TEMPORARY CLOSURE: Confluence Natural Area 9/24-9/25

Our Confluence Natural Area will be closed to all guests, foot traffic, and vehicles next Friday and Saturday, September 24 and 25th.
 
The gate will be locked starting at 8pm on Thursday, 9/23 and will reopen on Sunday, 9/27 at 7am.
 
Thanks for your patience! We hope during this temporary closure, you’ll take advantage of the 50+ miles of other trails along the Eno River. Here are a few ways to get started:

Explore the links on the Visit Us page on our website.

Check out our Hiking guide.

Challenge yourself by completing all the trails from our 2020 BING-ENO board!

Gateway Building Company improves access to Eno River parks!

Durham-based Gateway Building Company held a team service project at the Eno River Association headquarters in early September. 

The construction company donated skilled labor, equipment, and materials to make much-needed improvements to this popular parking area along the banks of the Eno. Strategically located between West Point on the Eno Durham City Park and the eastern end of Eno River State Park, this trail access has seen an dramatic increase in traffic since the start of the global pandemic.

Thanks to Gateway, the site has improved drainage and parking, with additional parking spaces, new gravel & grading, and signage to help visitors navigate where to park. In addition, the company removed overgrown non-native shrubs, and relocated a shed that houses tools and materials to steward nearly 7,500 acres of Association-protected lands.

“Gateway’s generosity will increase access to Eno River parks for our community, will help protect the river from runoff, and will contribute to the biodiversity of our office site, which is an important wildlife corridor along the Eno” remarked Jessica Sheffield, Executive Director of the Eno River Association. “We are so grateful to Gateway’s commitment to the community and our environment!” 

See more about Gateway’s commitment to their neighbors on their website.

The project paves the way for the Association’s planned improvements to the native landscaping, riparian buffer, and rain gardens. The project engaged several other Eno supporters and partners: drainage and grading by RJR Grading, preliminary consultation by CT Wilson, additional funding from Durham Open Spaces and Trails Commission, and funds for the planned renovation of the Stewardship Shed by BioMerieux.

Individuals or groups looking to contribute to or participate in service projects and team-building experiences along the Eno River should contact our Stewardship Team at stewardship@enoriver.org. 

Board & Committee Nominations

Every December at our Eno Annual Meeting, Association members come together to elect volunteer board members and officers who will help guide the strategic direction of the Association.
 
 
In 2022, we are focusing on recruiting members with expertise in the following priority areas:
  • Accounting / Financial Management
  • Advocacy / Grassroots Organizing
  • Environmental Justice / Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
  • Human Resources
  • Real Estate and/or Legal
 
Not experienced in these specific areas? Not to worry, we encourage you to still apply for a Committee position or future Board role. See Committee descriptions here.
 
Furthermore, we believe that our Board should reflect the vast diversity of our Eno River community, in age, race & ethnicity, gender identification, income, etc.
 
The majority of our board members currently self-identify as white, upper-middle class, over 50 years of age, and Durham residents. However, in our region:
  • 44% of our population are people of color,
  • 26% of our neighbors have household incomes less than or equal to twice the federal poverty level,
  • the median age is around 35 years old,
  • over half a million people in Raleigh and six other municipalities in eastern Wake County rely on drinking water supplied by the Eno into Falls Lake.
 
We have work to do. These groups have a considerable stake in the work we are doing for the Eno, but are currently not represented in our leadership.
 
Join us or nominate someone by September 15 as we work to meet these goals. 
 
Links for more information:

Eno River State Park Construction Update

Construction of a new visitor center at Eno River State Park will limit parking at Fews Ford access through late summer 2022. Visitors should expect parking to reach capacity early in the day on weekends and good weather days. Park staff say visitors should prepare to have a wait for a parking space at Fews Ford while construction continues. Read the State Park press release.

The Good News is that there are still over 50 miles of trails along the Eno River to explore in the event the Fews Ford lot is full. Now’s a great time to try a new-to-you trail or access area. Here are a few ways to get started:

Explore the links on the Visit Us page on our website.

Check out our Hiking guide.

Challenge yourself by completing all the trails from our 2020 BING-ENO board!

Happy Hiking!

You met the challenge, once again!

We are blown away by the generosity of all of our friends! You came together to donate over $22,600 to our EnoFest Matching Challenge which was matched through the generosity of several Wildflower Society members and friends. That’s over $42,600 raised to protect more natural, historical, and cultural resources of the Eno River basin.

We can’t wait to share all that your gifts are making possible in the coming months. This year’s Festival fundraising couldn’t have come at a better time, as we look to add 110+ acres to Eno River State Park. Thank you to everyone who joined in this challenge.

From the bottom of our hearts – thank you!

If you haven’t given yet to our challenge, click here to make your gift.

P.S. Many of you asked where this parcel is located! While the transaction is still in process, the land’s exact location remains confidential, but it is adjacent to the northernmost section of the park near St. Mary’s Road. The area was clear cut several years ago, and so we’re eager to help bring it back to its full forest glory with this protection!

 

Durham City Residents Can Vote for the Eno

Out of more than 60 applicants, the Eno River Association’s hands-on, feet-wet environmental education programming was selected to be a part of the Durham Participatory Budgeting Cycle 2 (PB Durham).

The Association will use the potential $47,000 to expand upon its successful summer programming with new initiatives to engage Durham students throughout the school year. The Association’s plan includes partnering directly with Durham Public Schools to offer field trips to parks along the Eno River, education programs provided within the school when a field trip is not a viable option, and virtual learning opportunities. These programs will consist of curated activities in alignment with NC Standard Course of Study curriculum and will target 4th, 5th, and 8th grade classes. These programs will be provided at no cost to the schools, and transportation may be available to serve all schools, especially the Title One Public elementary and middle schools in the Eno River watershed.

“We have a grand vision of providing every DPS student with a personally meaningful experience with this important waterway during their time in the school system.” shares Jessica Sheffield, Eno River Association Executive Director. “The Eno River flows through all of our lives, provides drinking water, recreation and respite, and important wildlife corridors to our communities. It’s imperative that our youth – especially those simultaneous most impacted by poor environmental practices and least represented in environmental and natural resource conservation – are given the chance to engage with it and learn from it.”

Durham City residents can visit pbdurham.org to see a complete list of projects and to cast their vote by June 6. The Eno River Association is listed under the Children, Youth, and Families category. Read the full press release.