The Biology and Chemistry Departments of Eastern Nazarene College are pleased to announce the formation of a new project called ECO-Serve, whose mission is to engage ENC students in keeping and serving God’s creation (ecosystems) by serving local Environmental and Conservation Organizations (ECOs).  We already have partnerships with three ECOs in our local area: the Fore River Watershed Association, the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts. 

This project has three main goals:

• To engage ENC biology, chemistry, and environmental science majors in service learning and research projects as part of their laboratory requirements for ecology and environmental science courses.

• To connect local environmental and conservation organizations in need of volunteers with students in need of internship or research opportunities.

• To provide opportunities for all ENC students to become actively engaged in the stewardship of and care for creation.

While you might think that this program is just for science students, there are ENC students of all different backgrounds and majors that have some interest in conservation and the environment.  For example, a Communication Arts major might put their skills to work designing educational posters or web sites for an ECO.  A member of the Students for Social Justice might help the Fore River Watershed Association with an environmental justice project.  Biology and chemistry majors might conduct ecological surveys or help design an interpretive trail with educational signage.  Some of these projects might earn the student credit under ENC’s Praxis program (subject to departmental approval) or even a $1,000 scholarship.

So, if you would like the opportunity to care for creation while serving the needs of a local organization, contact Prof. Twining for more details at Jonathan.E.Twining@enc.edu or 745-3552.

• Perform trail maintenance
• Clean up a property
• Create educational web sites
• Develop an interpretive trail
• Other volunteer service projects