Neighborhood Ecology Corps

The City of Oaks Foundation partners with the City of Raleigh to support special nature programs year-round through its Conservation Explorers programming for youth interested in nature and environmental stewardship in their community.

The signature program in this area is the Neighborhood Ecology Corps, a program offered by the City of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department. Originally created by the Center for Human Earth Restoration, the partnership between the City of Oaks Foundation and Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department works to expand and fund this program into a series cohorts (groups of students) participating in nature-based after-school programs for children in southeast Raleigh.

Through this program, participants develop friendships, gain comfort in the outdoors, participate in service-learning projects, and deepen their understanding of the relationship between their community, ecology, and environmental justice. Participants can also be connected with advanced educational and career opportunities through this program.

You can help to support the work of this amazing program through your donations. Applications for the program are available on the: NEC Website.