1. family and parenting
2. children

Summer at the...
HEY, HEY IT’S A BIRTHDAY!
Celebrate your child’s special day at the
Tulpehaking Nature Center with hands-on activities
and guided nature exploration led by one of our
staff naturalists. You bring the cake and
decorations, and we’ll provide the program and
party room.
157 Westcott Avenue Hamilton, New Jersey 08691
609-303-0704
COME IN FOR A VISIT !
NEW! Tulphaking Nature Center Summer Hours through
September 13th :
Saturdays: 10 am to 4 pm
Sundays: 12 pm to 4 pm
Mondays: 10 am to 4 pm
This summer the Tulpehaking Nature center
will spotlight “The Absorbed Landscape: Art
Installations Expressing the Human-Earth
Connection” by artist Joy Kreves. Experience
the texture, shape and color of the world in a
new way with these 3-D collages of moss,
twigs, ceramics and more. Children can create
their own nature art to put up for display in
our Hands-on Lab Room.
The exhibit will be on display during the
Nature Center’s regular business hours
through September 13th (closed Memorial
Day weekend). Artist and creator of the
installation will be on site June 7th from 2 to 3
pm, to discuss the exhibit and answer any
questions. Exhibit is free and open to the
public.
The Tulpehaking Nature Center is the main
gateway to the Abbott Marshlands, an urban
oasis located on the western edge of central
New Jersey, and bordered on the west by the
Delaware River.
The Nature Center provides programs and
exhibits that encourage visitors to explore
and discover the many cultural, historic and
natural resources of the marsh.
Need help meeting those badge requirements? Then register for
a scouting activity at the Nature Center! Our naturalists are ready to
help your group work toward completion of any nature- or sciencerelated badge through fun and interactive activities.
Workshops are 1½ hours long
and can accommodate up to 15
scouts and chaperones.
Fees:
$60 per 15 person In-County groups
$75 per 15 person Non-County groups
2015 SUMMER TRAIL C R EW
It is time to kick off the 2015 Summer Trail Crew season!
Trail Crew is a dedicated team of volunteers that maintain the
naturalized park areas. Projects range from blazing trails, garden
maintenance and trail trimming. For volunteer dates or more
information email:
Stewardship Coordinator, Emily Rogalsky at
stewardship@mercercounty.org
Park Commission Nature Programs
The Park Commission offers opportunities for adults, children, and
families to connect with nature. Programs vary from brisk trail
hikes and citizen science initiatives to family-oriented pond
explorations and children’s summer camps. Program participants
have the opportunity to spend time as a family, meet other
outdoor enthusiasts, and have an up-close encounter with nature.
Experienced naturalists guide educational programs in some of
Mercer County’s most pristine natural areas, and take an
explorative approach to learning about the natural world.
Summer 2 01 5
Summer 2015 Nature Programs
LICHEN WALK
Saturday, July 11 10 am - 12 pm Tulpehaking Nature Center
$5 per person
$20 per Family
Join lichenologist Dennis Waters for two hours of fun field work and learn
how to identify some of the common lichens of Mercer County. Gain insight
into the interesting lifestyles and ecological importance of lichens.
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED for all programs, unless noted.
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY
Saturday, June 6 10 am - 2 pm
Roebling Park
Free
In celebration of National Trails Day, bring your family out for a free interactive
scavenger hunt through Roebling Park. Scavenger hunt is geared for families with
children 6 and older. Scavenger hunt groups start every 15 minutes and last
about 90-minutes.
EDIBLE & MEDICINAL PLANT WALK & TALK
Sunday, June 7 2 - 4 pm
Howell Farm
Suggested Donation $3
Enjoy a beautiful afternoon at Howell Living History Farm while Mercer County
Stewardship Coordinator, Emily Rogalsky, leads you on a walk to learn about the
variety of beneficial edible and medicinal plants that grow right in your backyard.
ARTIST’S TALK WITH JOY KREVES
Sunday, June 7 2 - 3 pm
Tulpehaking Nature Center
Free
BUTTERFLY WALKS
1 - 3 pm
1 - 3 pm
1 - 3 pm
1 - 3 pm
Sunday, July 12 Afternoon
Mercer Meadows @ Reed Bryan Farm
Tulpehaking Nature Center
Baldpate Mountain @ Summit Lot
Howell Farm
Howell Farm
EARLY BIRD WALKS
Tuesday, July 28
8 - 10 am
Tuesday, August 11 8 - 10 am
Tuesday, August 25 8 - 10 am
D&R Greenway’s St. Michael’s Preserve
Baldpate Mountain @ Fiddler’s Creek Lot
Mercer Meadows @ Reed Bryan Farm
CRICKET WALK
Suggested Donation $3
Experience nightfall on the farm during this under-the stars excursion. The
horses and sheep may be in for the evening, but that doesn't mean the farm
is asleep! Tune up your night vision and join County Naturalist Jenn Rogers
and farmers for a walk through the barns, fields and lanes where animals
with nocturnal schedules are just starting their ‘day’.
BATS OF THE MARSH
Free
Butterflies have been described as the pulse of nature; their population changes
provide a look into the health of an ecosystem. Work on your identification skills
with Naturalist Jenn Rogers on these walks. Butterfly watchers of all experience
levels are welcome to join.
Saturday, August 15 7:30 pm Tulpehaking Nature Center
$5 per person
$20 per Family
Join us for an evening bat watch and learn about these fascinating,
insect-eating, acrobatic mammals as day turns into night. We'll use an
acoustic detector to unlock the "secret" ultrasonic language of bats as they
pass overhead. A flashlight and insect repellant are recommended.
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR ALL PROGRAMS, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. To register or for more information:
Executive Director
Kevin B. Bannon
Call: 609-303-0706
Email: natureprograms@mercercounty.org
Thursday, July 2
Thursday, July 9
Wednesday, July 15
Wednesday, July 22
Wednesday, July 29
Thursday, July 30
Wednesday, August 5
Thursday, August 6
Wednesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 19
Thursday, August 20
Wednesday, August 26
Tour Rates:
In-County
Adults: $10/person
Children & Seniors: $8/person
Out-of-County
Adult: $12/person
Children & Seniors: $10/person
Our Nature Tours are a popular way to experience the plants and wildlife of
Mercer Lake. View great blue herons, double-crested cormorants and painted
turtles in their natural habitat from your seat on the County’s pontoon boat. Tour
tickets are sold at the Mercer County Park Marina beginning at 11:30 am on the
day of the tour. Children must be 6 years old or older. Boat seats 15 people.
For more information, please call 609-448-4004.
KAYAK TOURS OF MERCER LAKE
Join us for a casual hike dedicated to spotting our fine-feathered friends. All
abilities of birders are welcome. Bring a pair of binoculars if you have them,
extra binoculars are available. Free for adults and teens.
Howell Farm
Tours run 12 - 1:30 pm and 2 - 3:30 pm, weather permitting.
Free
This summer, the Park Commission will participate in an annual butterfly
count to help collect data for the North American Butterfly Association and
their mission to monitor butterfly populations. Participants must register to
take part in the Butterfly Count. Time determined by temperature.
Friday, August 14 7:30 - 9 pm
Meet the artist behind the Tulpehaking Nature Center’s current exhibit;
The Absorbed Landscape. Find out what inspired her, how she created it, and get
answers to your own questions of how this exhibit came to be.
Wednesday, June 10
Wednesday, June 24
Wednesday, July 8
Friday, July 31
ANNUAL BUTTERFLY COUNT
PONTOON BOAT NATURE TOURS OF MERCER LAKE
County Executive
Brian M. Hughes
Friday, July 3
Friday, July 10
Friday, August 14
Friday, August 28
Wednesday, September 9
Tours run 9:30 am - 12 pm
Tour Rates:
In-County
$20/person
Out-of-County
$22/person
Enjoy a morning of paddling, exploration, and wildlife viewing on a Kayak Tour!
The Park Commission provides the kayaks, paddles, binoculars and life jackets.
Participants will receive kayak instruction before the tour. For adults and children
over 16 years old. A limited number of kayaks are available for each tour;
pre-registration is required.