. Registration required. $10 per person.
Autumn at the Abbott Marshlands: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 1 at Spring Lake in Roebling Park. Naturalist Mary Anne Borge leads a photography-friendly walk showcasing the colors of autumn and transition of the seasons.
Beaver/Night Hike: 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 7 at Spring Lake in Roebling Park. Mercer County Parks naturalist emeritus Joseph Schmeltz takes participants on a search for beavers and other wildlife that come out only at night. Bring a flashlight.
Indians of the Abbott Marshlands: 1-3 p.m. Nov. 15 at Tulpehaking Nature Center. Tour the Marsh with archaeologists Michael Stewart of Temple University and Greg Lattanzi of NJ State Museum for a perspective on 13,000 years of human history at the Abbott Marshlands. RSVP required; call (609) 303-0704.
In the Footsteps of the Lenape: 1-3 p.m. Dec. 6 at Bordentown Bluffs in D&R Canal State Park. Naturalist Stephanie Fox and historian Vicki Chirco are set to lead the tour. Meet at end of Stanton Avenue in Bordentown Township.
Tulpehaking Nature Center is located at 157 Westcott Ave., Hamilton.
More information is online at mercercountyparks.org.
