Neighborhood Ecology Corps

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

The signature program of the Conservation Explorers is the Neighborhood Ecology Corps, offered by the City of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department. The City of Oaks Foundation’s partnership with Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department works to expand and fund this program into a series of student cohorts participating in nature-based after-school programs in southeast Raleigh.

Through the Neighborhood Ecology Corps, 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 to advanced educational and career opportunities.

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