Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve, Leland

About Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve

Ev-Henwood Nature Preserve features two self-guided learning trails through 174 acres of forest and swamp in rural Brunswick County, about 10 miles south of Wilmington. The preserve emphasizes nature observation and education across land that reflects centuries of regional history. Archaeological evidence indicates southeastern North Carolina Indians, likely of a Sioux-speaking tribe, once inhabited the area as hunters and gatherers. The property remained in one family from the 1790s through farming operations growing corn, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, peanuts, cotton, pears, grapes, hay and soybeans. In the 1800s, the family harvested long leaf pines for naval stores production. Troy Henry donated the land to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1991 to preserve its natural and cultural resources. The preserve's name combines Evans and Henry, Henry's maternal and paternal family names. Visitors walk marked trails through woodlands and wetlands in Leland, North Carolina.