November Director’s Message
Dear Friends of the Eno,
One of the things that I love most about my job is having the opportunity to visit the sites of various land projects that the Eno River Association (ERA) is working on. I look forward to these visits because I know that I’ll be able to walk the land and learn more about its history and features from our Director of Conservation and Stewardship Chris Dreps, and our Land Stewardship Manager Indigo Roper-Edwards. The opportunity to learn from Chris, Indigo, and the rest of ERA’s staff and volunteers has been a true blessing for me and I still have so much to learn. Earlier this year, I joined Chris, Indigo and ERA’s former Land Conservation Manager Reema Garabadu to explore the Association’s newest property: Black Meadow Ridge.
We are sharing some of BMR’s history courtesy of Jenny Nygard in this edition of our e-newsletter and it is absolutely worth your time to read it. Special thanks to Jenny for her time and effort to share the long history of this special place.
I would also like to thank ERA Board Member T.C. Morphis for his time and dedication in representing us throughout the settlement process. This was a multi-year process and T.C. has been incredibly generous with his time. I will share after walking the property that the 27.6 acres conveyed to the Association as part of the settlement agreement with the developer is a stunning piece of property with a healthy and diverse hardwood forest and significant stream frontage on Warren Creek. The ERA Board of Directors has approved the management plan for BMR, and we look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when we can open the property to the public.
ERA is in conversation with the “Friends of Geer Cemetery” regarding next steps related to the historic Holman Cemetery. While the Cemetery is not on ERA’s property, the Association hopes to work with the developer and the neighborhood to determine an appropriate course of action that reflects the wishes of surviving family members and the neighborhood. ERA also plans to do some trail-building at BMR to further establish some of the current social trails while redundant trails will be decommissioned. Of course, as is often the case, we also expect to spend some time treating and removing some of the invasive plant species on site. Expect some targeted workdays to be announced soon on our Eventbrite.
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. Owning and stewarding the property indefinitely makes little sense when it is adjacent to the City’s largest park. That process can take some time, but that time gives us sufficient runway for the important work outlined above. We’ll be sharing more about BMR in the coming months as we implement the management plan.
As we approach the end of the year, I wanted to share a message that I delivered at the Annual Meeting this year: that your generosity gives us the capacity to do great things. Whether it’s land acquisition, stewardship projects like our Piedmont Prairie restoration at the Confluence, or supporting our environmental education programming, your gifts are making an impact and empowering us to think big. Please take a moment to renew your support today.
Thank you for supporting ERA and the Eno River, this holiday season and throughout the year. We appreciate you.
Sincerely,
