Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

Eno River Association, tax-exempt since 1976, runs guided hikes, school programs and other outdoor education programs and reported about $1.4 million in revenue for tax year 2023.

Free Fall Nature Fun Day

Stewardship Workday

Planting Workday

Let's Go Hike! Cabelands to Eno Quarry

Nature Fun Day

Walking Stick Whittling Workshop

Remove invasive plants at Panther Branch

Volunteer with Eno River Association

Give

Public Comment Period Open for ERA Accreditation Renewal

A More Accessible Eno River Experience

A Path to Belonging: Opening the Way to Nature

ERA Through the Eras: Panther Branch Natural Area

Widening the Lens of Conservation with Curiosity, Creativity, and Compassion

Eno River Association Acquires Riverfront Conservation Easement in Hillsborough

We're Hiring an Event Manager!

Learning from the Voices That Shaped the Eno

Land Stewardship in the Face of Climate Change

ERA Through the Eras: The Confluence Natural Area

Hillary Harrison

Hillary Bruce

Ryan J. Fehrman

Jessica Sheffield

Dave Cook

Tom Davis

Jake Xerxes Fussell

Stewardship Series! 🌿 Now that most of our fall migratory birds have passed through our area it's time to start thinking about prepping our properties for winter. One important step you should take is to help build habitat for native pollinators. You can do this by leaving the stems of your native plants to naturally breakdown. 🐦🐝 If you prefer a tidier look leave the stems 6 to 24 inches long when you cut them back in the late winter or early spring. Allowing these sections of the stems to remain in your garden will provide habitat for stem nesting bees. Next year the new growth will help hide the old cuttings. Make sure to leave the stems in your garden for at least 2-3 years to give the pollinators time to complete their fully life cycles. Preferably just allow them to breakdown naturally in your garden. 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: deadheaded flowers; stems with dead flowers on them; deadheaded flowers] #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #Stewardship #enoriver

Staff Series! 🌿 Chris is the Conservation and Stewardship Director at the Eno River Association. A fun fact about Chris is that he worked at the Peace Corps after college and learned French in Africa! Today, Chris helps to create long-lasting connections to continue conserving land around the Eno River basin and helps the organization think about the next stages of land conservation work for the Eno. Additionally, he works to grow stewardship and land protection funds. Chris’s favorite thing about the Eno is the connections and roots that the Eno River Association has formed over its 60 years. 📸 ERA Staff, Caroline Gilmore [Image Descriptions: Chris with his bike outside of the Eno River Association office; Chris with staff members in the Eno River; Chris at the Annual Meeting; Staff photo of Chris] #staffseries #landstewardship #naturelovers #enoriver

We had a great volunteer crew at Blue Indigo for a trail workday! These volunteers put in several trail steps, cleaned up overgrown vegetation and debris around one of the trailheads, and installed a new trail sign. Thank you to everyone who came out! 💚🌿 Want to get involved? Join us at Blue Indigo in Durham on Thursday, November 12th from 9AM-12PM to build a new trail! 🥾 At this workday, we’ll be using hand tools to build steps in the trail, install signs, and paint blazes. Be sure to bring a water bottle, closed-toed shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and feel free to bring your favorite work gloves, bug spray, sunscreen, or trail tools! No prior experience needed – just a love for community service and the outdoors. The meeting location is 5056 Stanley Rd, Durham, NC. Park on the roadside by the wooden steps and white Ford pickup truck. Register at the link in our bio! Indigo Roper-Edwards, Peter Delvecchia [Image Descriptions: Rock crew working; Volunteer crew working on step installation; Volunteer crew working on step installation; Volunteer crew with sign] #landstewardship #fieldwork #protectwhatmatters #VolunteerWithUs #supportconservation #enoriver

What does resilience look like along the Eno? In our new 2027 Eno River calendar, we explore how resilience appears through the land’s ability to adapt and recover, the strength of neighbors working together, and enduring stories of those before us. 💚🌿 Inspired by a 1977 calendar quote from Lana Leopold, this year’s theme of Resilience brings together beautiful photography, illustrations, and personal reflections from the Eno community to celebrate the river’s relentless spirit. Bring a bit of the Eno into your home all year long! Shop the 2027 Eno River calendar to celebrate the resilience of the river and the community that protects it. Check out the Eno Calendar at the link in our bio! 🔗 #calendar #resilience #enoriver #supportconservation #naturelovers #merch

🔍 Salamander spotlight series! 🔍 Say hello to the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) 👋 This species is a member of the mole salamander family, Ambystomatidae. These secretive amphibians spend much of their lives underground or hidden beneath logs, rocks, and leaf litter, emerging to forage and breed when conditions are right. Their diet includes earthworms, slugs, snails, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Seasonal wetlands known as ephemeral pools are important breeding habitats for spotted salamanders. These pools fill with water during wet periods and often dry out later in the year. Because they frequently lack fish, they can provide a safer place for salamander eggs and larvae to develop. On rainy nights during the breeding season, large numbers of spotted salamanders may migrate to these pools to reproduce. And their courtship is quite the spectacle! Males perform a synchronized, dance-like display called a liebesspiel and deposit packets of sperm called spermatophores on the pool bottom or submerged vegetation. Females pick up these packets to fertilize their eggs internally. Protecting seasonal wetlands and the forests surrounding them helps safeguard the next generation of these awesome amphibians! 📸: Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) by Andrew Murray, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY 4.0; Eno Staff [Image descriptions: spotted salamander on top of bed of brown and yellow leaves; spotted salamander crawling through dirt near the Eno River] #SpottedSalamander #EnoRiver #AmphibianConservation #SalamanderScience #SalamanderSpotlightSeries

In our November director’s message, Executive Director Ryan Fehrman discusses the history and protection of Black Meadow Ridge. 🌿 Earlier this year, Ryan joined Chris, Indigo, and ERA’s former Land Conservation Manager Reema Garabadu to explore the Association’s newest acquisition: Black Meadow Ridge. This property has quite the history, the details of which have been explored by Jenny Nygard through an article shared in the November edition of our eNews. Her words can also be found linked through Ryan's message. Additionally, the ERA will be in conversation with the “Friends of Geer Cemetery” regarding next steps related to the site's proximity to the historic Holman Cemetery. It is our hope to transfer BMR to the City of Durham to expand West Point on the Eno as soon as the City is able to accept the gift. We are so grateful for our generous volunteers, members, and donors for giving us the capacity to do great things. 💚 Read the full Director's Message in the link in our bio! 📸 Erik Nygard [Image Description: Hikers on the Buffalo trail] #enoriver #supportconservation #stewardship #History

Our rescheduled Fall Nature Fun Day will be held this coming Saturday, November 7th from 12 to 4 PM at the Confluence Natural Area! This event will be geared toward families with kids, but nature lovers of all ages are welcome. Get your hands and feet wet while searching the creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates, make a festive fall-inspired craft, and learn about some of the Eno’s most fascinating “spooky” species. This event is FREE and registration is NOT required. Just drop in any time between 12 and 4! Restrooms are available on-site. Two accessible parking spaces connect the paved sidewalk to the pavilion. At least one activity will take place in the paved pavilion. Email education@enoriver.org with any questions OR if you would be interested in volunteering at this event. Learn more on our Events on the Eno calendar. See you there! 📸: Eno Staff [Image description: two children crouch over a bin with macroinvertebrates from the creek]

Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual Meeting! We are so grateful to have such an amazing Eno community. 💚🌱 Between speeches from our Board, awards given to outstanding members of the community, and announcing our 2027 Eno River calendar, we had a wonderful time celebrating the past year at the Eno River Association. Want to support the Eno? Become a member at the link in our bio! 📸 ERA Staff [Image Descriptions: People chatting after the meeting; Board President Lindsay Duncan saying thank yous and giving a closing message to adjourn the meeting; The Eno Merch table and 2027 Calendar reveal; The pavilion during the meeting] #annualmeeting #enoriverassociation #merch #protectwhatmatters #give #donate #supportconservation #enoriver

Staff Series! 🌿 Eve is the Development and Communications Manager at the Eno River Association! A fun fact about Eve is that her first time visiting the Eno was on Memorial Day last year, and she had no idea that seven months later she would be starting at the ERA working for the river she enjoyed visiting! Today, Eve helps manage donor data, donor relations, supports stewardship, and helps handle social media and other communications strategies. Eve’s favorite things about working at the Eno are the opportunities to do hands-on activities and get out into nature and enjoy the Eno, along with meeting community members passionate about protecting the river. ERA Staff [Image Descriptions: Eve with Nan and Heather; Eve at the 60th Anniversary for the Eno; Eve kayaking with staff] #staffseries #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #enoriver

Our rescheduled Fall Nature Fun Day will be held next Saturday, November 7th from 12 to 4 PM at the Confluence Natural Area! This event will be geared toward families with kids, but nature lovers of all ages are welcome. Get your hands and feet wet while searching the creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates, make a festive fall-inspired craft, and learn about some of the Eno’s most fascinating “spooky” species. This event is FREE and registration is NOT required. Just drop in any time between 12 and 4! Restrooms are available on-site. Two accessible parking spaces connect the paved sidewalk to the pavilion. At least one activity will take place in the paved pavilion. Email education@enoriver.org with any questions OR if you would be interested in volunteering at this event. Learn more on our Events on the Eno calendar. See you there! 📸: Eno Staff [Image description: two children crouch over a bin with macroinvertebrates from the creek]

🌿 Stewardship Notes! 🌿 What to Expect at Workdays: Trail Building 🔨🥾 Building a trail involves many different steps, so when you come out to a trail building workday, you could be working on a variety of tasks! Today, we’re highlighting a few common ones. The first step in building a trail is preparing the trail tread, which is the surface you actually walk on. It needs to be firm, stable, and relatively flat. You'll use hand tools to scrape away debris, exposing the solid soil underneath in a path about 3 feet wide. You may need to make a bench cut, where you cut into the hillside to create space for a flatter tread. You might also use various hand tools to fill holes or remove obstacles from the trail such as rocks, roots, or stumps. The next step is clearing the trail corridor, the space that you walk through. For pedestrian trails, the trail corridor should be 3-4 feet wide and 7-8 feet tall. You'll use loppers and hand saws to remove limbs or saplings growing into this area. Always follow the instructions of your workday leader for correct technique when cutting living plants. Some trails need infrastructure like steps, bridges, or signs. If your workday focuses on one of these tasks, the workday leader will give you instructions, but you'll generally be using hand tools or the occasional power drill to anchor wood steps with rebar, assemble bridge parts, or install signage. We hope you learned some about trail building, and look around for new trail building events at the link in our bio! 📸 Indigo Roper-Edwards, Dave Burbank, John Prince [Image Descriptions: Volunteers trail building and moving gravel; volunteers lopping tree branches away from the trail; volunteers moving dirt and clearing debris; volunteers building stairs] #stewardshipnotes #trailbuiding #fieldwork #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #hikingnc #outdooractivities #events #enoriver

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Eno River Association, artist Mayanthi Jayawardena of Serendib Creative began a two-part visual art collaboration titled the “Eno River Mural Project.” 🎨🖌 The first phase of this project was a live painting performance at the Plaza at our Free Community Celebration, which was unfortunately abbreviated due to the rain. Now, Mayanthi has come to the Eno Office to finish the mural surrounded by the beauty of the Eno. 🌿🌱 We are so excited to see the completion of this project in the next few weeks! 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: Mayathi of Serendib Creative’s work on the “Eno River Mural Project” at the Eno Office] #anniversaryevent #mural #protectwhatmatters #enoriver

Welcome to our Salamander Spotlight Series! 🔎 First things first - what even IS a salamander? Salamanders might look a little like lizards, but they're actually amphibians — more closely related to frogs and toads than to reptiles. Unlike lizards, salamanders have moist, permeable skin, and many rely on their skin and the lining of their mouths to breathe. Some live mostly on land, others spend their entire lives in water, and many depend on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats throughout their lives. Here in the Eno River Basin, salamanders can be found in all kinds of places, from damp forests and hidden spaces beneath logs to the rocks and leaf litter of the Eno River and its tributaries. Despite being small and secretive, they're important members of these ecosystems, helping regulate invertebrate populations, serving as prey for other wildlife, and acting as important ecological indicators. Over the coming weeks, we'll introduce you to some of the fascinating salamander species found in our own backyard, exploring their unique adaptations, surprising behaviors, and the habitats they depend on. 🌿 Stay tuned to meet some salamanders of the Eno! 📸: “Marbled Salamander” by Peter Paplanus via New Georgia Encyclopedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0. [Image description: a marbled salamander rests on leaf litter] #EnoRiver #AmphibianConservation #SalamanderScience #SalamanderSpotlightSeries

Join us at Blue Indigo in Durham on Thursday, October 29th from 9AM-12PM to build a new trail! 🔨🥾 At this workday, we’ll be using hand tools to build steps in the trail, install signs, and paint blazes. Be sure to bring a water bottle, closed-toed shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and feel free to bring your favorite work gloves, bug spray, sunscreen, or trail tools! No prior experience needed – just a love for community service and the outdoors. 🌱💚 The meeting location is 5056 Stanley Rd, Durham, NC. Park on the roadside by the wooden steps and white Ford pickup truck. Register at the link in our bio! 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: Volunteers working on trail building at the Confluence Natural Area] #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #VolunteerWithUs #supportconservation #enoriver #durham

🌿 Nature Notes! 🌿 The Pickerel Frog is a frog native small-to-medium North American amphibian found across the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. 🐸 These frogs are commonly confused with southern leopard frogs, but pickerel frogs have two distinct rows of neat, rectangular markings running down their backs, compared with more randomly scattered circular spots in leopard frogs. When stressed, they secrete a toxic, foul-smelling mucus across their skin to deter predators. A fun fact is that their mating call sounds like a low, guttural human snore! 📸 Audrey Gentry [Image Description: Pickerel Frog at Panther Branch] #NatureNotes #frog #naturelovers #supportconservation #enoriver

Staff Series! 🌱 Hillary is the Director of Education and Engagement at the Eno River Association! A fun fact about Hillary is that she worked for the National Park Service for 10 summers. Today, she helps educate people on the Eno and why it’s important to spark financial contributions, volunteering, and advocacy. She does this through programming, public school programming, guided hikes, and more. Hillary’s favorite thing about working at the ERA is seeing kids in the summer camps growing up to be lovers and stewards of the Eno! 📸 Caroline Gilmore & Hillary Harrison [Image Descriptions: Hillary Harrison staff photo, Hillary and her husband, and Hillary at the river during a field trip] #education #outreach #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #supportconservation

In honor of World Planting Day today, we’d like to encourage you all to get outside, enjoy the cooling weather and plant some native perennials and trees. 🌳 Fall is a great time of year to plant new trees, shrubs and perennials. Planting now gives them time to establish their roots while the ground is still warm and at the same time the cooling area helps reduce stress to the plant. 🍁🍂 When choosing new plants to add to your yard it’s important to take time to see what opportunities your yard provides. Is your desired location full sun, part sun or full shade? Does the soil moisture stay: wet, dry or somewhere in between? What type of plants are already in your yard? Once you have the answer to these questions you're well on your way to choosing the best plants for you. One resource that you may find valuable when researching different plant options is the NC Ag Extension Plant Toolbox. Here you’ll find detailed information about many different types of plants in our area. If you don’t have a yard of your own or you’re interested in helping with a larger project check out our next reforestation workday this Saturday at the Confluence Natural Area! 📸 Nick Ferguson [Image Descriptions: Various insects and plants found around the Eno River basin] #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #volunteerwithus #supportconservation

Join us at 5 PM on Thursday, October 22 for a fall drop-in hike along the Eno! 🥾🍂 Registration not required. This hike is a ~2.25 mile Cabelands to Eno Quarry Hike. We will aim to complete the hike in about 1.5 hours so that we can return to the parking lot before sunset, but if you’re concerned about navigating in low light, feel free to bring a headlamp or flashlight just in case. These trails are of moderate difficulty with several rocky sections and a few short, steep inclines. Please feel free to bring water and snacks. Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and shoes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome as long as they are under your control and on a 6 foot leash. Your guide will share some information about the area along the way, but the primary focus is on getting outside, moving your body, enjoying the trails, and connecting with others! Meet in the Cabelands parking lot, at the end of Howe Street, off of Sparger Road in Durham (4950 Howe Street, Durham NC, 27705). See you there! 📸: Eno Staff [Image description: A trail surrounded on either side by yellow beech trees with the sun peeking through]

🌿 ERA Through the Eras: The Eno River Association Today 🌿 In the final chapter of our blog series, learn about the important work that the Eno River has done in the past decade, including land conservation and restoration, expansions in education and outreach, and adaptations to the changing climate. 🌎💚 Additionally, the research and interviews conducted for this blog post have spurred a new project: look forwards to learning more about the current staff of the ERA through a staff series that started last week! Read the blog at the link in our bio! 📸 Caroline Gilmore [Image Description: Group Eno River Association staff photo] #protectwhatmatters #education #conservation #landstewardship #naturelovers #enoriver

Join us for a rescheduled workday to plant some trees this Saturday, October 24th from 9AM-12PM! 🌳 During this workday, we will be working in teams and using hand tools to plant tree seedlings in designated areas and water them. The meeting location is 4214 Highland Farm Rd, Hillsborough. We will gather at the main parking area, then carpool to a secondary access closer to where we will be working. If you are comfortable driving others about 1 mile, please make sure you have space in your car. Be sure to bring a water bottle, closed-toed shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty, and feel free to bring your favorite work gloves, bug spray, sunscreen, or trail tools! No prior experience needed – just a love for community service and the outdoors. 💚 Register at the link in our bio! 📸 Indigo Roper-Edwards [Image Description: Tree Planting at the Confluence with three volunteers working] #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #outdooractivities #events #supportconservation #enoriver #restoration

Love the outdoors and connecting with others in your community? 🌿💕 Join us from 5-6:30PM on Thursday, October 22 for a fall drop-in hike along the Eno River! 🥾 This hike is a 2.25 mile Cabelands to Eno Quarry Hike, and will take around 1.5 hours to complete. If you’re concerned about navigating in low light, feel free to bring a headlamp or flashlight just in case. These trails are of moderate difficulty with several rocky sections and a few short, steep inclines. Please feel free to bring water and snacks. Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and shoes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome as long as they are under your control and on a 6 foot leash. During this hike, your guide will share information about the area along the way! Registration is not required. Meet in the Cabelands parking lot, at the end of Howe Street, off of Sparger Road in Durham (4950 Howe Street, Durham NC, 27705). 📸 Anneliese Pinnell [Image Description: Hikers in jackets crossing a river] #naturelovers #hikingnc #outdooractivities #events #hike #enoriver

🌿 Stewardship Notes 🌿 At home stewardship can be as simple as doing nothing! 🍂 Leave your leaves this fall to provide a natural fertilizer and provide shelter for insects and small animals during the winter months. 🍁🎃 Leaving your leaves is an easy way to be more environmentally friendly, as leaf litter provides winter habitats for butterflies, moths, bees, and insects, along with 94% of caterpillars. Save time and money this fall by leaving your leaves! The best way to do this is to just leave your leaves where they fall, but in areas where that is not an option (such as grass you need to maintain), rake or blow leaves under trees, shrubs, or in garden bends to use as mulch! If necessary, you can also mulch leaves directly using a mulching lawnmower. Learn more about leaving your leaves at the link in our bio! 📸 Kathy Lee, Nick Ferguson, Nick Ferguson, Todd Nance [Image Descriptions: Eno River in the fall with orange and yellow-colored trees lining the river; fall trees in the Eno River Basin; The Eno River reflecting fall colored trees; Nancy Rhodes creek dam in the fall] #leaveyourleaves #enoriver #supportconservation #protectwhatmatters

📣WEATHER UPDATE! Due to forecasted cold and wet weather tomorrow, we have rescheduled our Nature Fun Day to Saturday, November 7th. We hope to see you then! 🍂🍁 For the November 7th event: This event will be geared toward families with kids, but nature lovers of all ages are welcome. Get your hands and feet wet while searching the creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates, make a festive fall-inspired craft, and learn about some of the Eno’s most fascinating “spooky” species. This event is FREE and registration is NOT required. Just drop in any time between 12 and 4! Restrooms are available on-site. Two accessible parking spaces connect the paved sidewalk to the pavilion. At least one activity will take place in the paved pavilion. Email education@enoriver.org with any questions OR if you would be interested in volunteering at this event. Learn more on our Events on the Eno calendar. See you there! 📸: Eno Staff [Image description: two children reach into a container of creek water with crayfish and other macroinvertebrates] #EnoRiver #NatureFun #NatureEducation #EnvironmentalEducation #DurhamNC #HillsboroughNC #GetOutside #FallFun

Meet the Staff at ERA! 🌎🌱 To kickoff of our new Meet the Staff Series, we're introducing Nick Ferguson! Nick is our Conservation and Stewardship manager here at the Eno River Association. A fun fact about Nick is that before he originally worked as our Finance and Operations manager, and has recently transitioned into his new role! Today, he helps with increasing conservation in the Eno River State Park, the Confluence, and Panther Branch, and leading workdays. He also helps with land restoration in our preserves and natural areas. Nick’s favorite thing about working at the ERA is the positivity of the team and the genuine happiness that people bring to the work. #enoriver #supportconservation #volunteerwithus #staffseries

🌿 Nature Notes 🌿 This is a photo of a common puffball, which is a type of mushroom and is recognized as the most widespread and frequently seen puffball species in North America. 🍄 In contrast to mushrooms that have open caps with visible gills, a puffball keeps its spore-producing part entirely enclosed inside its rounded body. When mature it turns brown and a hole in the top opens up to release a burst spores after the body is touched by something like a passing animal or falling raindrops. A single mature puffball can make and release millions to trillions of tiny wind-dispersed spores to help the fungus spread. 📸 Audrey Gentry [Image Description: Common puffball mushroom] #NatureNotes #naturelovers #supportconservation #enoriver

It's almost here! Don't forget to join us this coming Saturday, October 17th for a FREE Fall Nature Fun Day from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Confluence Natural Area! 🍂 This event will be geared toward families with kids, but nature lovers of all ages are welcome. Get your hands and feet wet while searching the creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates, make a festive fall-inspired craft, and learn about some of the Eno’s most fascinating “spooky” species. This event is FREE and registration is NOT required. Just drop in any time between 12 and 4! Restrooms are available on-site. Two accessible parking spaces connect the paved sidewalk to the pavilion. At least one activity will take place in the paved pavilion. Email education@enoriver.org with any questions OR if you would be interested in volunteering at this event. Learn more on our Events on the Eno calendar. See you there! 📸: Eno Staff [Image description: two children reach into a container of creek water with crayfish and other macroinvertebrates] #EnoRiver #NatureFun #NatureEducation #EnvironmentalEducation #DurhamNC #HillsboroughNC #GetOutside #FallFun

Want to attend to our upcoming Annual Meeting for Members? Renew your membership today and you’ll be invited to this special gathering with fellow Friends of the Eno. 🍂 Become a member with a gift of $60+ annually or $5+ monthly. Your membership helps to protect, steward, and connect people with the Eno River—and keeps you connected to the Eno River Association and the community doing this work. Make your gift by Oct 8 to join us at the Annual Meeting! Renew your membership at the link in our bio! 📸 Samiha Bala [Image Description: Director of the Eno River Association Ryan Fehrman speaking at the Fall Annual Meeting] #annualmeeting #protectwhatmatters #give #supportconservation #enoriver

🌿 Stewardship Notes 🌿 Welcome to a new series highlighting types of Stewardship work at the Eno River Association! These will introduce “At Home Stewardship” and “What to Expect at Workdays” with the ERA! What to expect at planting workdays with the ERA! 🌱🌾 We often plant trees for reforestation, but we also plant grasses or flowering plants to increase biodiversity, support native wildlife, or stabilize soil. The first step is figuring out where to plant. If planting locations were not marked in advance, you may be given instructions on how to pick locations yourself, usually based on plant spacing or defined rows. The planting location is marked with a wooden stake or a pin flag, and the plant should be placed as close as possible to the marker. Depending on the plant's size, you may need to dig a hole using a shovel, or you may be able to create an opening in the soil with a dibble bar. If you use a dibble bar, you'll step on the crossbar to drive it into the ground, then wiggle it back and forth to create an opening. The opening should be deep enough for the roots to fit completely while still touching the soil on the bottom. Place the plant in the opening so that the top-most roots are just below ground level. For dibble bar plantings, you can simply step down on the soil to either side of the planting, pushing it back together to surround the roots of the plant and remove air pockets. Next, water around the base of the plant. This helps the soil settle into place around the roots and helps the plant adjust to its new home. Once the plant is watered in, step on the soil around the base again to push out any remaining air pockets. Finally, remember to wish your planting good luck before you move on to the next one! 🍀🤞 📸 Indigo Roper-Edwards [Image Description: Two volunteers at a planting Stewardship workday at the Eno River] #fieldwork #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #volunteerwithus #enoriver

We want YOUR input! 🍂 The Eno River Association is proud to announce we are pursuing renewal of our land trust accreditation. This program recognizes the ERA's commitment to the highest standards in protecting the Eno River and surrounding lands. 🌿🌎 The Land Trust Accreditation Commission is accepting public comments on our application through March 19, 2027. We're inviting you to read more about reaccreditation and share your feedback here 👉 https://www.enoriver.org/era-accreditation-renewal/ 📸 Sheila Tayrose [Image Description: The Eno river in the fall, with colorful trees lining the river] #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #enoriver

Over the last few years, we've planted various native species at Blue Indigo Preserve as a part of the restoration of the diabase savanna ecosystem there. 🌿 These plantings have included a variety of native species, including the starry rosinweed (Silphium asteriscus) shown in the photo. This year, we've seen lots of these plantings popping up and flowering! 🌸🌼 Whether they're planted in a nature preserve or at home in your yard, native plants help support our local ecosystems while showing off some lovely colors. Check out our volunteer stewardship workdays for some opportunities to help with native plantings! Come volunteer with us at the link here 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/o/eno-river-association-3728261415 Indigo Roper-Edwards [Image Description: Starry Rosinweed at the Blue Indigo Preserve] #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #supportconservation #enoriver #restoration

Need the perfect excuse to get outside and soak up the autumn vibes? We've got you covered! 🍂 Join us next Saturday, October 17th for a FREE Fall Nature Fun Day from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Confluence Natural Area! This event will be geared toward families with kids, but nature lovers of all ages are welcome. Get your hands and feet wet while searching the creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates, make a festive fall-inspired craft, and learn about some of the Eno’s most fascinating “spooky” species. 🕸🦇 There will also be an opportunity to slow down and reconnect with nature at your own pace on a self-guided forest therapy hike. 🌾✨ This event is FREE and registration is NOT required. Just drop in any time between 12 and 4! Restrooms are available on-site. Two accessible parking spaces connect the paved sidewalk to the pavilion. At least one activity will take place in the paved pavilion. Email education@enoriver.org with any questions OR if you would be interested in volunteering at this event. Learn more on our Events on the Eno calendar. See you there! 📸: Eno Staff [Image description: two children reach into a container of creek water with crayfish and other macroinvertebrates] #EnoRiver #NatureFun #NatureEducation #EnvironmentalEducation #DurhamNC #HillsboroughNC #GetOutside #FallFun

The Eno River Association is excited to announce the newest conservation project along the Eno River! 🌿 On August 14, the Reid family donated a conservation easement on a 2.5-acre riverfront portion of the historic Burnside Barn and Coachman’s Quarters property in Hillsborough. This conservation easement is a deed that prohibits any future development of the land, while allowing the Reid family and all future owners the right to enjoy the space in ways that protect the forest and the Eno River. Burnside Barn and Coachman’s Quarters is also an important historical site. Archeological artifacts recovered from UNC field studies since 1938 have shown that Occaneechi, Shakori, and earlier Indigenous groups lived in this area for thousands of years. Read more about the conservation project in the link in our bio! 🔗 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: The Eno River with foliage surrounding the location] #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #supportconservation #enoriver

Want to spend a Saturday outside, make new friends, and have some fun? Come volunteer at our Fall Nature Fun Day on Saturday, October 17th! 🍂 This FREE, family-friendly event is open to the public, and we’re looking for volunteers to help make the day run smoothly. You might: 🎨 Lead or assist with fall-themed crafts 🦐 Help with critter catching in the creek 🍁 Help guests explore, learn, and enjoy the outdoors Never volunteered with us before? No worries! This is a low-stakes, fun way to get involved, meet new people, and spend some time outside. Newcomers are absolutely welcome! Ready to join the fun? Email audrey@enoriver.org to sign up or learn more. We’d love to have you on the team! #EnoRiver #EnoEducation #Volunteer #NatureEducation #FallFun #GetOutside #DurhamNC #HillsboroughNC #EnvironmentalEducation

Celebrate the end of Oktoberfest and check out our new collaboration with Eno River Brewing, Easy Peasy Eno Squeezy! 🍂🍁 Easy Peasy Eno Squeezy pours a clear straw color with rocky white head, aromas of warm lemon groves, and a sweet malt character reminiscent of lemon drops. A portion of proceeds from the draft sales of Easy Peasy Eno Squeezy will benefit the Eno River Association! #enoriver #supportconservation #enoriverbrewing

🌿 Nature Notes 🌿 The Southern two-lined salamander is a lungless salamander that is commonly found under small rocks and in leaf litter around shallow creeks feeding into the Eno. 🦎 Some fun facts about Southern two-lined salamanders are that breathe entirely through their skin and the lining of their mouth. During the breeding season, adult males grow small, fleshy projections on their snouts called cirri, which help them detect females. Additionally, babies hatch with gills and live an entirely aquatic lifestyle for 1 to 3 years before finishing their metamorphosis into adults. 📸 Audrey Gentry [Image Description: Southern two-lined salamander found along the Eno] #NatureNotes #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #enoriver #salamander

Check out our online store to explore our new 60th Anniversary collaborations! 🌿💚 Find both new and reprints of Eno River merch highlighting important species the Eno River basin protects! We’ve put a lot of love and gratitude into this special September offering in honor of our Eno River community. Check out items at the link in our bio! 🔗 ERA Staff [Image Description: Eno River Association merch from the 60th anniversary with various animals on them including t-shirts and hats] #naturelovers #supportconservation #ShopLocal #enoriver #merch

Join us at the Confluence Natural Area on Saturday, October 17 from 12-4pm for a free, family-friendly afternoon of hands-on fun! 🎉 Get your hands and feet wet searching the creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates, make a festive fall craft, and learn about some of the Eno’s most fascinating “spooky” species. You’ll also have the chance to slow down and connect with the forest along the Rocky Water Path, a Certified Forest Therapy Trail. 🌳🍂 Nature lovers of all ages are welcome. No registration required! Questions? Email education@enoriver.org for more information about this event. ERA Staff [Image Description: A photo at fall nature fun day, with two participants in the Eno River searching for macroinvertebrates]

In our October Director’s Message, Conservation and Stewardship Director Chris Dreps discusses opening accessibility to nature through a Universal Accessible Trail at the Eno. 💙💚 To expand accessibility to the beauty of the Eno River, there will be universal trail access at ERA’s Confluence Natural Area. We have begun Phase 1 of a project to transform Rocky Water Path—also known by its Saponi language name, Niste:kmaniątcóx—into a Universal Accessible Trail (UAT). Although under 1 mile long, it will open a serene, wooded nature trail to a part of the Eno that is currently inaccessible to families with disabilities. We hope that those of us with the capacity to make a significant donation will consider supporting ERA’s campaign to fund this trail that will open up nature for so many people in our area. Read the full Director's Message at the link in our bio! 🔗 📸 Brandon Rice [Image Description: Rocky Water Path sign in forested area along the trail on the Eno River] #protectwhatmatters #give #naturelovers #donate #hike #supportconservation

Want to attend to our upcoming Annual Meeting for Members? Renew your membership today and you’ll be invited to this special gathering with fellow Friends of the Eno. 🌿💕 Become a member with a gift of $60+ annually or $5+ monthly. Your membership helps to protect, steward, and connect people with the Eno River—and keeps you connected to the Eno River Association and the community doing this work. Make your gift by Oct 8 to join us at the Annual Meeting! 🌳🌎 Renew your membership at the link in our bio! 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: Photo of the Eno River Association annual meeting, including three staff or members of the ERA] #protectwhatmatters #give #naturelovers #supportconservation #enoriver

🌿 Nature Notes! 🌿 Flowering dogwoods are among the only native trees in our area that have true arcuate venation on their leaves (venation is a term referring to the pattern formed by the arrangement of veins and veinlets within a leaf blade). Arcuate venation means that the prominent veins curve gracefully to follow the elliptic, oval shape of the leaf edge. Look out for the bright colors and venation of the dogwood leaves in the fall! 🍂 📸 Audrey Gentry [Image Description: A photo of leaves from a flowering dogwood tree] #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #NatureNotes #supportconservation #enoriver

Join the Eno Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail on Sunday, October 3rd from 9AM-3PM for a volunteer stewardship workday working on the trail behind the River Forest neighborhood! 🌿🥾 Email dietrich@duke.edu for more info and to RSVP. 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: A group of volunteers trail building at the Confluence Natural Area, carrying and working with tools] #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #events #supportconservation #enoriver

🌿 Nature Notes 🌿 The Eastern Fence lizard is a small, scaly reptile native to open woodlands and forest edges across the eastern United States. 🦎 Eastern Fence lizards are sit-and-wait predators that eat mostly terrestrial arthropods and specialize in eating arthropods like ants, beetles, and crickets. They have an interesting relationship with the invasive red imported fire ant because although they can serve as a source of nutrition for the lizards, they also risk being swarmed by the ants and being stung, which can cause injury or even death in the lizards. Recent studies have found that in Eastern Fence lizard populations that have lived with fire ants for generations, some lizards may show more vigorous defensive behaviors, including rapid movements and behaviors that help dislodge attacking ants, which suggests that exposure to the invasive ants has produced evidence of natural selection on anti-predator behavior. Audrey Gentry [Image Description: Eastern Fence lizard on a log found around Sennett’s Hole] #naturelovers #supportconservation #enoriver

To protect the Eno is to protect our community. 🌿 This World Environmental Health Day, we’re celebrating the incredible response to our $60K for 60 Years campaign. Together, our community helped raise over $97,000—far surpassing our original $60,000 goal—to protect and care for the Eno River Basin and the people within it. This year's theme for today, “Environmental Health: Standing with Science to Protect Communities,” reminds us that resilient communities depend on healthy environments. Clean water, functioning ecosystems, protected natural areas, and access to green space all contribute to the places where people live, work, play, and thrive.💙 That connection is at the heart of the Eno River Association’s work. By protecting land along the Eno, caring for the ecosystems that sustain the river, and creating opportunities for people to connect with nature, we’re helping safeguard the environmental resources our communities depend on—today and for generations to come. The more than $97,000 raised this summer will help protect important lands and care for the places entrusted to us. This outpouring of support from our community will shape the health and resilience of the Eno River Basin for years to come. For 60 years, people have come together to protect the Eno. This year was no exception. Thank you for investing in a healthy future for the Eno and the communities that call it home. This next chapter belongs to all of us. 💚 📸 Susan Reeves [Image Description: A bright orange Monarch butterfly perches on a daisy to drink its sweet nectar on a sunny day amid a lush green field.] #WorldEnvironmentalHealthDay #EnvironmentalHealth #EnoRiver #LandProtection #ProtectTheEno

Thank you to our volunteers! 🌎💕 Last week, volunteers helped with trail building at Blue Indigo and to fight off invasive Tree of Heaven at the Confluence Natural Area. We are so grateful for such a wonderful community! Want to get involved? Join us next Thursday, October 1st to remove some invasive multiflora rose and stilt grass to protect our native species at Panther Branch Conservation Area! Be sure to bring a water bottle, closed-toed shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty and feel free to bring your favorite work gloves, bug spray, sunscreen, or tools! No prior volunteer experience needed, just a love for the outdoors! Sign up at the link in our bio! 📸 Indigo Roper-Edwards, Nick Ferguson [Image Description: volunteers trail building at Blue Indigo Preserve; volunteers cleaning invasive Tree of Heaven; volunteers posing at Blue Indigo Preserve; volunteers removing a large Tree of Heaven plant] #landstewardship #protectwhatmatters #naturelovers #volunteerwithus #enoriver

Come Whittle by the Eno at our Walking Stick Whittling Workshop! 🌿🌳 Join volunteer and land steward Brian for a walking stick whittling workshop at the Confluence Natural Area this Sunday morning at 9AM! Learn about stewardship and and natural resource management while collecting saplings to create a hand-carved walking stick to take home. Bring a pocketknife, a chair, water and something to snack on! 💕 Suggested ages 12 and up, and this workshop is $15 for the general public and $9 for Eno River Association members and children under 18. Sign up at the link in our bio! 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: Walking stick whittling workshop at the Confluence Natural Area] #naturelovers #outdooractivities #events #enoriver #whittling

Join communities across the state for NC Climate Week starting tomorrow for a series of workshops, events, and conversations hosted by EarthShare NC to move our state to climate action! 🌎 This year, the Eno River Association’s own Audrey Gentry will be sharing information on building climate resiliency with her talk “Tropical Storm Chantal and the Eno River: Impacts, Recovery, and Resilience.” at 2:30 p.m. on September 29. Check out more at the link in our bio! 📸 Dan Smith [Image Description: Eno River flooding after tropical storm Chantal] #naturelovers #events #enoriver #climateaction

🌿 Nature Notes 🌿 Jelly fungi in North Carolina are gelatinous, rubbery organisms that primarily grow on dead or dying branches and logs after rain or periods of high humidity. 🍄 There are many species of jelly fungi – this is a loose term based on the appearance of several unrelated groups of fungi that produce gelatinous fruiting bodies. Their fruiting bodies contain a lot of water and have a gelatinous structure which gives them the ability to dry out and rehydrate. When it hasn't been wet, they look dried up and shriveled, but after rain, they absorb water and become gelatinous and jelly-like again! 📸 Audrey Gentry [Image Description: Jelly fungi on a log, taken at the Confluence Natural Area] #enoriver #supportconservation #naturelovers

NEW BEER ALERT! 🚨 Come to @enoriverbrewing to try our new collaboration, Easy Peasy Eno Squeezy, to celebrate the Eno River Association's 60th anniversary! 🩷🌱 Easy Peasy Eno Squeezy pours a clear straw color with rocky white head, aromas of warm lemon groves, and a sweet malt character reminiscent of lemon drops. A portion of proceeds from the draft sales of Easy Peasy Eno Squeezy will benefit the Eno River Association! 🍋 #enoriver #supportconservation

If you weren’t able to attend the event on Saturday, check out our online store to explore our new 60th Anniversary collaborations! 🌱🌸 Preview new prints with local artists, including Gabe Eng-Goetz & Durm Studios who produced the artwork featured throughout this year's celebratory campaign. We’ve put a lot of love and gratitude into this special September offering in honor of our Eno River community! Shop at the link in our bio! #anniversaryevent #merch #protectwhatmatters #events #supportconservation enoriver

💚 Thank you again, CT Wilson! 💚 Our 60th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, September 12, was made possible in part by the generous support of our Title Sponsor, CT Wilson Construction Company. A third-generation, family-owned commercial general contractor based right here in Durham, CT Wilson has been part of our community for more than 70 years. They have also been a longtime supporter of the Eno River Association and our work to protect the Eno River and connect people with this special place. We are especially grateful to have celebrated 60 years of the Eno with a partner who has been part of our community for so many years. Thank you, CT Wilson, for helping make this special day—and our work for the next 60 years—possible! Learn more about CT Wilson and their work in our community at ctwilson.com. 🔗 📸: CT Wilson #EnoRiver #CTWilson #DurhamNC #SponsorSpotlight #TitleSponsor

UPDATE: Our 60th Anniversary auction has come to a close. Thank you to everyone who bid! Winners will be notified re: how to collect their items in the next few days. ✨ To Bid: Text ENO60 to 53-555 *or* click the link in bio You could win: 🛶 Sunset Canoe Adventure 🐅 Carolina Tiger Rescue Tour 💆🏻‍♀️ Aromatherapy Massage + Facial 🧑🏻‍🐰‍🧑🏾 Staycation for Two 🏋🏽‍♀️ 1 Month of Strength Training 🍕 Comfort Food Bundle ✨ & so much more!

🌿 Nature Notes! 🌿 Hearts-a-bustin’ or strawberry bushes are a deciduous shrub native to the eastern United States. Though this plant blooms in the late spring and early summer, this plant shows its true colors in the late summer and early fall when the seed capsules mature, turn a vibrant magenta-pink, and burst open to reveal bright orangey-red seeds! 🧡❤️ These shrubs are not actually related to strawberries, and all parts of the plants are toxic to humans. However, white-tailed deer and rabbits love to eat its twigs and leaves, and songbirds and small mammals will eat the seeds. These plants are native to the Eno River basin, and you can go along the Eno Riverwalk to enjoy them in their full beauty! Audrey Gentry [Image Description: Hearts-a-bustin or strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) taken at the Hillsborough Riverwalk this past weekend] #naturelovers #NatureNotes #supportconservation #enoriver

What a celebration! 💚 Thank you to everyone who joined us this past Saturday, September 12, to celebrate 60 years of the Eno River Association and look ahead to what’s next. From an afternoon of music, dancing, puppets, stories, and community on the DPlex Plaza to an unforgettable evening of music and poetry at the Carolina Theatre, the day was a beautiful reflection of the many ways people connect with and care for the Eno. We’re grateful to everyone who came out, shared their memories, danced with us, and helped us celebrate this milestone. And we’re especially grateful to the volunteers, artists, performers, partners, sponsors, and staff who made the day possible! 60 years of protecting the Eno. 60 years of people showing up for this river. And now, we’re looking ahead to what comes next. Here’s to the next 60. 🌿 #EnoRiver #EnoRiverAssociation #anniversary

I guess what we've learned from this Ticket Giveaway series is that the snakes of the Eno River are wonderful ambassadors for our cause! They're inspiring folks near and far with their unpretentious beauty. 🐍 Tickets are still available (✨ at link in bio ✨) for tomorrow's 60th Anniversary Concert at the Carolina Theater -- featuring Pura Fé (@pura._fe), Jake Xerxes Fussell (@jxfussell), Tre. Charles (@tre.charlz) + more! There's also a free Community Celebration from 1-5pm on the DPlex Plaza. We'll have @paperhandpuppet on site with their magical creations, a live mural painting by @serendibcreative, a performance by the @durhamlaborchoir, crafty times with @scrapexchange, a Rowdy Square Dance with the Five Points Rounders, brand new merch by @gabegets at the "Little Big Top" Tent... And, yep, the NC Herpetological Society will be there with some lovely snakes to wow us all! We hope to see you there! Music by concert headliner Pura Fé: "Before the Sky Split in Two" (Extended Instrumental), Pura Fé & Geneviève Gros-Louis

🎉 Sponsor Highlight! 🎉 We are deeply grateful to CT Wilson Construction Company for leading the way as the Title Sponsor presenting our 60th Anniversary celebration! A third-generation, family-owned commercial general contractor based right here in Durham, CT Wilson has been part of our community for over 70 years. Their commitment to supporting local nonprofits and investing in the communities they call home makes their partnership especially meaningful as we celebrate 60 years of protecting the Eno River. They've been here as long as we have, and we are grateful for their support of our mission. 💚 Thank you, CT Wilson, for helping us bring our anniversary celebration to life and for being part of the story of the Eno! Learn more about CT Wilson and their work in our community at ctwilson.com. 🔗 📸: CT Wilson [Image Description: Two men in reflective CT Wilson jackets lean over the railing to chat over a construction site.] #EnoRiver #CTWilson #DurhamNC #SponsorSpotlight #TitleSponsor

🌦️ Weather update for Saturday’s celebration! We’re actively monitoring weather conditions for the Eno River Association’s 60th Anniversary Celebration this Saturday, September 12, in downtown Durham. We’re planning to celebrate with you rain or shine! In case of inclement weather, festivities will move across Foster St. from the DPlex Plaza to the Durham Armory. We’ll keep you updated as we monitor conditions. Wherever we gather, we look forward to celebrating 60 years of protecting the Eno with you! 💙🌿 #anniversaryevent #weather #durham #events #supportconservation #enoriver #durhamnc

There’s still a few spots available! 🌿 Come and join us to fightioff invasive Tree of Heaven at the Confluence Natural Area this Saturday, September 19 at 9AM. During this work day, we will be using hand tools and herbicide to remove invasive tree of heaven. You can still assist with this workday even if you are not comfortable using herbicide! Be sure to bring a water bottle, appropriate clothes and shoes, and feel free to bring your favorite work gloves, bug spray, sunscreen, or trail tools! No prior experience needed – just a love for community service and the outdoors. 💚💙 Find out more information in the link in our bio! 🔗 📸 Indigo Roper-Edwards [Image Description: Volunteers at work at Confluence Natural Area working on removing invasive Tree of Heaven] #enoriver #outdooractivities #VolunteerWithUs #naturelovers #protectwhatmatters

Check out our 60th Anniversary Online Auction + support the Eno River! To Bid: Text ENO60 to 53-555 *or* click the link in bio You could win: 🧑🏻‍🐰‍🧑🏾 Staycation for Two 🛶 Sunset Canoe Adventure 🐅 Carolina Tiger Rescue Tour 🍺 Tour & Tasting at Glass Jug Beer Lab 🏋🏽‍♀️ One Month of Strength Training Classes 🍫 Videri Chocolate Gift Basket ✨ & so much more!

Thank you to all of our volunteers! 💚🌱 This past Thursday, we worked on trail building and maintenance at Blue Indigo Preserve. Volunteers replaced two rocks to improve stream crossing at Panther Branch, and installed a set of stone steps descending to the crossing to remove slipping hazards and prevent erosion. We are so grateful for such a wonderful community. 💕 Want to get more involved? Join us for an upcoming workday! No prior experience needed – just a love for natural spaces and volunteering. Be sure to bring a water bottle, closed-toed shoes, and clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Find more information on Stewardship dates at the link in our bio 🔗 📸 Indigo Roper-Edwards [Image Description: Volunteers at trail building Stewardship event at Blue Indigo Preserve, standing in front of the creek crossing] #landstewardship #naturelovers #VolunteerWithUs #outdooractivities #events #enoriver

🌿 ERA Through the Eras: Panther Branch Natural Area 🌿 In this chapter of our blog series bringing six decades of people, milestones, and community spirit to life, we take a look at the acquisition and conservation of Panther Branch Natural Area. Explore the family committed to protecting this parcel of land, the individuals dedicated to stewarding the land, the biodiversity Panther Branch supports, and the future of conservation at the ERA. Read more a the link in our bio 🔗 📸 ERA Staff [Image Description: Ribbon cutting on opening day at Panther Branch Natural Area] #enoriver #history #pantherbranch #conservation

🌿 Thank you to Latta Park for supporting our 60th Anniversary celebration as a Trail Head Sponsor! As our neighbors, Latta Park shares our vision for communities where people can connect with nature through publicly accessible green spaces, multi-use trails, and thoughtful public art. We’re grateful to have you alongside us as we celebrate 60 years of protecting and connecting people to the Eno River! 💚 📸: Latta Park [Image Description: Drawing of plans for Latta Park's layout showing the residential and shopping areas of the community.] #EnoRiver #LattaPark #DurhamNC #SponsorSpotlight #TrailHeadSponsor

Down by the River | Ticket Giveaway! 🐍 We chatted with Meredith along the trail by the Eno River and gave her some free tickets to our Sept 12th concert at the Carolina Theater. Buy tickets while they last at the link in our bio. We hope to see you there! 🎶🎟️💧 Music by concert headliner Pura Fé: "Before the Sky Split in Two" (Extended Instrumental), Pura Fé & Geneviève Gros-Louis

🌿 Help build a new trail at Blue Indigo! Our stewardship workdays are picking back up for fall, and we’re looking for volunteers to help us continue building the new trail at Blue Indigo Preserve in Durham! Join us next Thursday, September 17, from 9 AM–12 PM to get your hands dirty using hand tools to build trail steps and smooth out rough sections. It’s a great chance to spend a morning outdoors, meet fellow Eno supporters, and help create a trail that people can enjoy for years to come. 💚 No trail-building experience necessary! We’ll provide the tools, equipment, work gloves, and even breakfast and snacks. Get all the details and sign up to lend a hand at the link in our bio. 📸: ERA Staff [Image Description: Volunteers at work building trails at the Confluence Natural Area.] #EnoRiver #BlueIndigoPreserve #TrailBuilding #VolunteerWithUs #LandStewardship

✨ Our 60th Anniversary Celebration and Benefit Concert is coming up THIS SATURDAY and we can’t wait to celebrate with you. Come join us and learn about the past 60 years of protecting the Eno River, from our grassroots efforts to the beginnings of the Festival for the Eno to our more recent projects and successes. We’ve partnered with artist Kelsey Grawill @klgraywill and Hyperlocal Dispatch @hyperlocaldispatch to develop a Zine to share the history of the Eno River Association in a fun, creative way! A special thank you to our friends and artists Rosali Middleman @rosalimusic and Joe Liles for their beautiful images. 🎨✏️ You can pick up a copy of the Zine at the Benefit Concert at Carolina Theatre on Saturday evening. Tickets are available at the link in our bio. Can’t wait to see you there to celebrate 60 years! 📸: Kelsey Graywill [Image description: A paper copy of a Zine with text sits open on a surface]

In her September Director’s Message, H.C. McEntire shares the changes to the Festival for the Eno, and how the history and culture of the Eno River and surrounding communities has inspired her in curating the Benefit Concert for the Eno for the Eno River Association’s 60th Anniversary. 💚🌱 As an artist in awe of the natural land surrounding the Eno, Heather was moved by the storytelling of Beverly Scarlett, and mixed media pieces by Dr. Cortland Gilliam and Brian Howe that can deepen dialogues about race, class, and history of Black people along the Eno and Black builders from UNC Chapel Hill to the forefront. For musical artists, Heather sourced artists connected to the Eno such as the sonically unique Tre. Charles, the traditional folk and blues artist Jake Xerxes Fussell, and legendary hand drummer Pura Fé with her fingerstyle guitarist Cary Morin. With the deep history and soulfulness connected to each performer and artist, Heather hopes that this concert will inspire us to widen our lens of conservation, compassion, and critical thinking about the Eno River. 📸 Ken Pugh [Image Description: Beverly Scarlett at the West Point on the Eno Pack House, giving a presentation on Ribbons of Color along the Eno] @hcmcentire_music #enoriver #benefitconcert #CommunityEvent #60thanniversary #supportconservation

✨ ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: JAKE XERXES FUSSELL ✨ We have even more reason to be excited to welcome Jake Xerxes Fussell to the stage at our 60th Anniversary Benefit Concert next weekend! Jake has a brand-new album, The Old Beloved Path, dropping on September 18th! We get the incredible treat of spending part of the evening with him at the Carolina Theatre just six days before its release. 🎶🎤 Ahead of the new album, Jake has already shared a few new songs, including “Boll Weevil” (playing on this post). Now is a great time to get acquainted with his music, if you haven’t had the pleasure of listening yet. We can’t wait to see him live next Saturday night! What better way to celebrate 60 years of the Eno than gathering together for an evening of extraordinary music and we are so excited for Jake to be a part of it. Come hang out with us, celebrate 60 years of protecting the Eno River, and catch @jxfussell before his new album arrives! 💙 60th Anniversary Benefit Concert for the Eno 🗓️ Saturday, September 12 📍Carolina Theatre @carolinatheatredurham 🎫 Tickets are available now at the link in our bio!

🎉 Sponsor Highlight! 🎉 We are deeply grateful to CT Wilson Construction Company for leading the way as the Title Sponsor presenting our 60th Anniversary celebration! A third-generation, family-owned commercial general contractor based right here in Durham, CT Wilson has been part of our community for over 70 years. Their commitment to supporting local nonprofits and investing in the communities they call home makes their partnership especially meaningful as we celebrate 60 years of protecting the Eno River. They've been here as long as we have, and we are grateful for their support of our mission. 💚 Thank you, CT Wilson, for helping us bring our anniversary celebration to life and for being part of the story of the Eno! Learn more about CT Wilson and their work in our community at ctwilson.com. 🔗 📸: CT Wilson [Image Description: The CT Wilson crew onsite at a construction project, using a crane and rope to guide a bridge into place.] #EnoRiver #CTWilson #DurhamNC #SponsorSpotlight #TitleSponsor

Join us Saturday, Sept 12 in downtown Durham as we celebrate 60 years of Eno River advocacy with a full day of music, art, community, and conservation! A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE ENO at Carolina Theatre, doors 6:30p Live performances by Pura Fé & Cary Morin, Jake Xerxes Fussell, and Tre. Charles Sound poetry collaborations by Cortland Gilliam & Brian Howe // Beverly Scarlett & Special Guests FREE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION at DPlex Plaza, 1-5pm Paperhand Puppet, Rowdy Square Dance w/ Five Points Rounders + caller Simone Fine, Durham Labor Choir, and Duo d’Antan, Scrap Exchange, Luke Vandergriff, NC Herpetological Society, and live mural painting by Serendib Creative … and NEW MERCH ! The “Little Big Top” merch tent will be on-site at both events debuting a special collection of tees, art prints, and anniversary-inspired collaborations with local artists and printers Whether you join for an afternoon hour in the plaza, an entire evening inside the historic Carolina Theatre, or make it a full-day downtown adventure, we'd love to celebrate this special milestone together with our COMMUNITY 💚 🎟️ GET TICKETS link in bio 🌐 Learn more at enoriver.org – @pura._fe @cary_morin @jxfussell @tre.charlz @corter_pounder @brian_gray_howe @paperhandpuppet @lukev432 @durhamlaborchoir @serendibcreative @carolinatheatredurham @scrapexchange

🌊 It takes a river of support to protect a river. 🌿 A huge THANK YOU to the incredible sponsors helping make our 60th Anniversary Celebration and Benefit Concert possible! 💙 Title Sponsor: CT Wilson 🥾 Trailhead Sponsor: Latta Park 🌊 River Rapid Sponsors: Bluestem and Gateway Building Company 🌱 River Garden Sponsors: McNab & Company, Merge Records, Oak City Hemp, Paperhand Puppet Company, Triangle Ecycling, Triangle Media, and Zarazua Painting Your support makes it possible for ERA to keep protecting land, caring for the river, stewarding trails, and connecting our community to the Eno—now and for generations to come. Thank you for celebrating 60 years with us and helping protect what comes next! 💚 #anniversaryevent #supportconservation #enoriver #sponsor

💚 Concert Ticket Giveaway! 🎉 For 60 years, the Eno River has brought people together—to explore, play, create, find quiet, make memories, and connect with the land and one another. And every person who loves the Eno has a story to tell. 🎥 We went down to the river near our office looking to meet Eno River "regulars" who want to share their story with us. We'll be continuing this series and giving away two tickets to our 60th Anniversary Benefit Concert to each participant who wants them! 🎶 Join us September 12 at the Carolina Theatre in Durham for an unforgettable evening of music, art, storytelling, and community celebrating 60 years of protecting the Eno and looking toward its future. So think about it: What does the Eno mean to you? What’s your favorite memory, place, tradition, or reason you keep coming back? We encourage you to get out there and make the Eno part of your story if it isn't yet. We can’t wait to hear your stories—and celebrate with you in just two weeks! 💙 🎟️ Learn more about the concert and tickets at the link in our bio. #enoriver #supportconservation #outdoors #durhamnc #anniversaryevent

🌿 Dreaming of working in nature at a state park? Looking to gain hands-on experience that could help launch a career in parks, recreation, or the outdoors? Eno River State Park is hiring! 🥾🌳 The park is currently seeking applicants for two positions: 🔹 General Utility Worker — Help care for park facilities and grounds through work including bathroom and litter maintenance, mowing and trimming, trail maintenance, invasive plant management, and other park operations. There may also be opportunities to assist with environmental education programs! 🔹 Weekend Office Assistant — Be the friendly first face visitors meet at the park! Responsibilities include answering visitor questions and phones, camper registration and check-in, merchandise sales, and opening and closing the Visitor Center. Both positions are 40 hours per week, with contracts running through December 31, 2026. The positions include rotating weekend and holiday work, as well as early and late shifts. These are great opportunities for anyone looking to build experience toward a career in outdoor recreation, parks, conservation, or environmental education. 🌎 📋 Interested? Complete the NC Employment Application (State Form PD-107) and email your application to eno.river@ncparks.gov Application can be found at the link in our bio. 🔗 Questions about the positions? Call the Eno River State Park office at (984) 250-1370. Please share with someone who might be a great fit! 💚

🎉 Sponsor Highlight! 🎉 We are deeply grateful to CT Wilson Construction Company for leading the way as the Title Sponsor presenting our 60th Anniversary celebration! A third-generation, family-owned commercial general contractor based right here in Durham, CT Wilson has been part of our community for over 70 years. Their commitment to supporting local nonprofits and investing in the communities they call home makes their partnership especially meaningful as we celebrate 60 years of protecting the Eno River. They've been here as long as we have, and we are grateful for their support of our mission. 💚 Thank you, CT Wilson, for helping us bring our anniversary celebration to life and for being part of the story of the Eno! Learn more about CT Wilson and their work in our community at ctwilson.com. 🔗 📸: CT Wilson [Image Description: Charlie and Chuck Wilson take a look at building plans onsite at a construction project.] #EnoRiver #CTWilson #DurhamNC #SponsorSpotlight #TitleSponsor

🌿 Help improve the river crossing and trails at Panther Branch! Our stewardship workdays are picking back up for fall, and we’re looking for volunteers to help us continue caring for the trails at Panther Branch Natural Area. Join us next Thursday, September 3, from 9 AM–12 PM for a stewardship workday at Panther Branch Natural Area near Hillsborough! We’ll be getting our hands dirty improving a rock crossing over Panther Branch, making the trail safer and easier to navigate. Volunteers will use hand tools to move large rocks into place as stepping stones and install trail steps along the banks of the branch. 🪨🥾 It’s a great chance to spend a morning outdoors, meet fellow Eno supporters, and help care for a trail that visitors can enjoy for years to come. 💚 No trail-building experience necessary! We’ll provide the tools, equipment, work gloves, and even breakfast and snacks. Get all the details and sign up to lend a hand at the link in our bio. 📸: Christina Schubert [Image Description: The waters of the Eno flow through a shady rocky section of the river with a light glow from the sunlight peeking through the leaves above.] #EnoRiver #TrailBuilding #VolunteerWithUs #LandStewardship

Happy National Dog Day! 🐾🌿 There’s nothing like exploring the Eno with your best four-legged friend! From shady trails to sunny riverbanks, the Eno is full of places to sniff, wander, and make memories together. 💚 If you’re hitting the trail with your pup, help keep the Eno welcoming for everyone by keeping dogs leashed, picking up after them, and giving wildlife—and other visitors—plenty of space. Here’s to great adventures, muddy paws, happy trails, and happy tails! 🐕🌊 📸: ERA Staff, Fred Myers, and Ellie Gleason. [Image Descriptions: Volunteer Brian Rosa leads a hike with Amelia the husky down a shady trail through a forest by the Eno River. A marbled brown dog with a green collar and red harness wades chest deep in the Eno River as the water ripples out around it. A husky sniffs a box turtle in the grass, gently booping it with its snout out of curiosity.] #NationalDogDay #EnoRiver #DogLovers #HappyTrails #HappyTails

We're excited to partner with the Durham Arts Council to help spread the word about CenterFest, Durham's annual arts festival! 🎨 After our own 60th Anniversary Celebration the weekend before, keep the community fun going as CenterFest returns to downtown Durham September 19–20 for a weekend celebrating art, music, food, and community. While this is a Durham Arts Council event—not an ERA event—it's another great opportunity to celebrate the creativity and community that make Durham special. 🎉 Browse work from 120+ juried artists, enjoy live music and dance performances, discover delicious local food, explore hands-on activities for all ages, and experience everything that makes Durham's creative community so special! 🎨 Festival hours: Saturday, September 19 from 10AM–6PM Sunday, September 20 from 11AM–5PM Bring your family, friends, and neighbors for one of Durham's favorite annual traditions! 🎭 📸: Durham Arts Council [Image Description: CenterFest Arts Festival Celebrating America 250 in downtown Durham on September 19 & 20, 2026 presented by the Durham Arts Council.] #durham #creatives #downtown #CommunityEvent #artsfestival

For over 60 years, the Eno River has been more than just a place. It's where childhood adventures become lifelong memories, where friendships grow on the trail, where volunteers find purpose, and where generations come together to protect something bigger than themselves. Every person who has walked a trail, paddled the river, attended a Festival, planted a tree, or made a gift has become part of the Eno's story. And that story is still being written. As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we're inviting our community to help raise $60,000 for 60 Years of the ERA to protect what comes next in this story. Your gift helps care for the lands, waters, wildlife, and experiences that connect us all—and ensures future generations will have their own Eno stories to tell. If the Eno has ever been part of your story, we hope you'll be part of its future. 💚 Make your 60th anniversary gift today at the link in our bio. 🔗 #EnoRiver #EnoRiverAssociation #ProtectTheEno #60YearsOfTheEno #Conservation #LandTrust #CommunityPowered #ProtectWhatComesNext

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