Eno River Field Station

July 21-25, 2025: Registration opens January 15, 2025!

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This program takes students ages 12-15 out of the classroom and deep into discovery of their environment. Field Station is held at the Confluence Natural Area on the West and East Forks of the Eno River, outside Hillsborough, NC. Every day the students interact with scientists, researchers, science teachers, and environmental experts who make discovery and learning fascinating and fun.

Our program focuses on experiential learning, with emphasis on developing interest and skills in environmental sciences, respect for each other and nature, and building self-confidence. We examine what lives and grows on the Eno, how the land and climate affect what lives here, and do authentic research into what is around us. Our week includes a canoe trip on the lower Eno to the junction with the Flat river and an optional overnight campout and exploration of nocturnal zoology.

Daily Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9AM to 5 PM. Wednesday 9AM to midnight with option of camping overnight. Bus transportation to and from Hillsborough provided, with pickup at 8:30AM and return at 5:20PM.

Field Station is outdoors, hiking trails, wading creeks, exploring forest, paddling rivers. The Confluence Natural Area has a large pavilion, restrooms, parking, and trails.

Program:
Here is what we experienced in 2024: hummingbird banding, botany surveying with iNaturalist, aquatic snails, frogs of the night, bat capture and survey, aquatic macro-invertebrates, air quality examination, fish survey, reptile and amphibian capture and inventory, tree ring coring, geological mapping, nature journaling, chemical water quality analysis, insect survey, and astronomy. (Note that not all students will get to do all the activities which is why they need to come back multiple years).

Fees:
Field Station costs $250 for the week, with an additional $20 application fee.

Age Groups:
Students are placed in groups of up to 13 people by age and led by certified NC school teachers.

Scholarship information:
Families needing assistance can apply for a scholarship to cover the cost or receive a discount. Full and partial scholarships are offered based on family income and can be accessed easily during enrollment. Any student qualifying for the free or reduced-price federal lunch program will qualify for a full or partial scholarship. If you have other financial circumstances to consider, please contact us.

Are you already registered? Information will come out in early July with a packing list and bus transportation information. If you do not receive this email, reach out to camps@enoriver.org or call (919)620-9099 ext. 204.

Don’t apply to Field Station if you don’t want to get wet, splashed, or rained on. We don’t have time to change clothes during the day. Don’t apply to Field Station if you aren’t going to participate in all the activities. We know every activity isn’t everyone’s favorite but kids who want to pick and choose what they participate in make it hard to maintain discipline and accomplish our purposes when they sit out on things including the field work, games, journaling, and group gatherings. Every year we turn away students so don’t take a space if you won’t be fully engaged.

Review our cancellation and refund policy.

Registration opens January 15. All questions in the application are in English and Spanish. For a paper application e-mail enofieldstation@enoriver.org or call (919)620-9099 extension 204.