We hope that all of you were able to weather the storm safely, and we can’t express enough how much we appreciate the outpouring of support for our community. We know that many homes near certain stretches of the river were impacted by severe flooding, and we are looking into how we can support our neighbors.
We wanted to put out a brief message to update you on the status of trails and nature preserves along the Eno.
We are just beginning the process of assessing damage to trails and park infrastructure, but early reports have shown severe damage to trails, including damaged or destroyed bridges, piles of debris, downed trees, and washed-out trails.
We want to emphasize that, until further notice, most parks and preserves along the Eno are closed. The trail conditions are still extremely dangerous in many places. Please do not attempt to visit these parks and trails unless you have an official notice from the managing authority that it has reopened. Once trails have reopened, we will reach out regarding volunteer opportunities to help with repairs. For a current list of closures, visit our dashboard.
If you want to help with trail assessment and repairs now, we ask that you join the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and the Eno River Association for stewardship workdays this weekend. More information can be found below and on our events calendar.
To be notified of future volunteer opportunities with ERA, sign up for our email list.
Mountains-to-Sea Trail Repair Workdays
Dates: July 12 & 13, 8 AM – 2 PM (or until it gets too hot). If you can’t stay for the entire time, please know that we are deeply appreciative of any effort you contribute.
Meeting Location: TENTATIVELY, River Forest Park, 1000 Windermere Dr, Durham, NC 27712. Please note that this may change as priorities become clear, any such change will be sent by email to the RSVP list.
If you can join the team: Please respond by email to Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com—your response informs the breakfast preparation and tools that will await you, helps us plan the day, and puts you on the notification list for further updates or a workday cancellation message.
What to bring: You need to wear appropriate-for-the-weather work clothes (that can get dirty), solid shoes or boots, and bring lunch (if you plan to work into the afternoon), snacks, water, and work gloves. If you have a favorite tool, bring it.
What we bring: We will provide all tools, extra work gloves, and instructions. If you are new to this kind of activity, there will be experienced volunteers within asking distance: we are a supportive trail community that loves to grow.
Cancellation: If the workday is cancelled due to bad weather, an email will be sent out no later than 8:00 p.m. the preceding day, to the RSVP list.
Safety: Use tools carefully. If you do not know how to use a particular tool, or what to do in a particular circumstance please ask. Do not work too close together—avoid hitting the person next to you. When walking past another volunteer, please say something so they know you are approaching. Do not lift anything heavier than you can comfortably lift—know your own limits. Take plenty of breaks. Undertake different tasks with different tools throughout the day. Make sure to drink plenty of water, even when it’s cold outside. .Be aware of holes in the ground, briars, ticks, chiggers, snakes, stinging insects, and poison ivy.
