James A McFaul Environmental Center

The James A McFaul Environmental Center is an 81 acre nature preserve located in Wyckoff, NJ.

James McFaul Environmental Center

The environmental center was originally a pig farm and was acquired by Bergen County in 1962 with assistance from Green Acres.  It was named the James A. McFaul Environmental Center in 1990 to honor a Bergen County parks director who did much to acquire this beautiful nature preserve.

Pond

The 2.5 acre pond was created in 1966 by impounding a Goffle Brook tributary.

Goffle Brook Tributary

A boardwalk extends out over wetlands and provides views of the pond.

Environmental Boardwalk

The educational center, which looks out into the pond, includes freshwater aquariums, educational signage and live native animal displays.

Life in a Pond Educational Display

There are outdoor animal shelters which features porcupine, white tail deer,  golden eagle, red fox, eastern screech owls and red tail hawk exhibits among others.

Porcupine

Outdoor Turtle Display

In addition to live animal displays, the James A. McFaul Environmental Center provides much needed habitat to a multitude of birds and other native wildlife such as:

Mourning Dove

Brown-Headed Cowbird

Canadian Geese

White Tail Deer

Wild Turkey

Eastern Chipmunk

Muskrat

Near the entrance to the environmental center, there are rhododendron and seasonal daffodil gardens to be enjoyed.

Gardens

Nature Trail

Welcome to the Nature Center!

The preserve features a 2/3 of a mile interpretive nature trail which loops around a seasonal swamp and upland.

Deciduous wooded wetlands

A trail map is available here.  As you wind along the path, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife such as White Tail Deer, Eastern Chipmunks and Red Tail Hawks. Frequent signage appears on the trail to help the hiker to identify the surrounding flora and fauna.

Lowland Habitat Interpretive Signage

Tree Cavity Interpretive Signage

Flora includes Ironwood, Pin, Black , Scarlet and White Oak, Red Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Tulip Poplar and skunk cabbage among others.

Click here for more information about this wonderful preserve in the midst of suburban Wyckoff.