Our Center & Reserve

The Watershed Center for Environmental Advocacy, Science and Education serves as headquarters for our staff and programs. The LEED-Platinum certification denotes the highest level of recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The building features exhibits and live animal displays and hosts hundreds of educational programs and events each year.

The Watershed Center is located on the Watershed Reserve in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, N.J. Created with an initial gift of 400 acres from Dr. Muriel Gardiner Buttinger in 1969, the Reserve now spans nearly 1,000 acres of forest, wetlands, meadows and farmland. More than 10 miles of hiking trails wind through these habitats and pass by two historic farmsteads that date back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Watershed Center Hours

Monday-Friday: 9AM-5PM
Saturday-Sunday: 10AM-4PM
Most Holidays: 10AM-4PM

Closed to Public: Thurs, June 22

Watershed Reserve Hours

Daily: Dawn to Dusk
Trails, Butterfly House, & Pond

The Watershed Reserve protects a floodplain forest along the Stony Brook with stately sycamore and beech trees. Younger forests are the result of old farm fields gradually transitioning to woods. The Reserve is also home to wildflower meadows, as well as vast rows of organic produce.

We invite you to explore our trails, observe the antics of waterbirds at Wargo Pond and enjoy the wild sights and sounds of nature.