The Fanwood Nature Center, a peaceful retreat for bird-watching, nature walks, and educational programs, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The nature preserve is tucked away on Terrill Road between Cray Terrace and La Grande Avenue and serves as a sanctuary of natural resources on borough property adjacent to the PSE&G right-of-way. The borough’s Environmental Commission has formed a subcommittee to help plan events throughout the year to celebrate this big anniversary.
The Nature Center was created in 1974 by the borough’s Environmental Commission after a year of work by members, civic groups, and private citizens. They added flowers and scrubs and lined existing trails with wood chips and installed benches. A foot bridge over Cedar Brook was also added by the Kiwanis Club. New foot bridges have recently been installed. Over the years, native trees and shrubs have been planted.
The Center provides an opportunity for recreation in a “green” and “quiet” setting for hiking, bird watching, plant observation, photography, educational programs in an “outdoor” classroom, and similar activities. They also work with Girl and Boy Scouts and other civic groups on environmental stewardship projects in the Center including spreading wood chips on trails, removing invasive plants, erecting informational signs, repairing or constructing boardwalks, and creating pollinator habitats.
Over the years the Nature Center has had events such as bird houses, bird viewing, bat houses, native plantings, edible plant walks, trail building, bench dedications, and clean ups.
Dean Talcott, who passed away 2023, and whose home was adjacent to the Nature Center, was one of the original builders of many of the trails and the footbridge that have made the preserve user-friendly.
A few years ago the borough brought in a herd of goats to eat poison ivy and Japanese knotweed that grown uncontrolled after deer had eaten all the native foliage, allowing invasive species to grow uncontrolled.
The Environmental Commission is committed to preserving the natural heritage and serves a critical role in maintaining Fanwood’s natural wildlife. The Fanwood Mayor and Council value this space and support its conservation easement so that the area will never be developed in the future.
The Center is open to all visitors from sunrise to sunset every day.
