Durham’s Eno River Association (ERA) is now charging fees for some guided hikes that previously were free.
The popular spring wildflower hikes that begin in March will cost $4.00 and require advance registration.
Hillary Harrison, who directs education and engagement programs, explained program fees cover direct costs, unlike donations to ERA which support the overall mission.
“Although we do rely on volunteers to offer many of these programs, they are not all volunteer-led, and in addition, paid staff (myself and my team) are responsible for recruiting, training, scheduling and supporting the volunteers. We also coordinate the logistics, manage registration and communications with participants, and ensure safety and program quality. The program fees help to support the work required to offer all of our education programs throughout the year, many of which are free to access.”
Nick Ferguson of ERA had another take on the question.
“We have found through trial and error that when we charge a fee for registration for the guided hikes, registrants are more likely to attend the hike because they paid for it. We have a limited number of registration spots and have found that registrants are more likely to cancel their registration ahead of time for a refund so that we are able to offer a spot to someone on the waitlist.
“We have begun offering drop-in style hikes that are free of charge and do not require registration, in addition to our guided hikes, so that we are offering more accessible, free options for our community.”
J.B.