Orange Country Creek Week 2024 is coming up! This year’s theme is “water connects us.” We encourage students, faculty and staff to join Orange County and its municipalities to celebrate our local streams, lakes and rivers from March 16-23.
Events include a county-wide scavenger hunt, community science activities, and education around green infrastructure. There’s an event for everyone!
For the bird enthusiasts and board game geeks:
- Tuesday, March 12, 6 – 9 pm: Learn to play a game about birds with Chapel Hill Stormwater staff during the board game night at the Chapel Hill Public Library
For artists, crafters and makers:
- Saturday, March 16, 11 am – 12 pm: Attend a sun print workshop at the Chapel Hill Community Center. ($8-10)
- Sunday, March 17, 1 – 3 pm: Attend a Japanese fish printing workshop. ($25-29)
- Saturday, March 23, 9:30 – 11 am: Attend a crochet class in Umstead Park.
- Wednesday, March 20, 3 – 5 pm: Visit the Chapel Hill Public Library for bookmark making for kids.
For the outdoor enthusiasts:
- Sunday, March 17, 10 am – 2 pm: Attend a paddling trip along the Eno. ($44-54)
- Saturday, March 16, 1 – 3:30 pm: Take part in a trash clean-up and inventory along Roberson Bike Path with Chapel Hill and Carrboro staff.
- Weeklong: Make nature observations at a BioBlitz.
For the treasure hunters:
- Saturday, March 16, 2 – 4pm: Follow the clues on this Hillsborough scavenger hunt.
For more information about these events and activities, visit the Orange County Creek Week webpage: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2887/Creek-Week.
Celebrating on Carolina’s Campus
On campus, Sustainable Carolina and UNC Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) will partner with Lifetime Fitness walking classes for two days of creek walks. This year marks the third year of our partnership with UNC Exercise and Sports Science.
Then on March 19, UNC EHS and the UNC Institute for the Environment staff will get together for a cleanup along a stream on South Campus. All water that falls on our campus makes its way to Jordan Lake, a reservoir for 750,000 residents of the Triangle. Together, we can do our part to improve water quality! Students in Epsilon Eta will conduct their own campus cleanup the following day, on March 20.
Creek Week Partners
This year’s Orange County Creek Week is made possible by Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture & Parks & Recreation (DEAPR); Orange Water and Sewer Authority; the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough; UNC Energy Services; UNC Environment, Health and Safety; UNC Institute for the Environment; Sustainable Carolina; the Eno River Association; and the Haw River Assembly.
Learn more about CWEP Regional Creek Week at https://nc-cleanwater.com/creekweek2024/ Questions? Contact Sammy Bauer at (919) 968-2715 and sbauer@townofchapelhill.org.