Environmental Nature Center - ENC

Environmental Nature Center - ENC Mission: To provide transformative experiences through connection with nature. Visit encenter.org/donate and join our efforts.

Please join us in connecting people to nature by donating to the Environmental Nature Center during this season of giving. On behalf of the Board of Directors and our amazing staff, we wish you and your family a safe and wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your commitment to being a part of the solution!

A proposed residential development adjacent to the Environmental Nature Center and ENC Nature Preschool is currently mov...
06/03/2026

A proposed residential development adjacent to the Environmental Nature Center and ENC Nature Preschool is currently moving through the City review process, and an important Planning Commission meeting is approaching.

We encourage our community to attend the meeting on June 18 and help demonstrate how deeply the ENC is valued. You do not need to speak publicly to make a difference.

Learn more about the project, the ENC’s concerns, and upcoming opportunities for community participation here: https://encenter.org/take-action/

There are still spaces available in our Wilderness Adventure Summer Camps at the ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in beauti...
06/02/2026

There are still spaces available in our Wilderness Adventure Summer Camps at the ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in beautiful Modjeska Canyon!

Imagine your child spending summer days hiking oak woodland trails, searching for wildlife, exploring streams, creating nature-inspired art, meeting animal ambassadors, and making new friends—all while learning through hands-on outdoor adventures.

For many children, camp at Tucker is their first opportunity to experience a truly wild Southern California landscape.

Scholarships are available, and we don't want cost to be a barrier for any child who would benefit from this experience.

Learn more and register: https://encenter.org/camps/tucker/

When Alexis Hernandez joined our Horticulture Internship Program, she arrived with a love of plants and a desire to lear...
06/02/2026

When Alexis Hernandez joined our Horticulture Internship Program, she arrived with a love of plants and a desire to learn more. Over the course of her internship, that curiosity grew into hands-on experience with California native plants, ecological restoration, garden design, irrigation, and stewardship.

Her story is a reminder that education doesn't end in the classroom. Sometimes it happens beneath the shade of an oak tree, with your hands in the soil, asking questions and learning directly from the landscape.

Thanks to our horticulture team for mentoring emerging environmental leaders, and to interns like Alexis who bring enthusiasm, curiosity, and fresh perspectives!

I hope you'll take a few minutes to read about Alexis' experience and the impact internships can have on both people and places. 🌿

https://encenter.org/growing-knowledge-rooted-in-place-a-horticulture-interns-experience-at-the-enc/

Keystone Plants and the Bees They Attract with Krystle HickmanPresented by the California Native Horticulture Foundation...
05/27/2026

Keystone Plants and the Bees They Attract with Krystle Hickman
Presented by the California Native Horticulture Foundation
June 27 | 11 AM
Hosted at the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach

Join us for a special program with Krystle Hickman — National Geographic Explorer, community scientist, and conservation photographer.

Through her photography, Krystle brings attention to native bees, the plants they depend on, and the ecosystems they call home. Her work documents rare and threatened bee species without lethal collection methods, helping people see these small but essential lives more clearly.

We’re grateful to host this California Native Horticulture Foundation program at the Environmental Nature Center, a beloved community hub for environmental education, habitat restoration, and connecting people with nature.

Learn more about the ENC at encenter.org.

Parking note: Parking may be limited. If the ENC lot is full, guests may park in the neighboring high school lot or along the street.

Register here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-wonderful-world-of-cali-native-bees-with-krystle-hickman

We’re deeply grateful to the sponsors, families, and community partners helping make the 2026 ENC Summer Soirée possible...
05/26/2026

We’re deeply grateful to the sponsors, families, and community partners helping make the 2026 ENC Summer Soirée possible.

Their generosity supports meaningful experiences in nature for students, families, and our broader community—and helps ensure the ENC continues to be a place of connection, discovery, and belonging.

Thank you for believing in this work and helping bring this special evening to life.

ENC Summer Soirée • May 30
https://encenter.org/

On Wednesday at ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, beneath the oak canopy, a very observant Scrub-Jay found breakfast: a you...
05/23/2026

On Wednesday at ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, beneath the oak canopy, a very observant Scrub-Jay found breakfast: a young California Lyre Snake. The colors and pattern almost mimic a Speckled Rattlesnake — muted browns and grays — but without the rattle.

Predation can be difficult to witness, but it is also part of a healthy, intact ecosystem. Every creature here is connected to another.

Love nature, kids, and being outside?The ENC is currently accepting applications for Environmental Education Internships...
05/21/2026

Love nature, kids, and being outside?

The ENC is currently accepting applications for Environmental Education Internships! Gain hands-on experience leading outdoor programs, assisting with camps and field trips, and connecting children to nature.

Great for students interested in education.

Learn more and apply:
https://encenter.org/volunteer-enc/internships/

One of our recent visitors at ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary… a beautiful Striped Racer. These native snakes are non-ven...
05/20/2026

One of our recent visitors at ENC Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary… a beautiful Striped Racer.

These native snakes are non-venomous and play an important role in the ecosystem by helping keep rodent and insect populations in balance. They are FAST and the stripe makes them appear to be almost STILL - if you catch a glimpse of one it's usually just that - a glimpse. It's super rare to see one, and amazing that our Naturalist Julie caught one on camera.

Seeing species like this is a good reminder that Tucker is still functioning as real habitat.

Please remember to give all wildlife space and admiration from a respectful distance.

Address

1601 E 16th Street
Newport Beach, CA
92663

Opening Hours

Saturday 10am - 3pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+19496458489

Website

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