ecoEXPLORE

Name: ecoEXPLORE
Address: 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC, 28806, US
Telephone: (828) 665-2371
Price range: $

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ecoEXPLORE is an incentive-driven science enrichment program of The NC Arboretum Society that engages students in citizen science activities.

https://linktr.ee/ecoexplore ecoEXPLORE is an incentive-driven science enrichment program of The North Carolina Arboretum Society that engages kindergarten through eighth grade students in guided and self-directed citizen science activities. Each season one particular area of field ecology (botany, herpetology, entomology and ornithology) is highlighted with public programming, self-guided activities, a public event and special invitation only programs. Students engage as active participants of the scientific method as they record observations of organisms found in their neighborhoods, libraries and public green spaces across North Carolina.

10/16/2026

Only a COUPLE DAYS left to show your love for your favorite ecoEXPLORE observation for our
✨ecoEXPLORE Choice Award!✨
When you nominate your favorite ecoEXPLORE observation from iNaturalist, you give that young ecoEXPLORER an opportunity to earn the ecoEXPLORE Choice Badge (shown in the photo) PLUS a hefty bonus point reward!
THE NOMINATION DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 18TH!

Submit your nomination and find rules and instructions for nominating here:
https://forms.gle/1MZA4KfkNmbkVFNaA

Winning observers will have their photos on display at The North Carolina Arboretum, and will receive **BONUS POINTS** as follows:
1st place = 500 pts
2nd place = 300 pts
3rd place = 100 pts
Runners up (4th-10th place) = 50 pts
Help us showcase some of their fantastic work with this award! ✨

10/14/2026

Let's bust some arachnid myths! 🕷🕸 Join us tomorrow for a fun virtual program.
Find more information and registration here: https://www.ecoexplore.net/events/arachnid-mythbusters-(virtual)

10/12/2026

Today we want to take a moment to recognize an ecoEXPLORER's achievement. 🎉 Recently, ecoEXPLORER Judeg traded in an impressive 1,200 points to earn a GoPro Camera. During his time with ecoEXPLORE, Judeg earned 1,899 points, 30 badges, and submitted over 370 photo observations!

When asked about his experience with ecoEXPLORE, Judeg said, "Thank you so much for this generous prize! I have really enjoyed participating in EcoExplore over the past three years. I first learned about EcoExplore from my favorite librarian, Ms. Lynda Mastronardo. What I like most about the EcoExplore program is the ability to earn prizes as I learn about nature. My favorite field season is Ichthyology because fish are my favorite species to study. Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, only a few miles from my house, is my favorite hotspot for photographing birds, fish, reptiles, plants, insects, and mammals. In my free time, I like to work with my dad on his commercial fishing boat. I also like to build forts in the woods and ride dirt bikes."

Please take a moment to help us congratulate this hard-working ecoEXPLORER! We are so proud of all your fantastic work and look forward to seeing what else you find!

10/10/2026

Thanks to you, 36 ecoEXPLORE wildlife observations were shared and nominated for the ecoEXPLORE Choice Award! Let's show our support to these hard working Citizen Scientists by voting for a winner and top finalists!
It's a tough call, so choose carefully! We can't WAIT to see what you pick!
VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/L95Gy7Bx1BCVZNwZ7

10/08/2026

Check out this awesome Climate Badge observation submitted by ecoEXPLORER, megan888. As part of a Climate Badge submission our users are asked to discribe how their observation relates to Climatology. Megan888 said, ""Humming birds are migrating this time of year. They fly from here in western nc to Mexico and central America and then return in the spring when temperatures begin to rise."
Have you started YOUR climate badge? Just submit one photo or challenge by the end of this month and you'll have a year to finish. Happy exploring!

10/05/2026

Did you know ecoEXPLORE kids have shared over 118,000 wildlife observations with scientists through iNaturalist? To celebrate and reward our most dedicated explorers each year we need YOUR help to pick the most amazing wildlife photos captured by our participants within our home state of North Carolina.

We received 78 nominations from ecoEXPLORERS for this year's Choice Award. North Carolina Arboretum staff reviewed the submissions and narrowed the photos down to the 36 photos of the highest quality. NOW- It's time to vote! We need YOUR help to choose our ecoEXPLORE Choice Award! ✨✨

Find the voting form here: https://forms.gle/ELBk2jq6C8kHsYNN9

09/29/2026

Join us tomorrow for a special Facebook Live! Starting at 4:00 we will live stream from an Astonishing Arachnids library program. At this program we'll discuss the many different types of arachnids and brush up on all of the arachnid basics. Hope to see you there!

09/26/2026

This amazing observation of the Yellow Garden Spider was submitted by ecoEXPLORER, robinhood. Theses spiders create a unique zigzag web design called a stabilimentum. Scientists don't know exactly why these spiders create this design, but it is tied to active hunting during the day, since more nocturnal species don't create a stabilimentum. Experts believe this design might be useful to camouflage the spider, attract prey to the web, or could even warn birds of the otherwise transparent web.

09/24/2026

The answers to our arachnology mystery are here!
1.) A jumping spider IS an arachnid!
2.) A cockroach is NOT an arachnid. A cockroach is an insect because it has six legs and three body segments
3.) A tick IS an arachnid!
4.) A centipede is NOT an arachnid. A centipede is a chilopoda and has one pair of legs for each body segment (the total number depends on the species.)
How many did you get correct?

Address

100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
Asheville, NC
28806

Telephone

(828) 665-2371

Website

http://www.ecoexplore.net/

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