The Eno River Association respectfully acknowledges that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Eno, Shakori , Sissipahaw, Occaneechi, other people of Siouan descent, and their descendants, the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation. Although they lived in separate villages and developed distinct identities, they spoke a common Tutelo-Saponi language. In this language, their descendants call them Yésah, which means “the people.” The Eno River Valley was their home for thousands of years before the arrival of people from other continents. Indigenous people are the original stewards of this land.
The Eno River Association’s land protection program is at the heart of our mission. Since 1966, the Association has worked actively to conserve the lands and waters along the Eno River and its tributaries. We protect water quality, wildlife habitat, ecological diversity, and historical and cultural sites while also providing recreational opportunities and scenic open spaces that connect people to the natural environment of the Eno River basin.
Land protection is accomplished by working in partnership with landowners to permanently protect important natural, cultural, and historical resources. We achieve protection in a variety of ways, including fee-simple purchase of lands for parks and nature preserves, as well as the use of conservation easements which leave the land in private hands while safeguarding its important conservation values.
