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Eno River Association

Eno River Association

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access

Our Pledge
The Eno River Association is committed to creating an environment that welcomes, encourages, respects, and celebrates people from all backgrounds with diverse stories and experiences. We pledge to hold ourselves accountable in continuously advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and establishing ourselves as an anti-racist and inclusive organization.


Our History
We humbly acknowledge that a comprehensive, intentional focus on diversity, equity and inclusion has not been a priority of the Eno River Association in the recent past. We acknowledge that the history of work in land conservation and land ownership is intertwined with racial injustice and acts of violence against Black and Indigenous peoples. The land that we protect today is the ancestral homelands of the Eno, Shakori, Sissipahaw, Occaneechi, other people of Siouan descent and their descendants, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation. The accumulated wealth from this land was often built by enslaved people. We recognize that the economic disparities created by this history continue today.

Our Work

The Eno River Association is focused on environmental justice, access, and equity. Throughout 2021-2022, our staff and board members engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion training together. We are listening and learning about systemic racism, and the structures that deter and block people of color from outdoor spaces and land ownership. We are allying ourselves with efforts to name and combat the injustices these systems and structures have allowed. We are identifying cases of environmental injustice in our community, especially when they relate to, or are in conflict with, our land conservation efforts.

We will continue to research and highlight the stories of all the people that have had a relationship with the Eno River, including Indigenous and enslaved people. In 2022, we published the second Ribbons of Color Eno River Journal, entitled “People of Color Living on the Eno”. This is a collection of stories written by members of our community, for our community.

While our initial focus is racial discrimination because it is at the core of the history of the conservation movement, we are working against discrimination in all facets to help create a more just and equitable community. We are committed to learning from the rich and diverse Eno River community. We are building trust and respect by continuing to ask for, listen to, and respond to the community’s needs, wants and critiques about the work of the ERA. Our priority is to understand our place and be present.

Our Ongoing Commitment & Goals
Our goal is to create a more inclusive, encouraging, and safe organization that is a part of the larger land conservation movement. As we lift up equity within the Eno River Association, we know words are not enough. We are dedicating a portion of our annual budget to creating an anti-racist and inclusive organization. We emphasize partnerships with diverse and nontraditional organizations. We dedicate ourselves to shaping the Association into one that reflects and celebrates our diverse community.

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Eno River Association
4404 Guess Rd.
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 620-9099

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Recent Posts on Instagram

The Eno community is mourning the loss of a tremen The Eno community is mourning the loss of a tremendous leader and community member.

John Blackfeather Jeffries spent his whole life in Hillsborough, on the banks of the Eno and in the shadow of a monadnock named after his people, the Occoneechee Band of the Saponi Nation. He passed away on January 24, 2023.

You can read Mr. Jeffries’ entire first-person narrative, as captured by interviewer Joe Liles, in our Eno Journal, Vol. 10, No. 2 - Ribbons of Color: The History of People of Color Living Along the Eno River. In tribute to Mr. Jeffries, we've posted it in its entirety on our blog: www.enoriver.org/news or click the link in our bio or story.

Rest in peace.

Photo of John Blackfeather Jeffries by Joe Liles, cropped from original
Artist rendering of an Occaneechi Village by Joe Liles, cropped from original
Sunset from Occoneechee Mountain by Dave Cook, cropped from original
Two of our staff -- AmeriCorps Environmental Educa Two of our staff -- AmeriCorps Environmental Educator Audrey Vaughn and Environmental Educator Tracy Dell'Angela -- recently had the exciting opportunity to go out with technicians from North Carolina State University to assist with Neuse River waterdog surveys in the Eno and Flat Rivers! PhD candidate Eric Teitsworth of @ncstatecnr is leading the charge to assess population levels of this federally threatened aquatic salamander species, and we were thrilled to get an inside look at what it’s like to conduct this research. 

Although no waterdogs were found in the Eno this time, we learned so much about this incredible species and the work that needs to be done to save it (and we did find one in the Flat River)! Visit our website to read the latest blog post about our staff's experience, Neuse River waterdogs, and what the project’s findings mean for the health of the Eno. Click the link in our bio to easily access our blog posts. You don't want to miss this one!
UPDATE: The original post had some incorrect infor UPDATE:
The original post had some incorrect information from an old hiking guide document in our files. We have updated the post to reflect Cox Mountain Trail more accurately. Thank you to all who commented to share the correct information!

This week’s #YearoftheTrail spotlight goes to Cox Mountain Trail in Eno River State Park. Hiking this 4.1-mile loop involves climbing about 280 feet to reach a peak of 680 feet. The trail offers a fantastic representation of the variety of unique geologic features found within the Eno River basin. Learn more about these features in the North Carolina Geologic Survey's publication, A Geologic Adventure Along the Eno River. (link in bio)
Lunch and learn alert!! Join us on Friday, Februar Lunch and learn alert!! Join us on Friday, February 3rd at noon for the first virtual Lunch and Learn of 2023! In honor of the #YearoftheTrail, we will be revisiting the four hikes we have completed so far this year in the first month of our winter hike series. If you weren’t able to make it out to the trails with us, this is a great opportunity to learn about the history and ecology of a few of the Eno's special spots, including the Confluence Natural Area, Bobbitt Hole, West Point on the Eno, and Holden Mill! 

Click the link in our bio to register on Zoom. You can also visit our Facebook page and join via Facebook Live. See you there!
Resolve to become an Eno Sustainer in 2023! By mak Resolve to become an Eno Sustainer in 2023! By making one gift each month this year, your support will have a huge impact! Check out our latest blog post for more info - link in bio!
This week’s #YearoftheTrail spotlight goes to Pe This week’s #YearoftheTrail spotlight goes to Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve! This 84-acre peninsula-shaped preserve features two trails which traverse a unique portion of the Eno. This uniqueness can be attributed to the geological makeup of the area, which is associated with high-pH soils that are not typical of the Piedmont. As a result of this less acidic soil, the vegetation that grows at Penny’s Bend is quite special. From blue wild indigo to smooth purple coneflower to hoary puccoon, there is a wide range of unique flora that can be observed at Penny’s Bend! Learn more at the link in our bio. 

📷 Photo taken by Kyle Foreman @kyleforemanphoto
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