Onslow County Environmental Education Center

Gray Foxes are generally shy and solitary animals. They have a salt-and-pepper gray coat, rust colored patches on their neck, legs and lower body, and a black-tipped tail. They are native to the area and are mostly nocturnal. They prefer wooded areas with limited human presence and have a diet consisting of small mammals, birds, insects, and various fruits. They stand about 15 inches tall at the shoulder and are around 30 to 45 inches long. Their distinctive tails alone account for a third of their length, usually around 11-17 inches long! An interesting fact about Gray Foxes is that they can actually climb trees, usually done to escape predators.
Visit Onslow County Environmental Education Center in Sneads Ferry to learn more about the wildlife of Onslow County and to see a fox specimen up close. For questions, or to book group tours, call 910.324.9008.

The Barred Owl is the most commonly seen and heard owl in Onslow County. They live here year-round and favor dense woodlands, ponds, rivers, and other wetland areas. They are the second largest owl, behind the Great Horned Owl, reaching 18 to 20 inches tall with wingspans up to 44 inches. The name comes from the horizontal bars around their throats. Barred Owls are most active at night and are very vocal. Like all other owls in North Carolina, these beautiful birds are protected by federal and state law.

Visit Onslow County Environmental Education Center in Sneads Ferry to learn more about the wildlife of Onslow County! For questions, or to book group tours, call 910.324.9008.

The Great Blue Heron can be seen wading slowly along shorelines, on riverbanks, and in marshy wetlands. They are large birds, standing 3-4 ½ feet tall with a wingspan of nearly 7 feet. They are recognizable by their slate gray and bluish feathers, curved necks, and long black plumes on their heads. Fish form the main part of their diet, but they also feed on small reptiles, birds, and crustaceans. Their presence is considered a good indicator of the biodiversity and health of the local ecosystem.
Visit Onslow County Environmental Education Center in Sneads Ferry to learn more about the wildlife of Onslow County! For questions, or to book group tours, call 910.324.9008.

Summertime is here, and the grasshoppers will soon be out! There are 20 different species recorded in North Carolina. These cool insects are ground dwelling and active during the daylight hours on warm, sunny days. They are most often seen hopping around lawns and flowerbeds, eating greenery equal to their body weight in one day! They can fly distances up to 32 feet! You may even see a few in the garden area outside the Environmental Center! Visit us M-W, F 9-6, Th 10-7, and Sat 9-3. You can also reach us at 910.324.5008.

Did you know that the American Black Bear can be found right here in Eastern NC? The area boasts a large Black Bear population due to its mild climate and nutrient-rich agricultural crops. The densest populations can be found in the Albemarle Sound region, but we have them right here in Onslow County. They especially like swampland areas, which provide shelter and excellent opportunities for foraging.

While you won’t see an actual Black Bear at the Onslow County Environmental Education Center (at least we don’t think so!) we invite you to visit us to learn more about these amazing creatures and their habitats, along with other animals that make up our local ecosystem. We’re open M-W and F 9-6, Th 10-7, and Sat 9-3. You can reach us at 910.324.5008.

It's officially Sea Turtle Nesting Season in Onslow County! 🌊🐢

From now through August, mama sea turtles will be visiting our shores to lay their eggs. With volunteer teams already out patrolling the sand, here is how you can help protect them during your beach days this summer:
💡 Lights Out: Keep oceanfront lights off after dark so nesting mothers and hatchlings don't get disoriented.
🏖️ Flatten the Sand: Always fill in holes and flatten sandcastles before leaving the beach so turtles have a clear path.
🚮 Pack It Out: Keep our beaches clean of trash and plastics.

If you want to dive deeper into learning about them, the Topsail Turtle Project (a division of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center) hosts their fantastic educational series, "Turtle Talks." They take place every Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM at the North Topsail Beach Town Hall (2008 Loggerhead Court) and run through the last week of August. Each week, four expert presenters share fascinating information about sea turtle biology, nesting season, rescue efforts, and simple ways we can all help protect them. They are completely free and open to the public!

Summer has officially arrived, which means more outdoor adventures! Historically, one of the more popular activities for this area is fishing, including pier fishing. Pictured here is the Paradise Pier in Surf City in the 1970s. The pier was built in 1958 and was a local hangout and fishing spot for many years. Sadly, it was lost to fire in the mid-1980s.

This image and others can be seen in our Beach Life exhibit at the Environmental Education Center located at 1330 NC-210, Sneads Ferry. The exhibit features six large panels, approximately 4’ x 6’, each displaying an aspect of coastal life in our Onslow County communities through historic images. The facility is open Monday-Wednesday and Friday 9-6, Thursday 10-7, and Saturday 9-3. Admission is free. While you are there, also visit “Discover Onslow”, our free kid-friendly exhibit focused on local ecology.

Pines are one of the most recognizable trees in eastern North Carolina. There are several different species of these beautiful evergreens, but the most common ones you’ll see here are the Loblolly Pine and the Longleaf Pine.

The Loblolly is the most common, growing very quickly, reaching up to 100 feet tall with needles typically 6-9 inches long in bundles of 3. The Longleaf takes longer to mature- 100 to 150 years. They are identifiable by their extremely long needles which can reach up to 18 inches long!

Both are important to our ecosystem, providing warmth, habitat, and shelter from prey for hundreds of species of animals. They form a significant food source for wildlife, especially birds and deer. The Longleaf is part of ongoing conservation efforts aiming to increase their numbers which fell dramatically due to overharvesting for use in shipbuilding and construction during the colonial era.

We invite you to visit the Environmental Education Center at 1330 NC-210, Sneads Ferry, to learn more and to take a walk down our boardwalk where you will observe Loblolly Pines and possibly a few critters who call them home! We hope you’ll also join us at the Onslow County Museum at 301 S. Wilmington Street, Richlands, on Monday, June 15th, for a special presentation of “The Long Leaf Pine: Naval Stores and the Onslow Revolutionary Economy”. Call us at 910.324.5008 for more information.

The Onslow County Environmental Education Center will be closed on Monday, May 25th, 2026, in observance of Memorial Day. We will resume our regular hours on Tuesday, May 27th, which are as follows: Monday-Wednesday & Friday 9am-6pm, Thursday 10am-7pm, and Saturday 9am-3pm. Call us at 910.324.5008 with any questions.

Summer is qu**ky approaching and that means it’s time to schedule those Summer field trips. We offer educational group tours to all three of our museum sites- the Museum itself, where you’ll learn all about the history of Onslow County from prehistoric times thru the present, along with a featured exhibit “Semper Fidelis”, highlighting Onslow County during the Revolutionary War years, the Environmental Education Center in Sneads Ferry, and the Pelletier House in Jacksonville. Available spots fill up very quickly, so call us today at 910.324.5008 to book yours!