Organization Structure

Brian Strong, Director

The Division of Parks and Recreation's Office of the Director, located in Raleigh, oversees the agency's statewide activities to ensure the fulfillment of its mission of conservation, education, and recreation.

The division is organized into the director's office and staff, and the three sections it supervises: administration, operations, and planning and natural resources. The director also coordinates activities of the Recreation Resources Services and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund Authority.

Strong was appointed in August 2023 to lead the division, having previously served as acting director and deputy director/chief of planning and natural resources. He has been a member of the state parks staff since 2000. Strong holds a master's degree in Natural Resources Policy from Duke University and a bachelor's in biology and geography from Wittenberg University.

Eric Estes, Deputy Director of Administration

The magnificent natural resources of the North Carolina state parks system and the field staff who serve as their primary stewards are the most visible and recognizable images of the Division of Parks and Recreation. However, behind the scenes, specialists play a critical role in helping the agency fulfill its mission.

The administrative section of the division oversees marketing and communications, applications systems, information technology resources, finance and budgeting, and engineering and construction, which also includes major maintenance.

Dave Head, Deputy Director of Planning and Recreation Resources

The planning and recreation resources section of the division includes land acquisition and trails specialists and professional staff in park planning, regional planning, state trail planning, and grant administration. More information on the work of these subsections is listed on this page.

Kathy Capps, Deputy Director of Operations

The operations section includes field staff and district offices, as well as central office staff with the following responsibilities:

• Visitor services;
• Interpretation and education, overseeing educational programming and the Schools in Parks program;
• Natural and cultural resource management, monitoring species and site conditions, as well as on-the-field implementation of resource management plans; and
• Visitor protection and safety, prioritizing the safety of both our employees and visitors, conducting training and response for natural disasters, emergency medical services, firefighting, search and rescue, and law enforcement.

The state parks system maintains hundreds of millions of dollars of assets in facilities and infrastructure. These include, but are not limited to, modern visitor centers, roads, utility systems, expansive campgrounds, and boating facilities. The Engineering and Construction Program is responsible for managing the design and construction of all these amenities in the state parks.

A team of project managers and engineers oversees the development of new facilities and major renovation of existing facilities. We coordinate the work of design professionals and construction contractors, managing several projects at any one time. We meet regularly with park staff, professional designers, and contractors to make sure jobs are on schedule, meet rigid state standards, and can be adjusted to meet park needs.

The Education and Guest Services team serves under the Deputy Director of Operations. It includes the Arts in the Parks program, environmental education and programming (including the Schools in Parks Collaborative), interpretive design, and volunteer coordination.

Land protection and acquisition activities include the development and implementation of land protection plans and land acquisition projects. This includes writing grant proposals for the North Carolina Land and Water Fund and the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisition projects. Land protection and acquisition staff also manage the resulting land acquisition projects from meeting the landowners to notifying the park staff that the property is now part of the park. Staff work with the State Property Office to resolve encroachments on the parkland and easement requests. Assessment of potential new units of the state parks system is also a duty of the land protection and acquisition staff.

The Division's Marketing and Communications Team connects all aspects of the state parks system, working with almost every single subsection and program within the organization. Their work is integral in promoting and advancing the Division's mission statement, through media relations, printed publications, websites, social media, special programs, and events outreach.

Media Inquiries

For all media inquiries, please contact Kris Anne Bonifacio, Public Information Officer, at [email protected] or (919) 817-3752.

News Releases

The Division's Natural Resources Program provides field, planning, and construction staff with technical expertise on issues such as rare species protection, exotic species control, monitoring, prescribed fire, forestry, restoration, scientific research, environmental review and compliance, and landscape planning. No aspect of a park's operations functions in isolation. Everything that we do to improve visitor services has an impact on the environment, and every action we take to protect or enhance the environment has an impact on visitors.

The North Carolina State Parks System is a dynamic and growing entity intended to enrich the lives of all North Carolinians, The Division's Planning program works with the Land Protection and Acquisition section to identify and acquire critical acreage. Following acquisition, planners work on preparing the initial development guidelines for the park land, in accordance with the Division's mission statement.

The growth of existing and new parks begins with a corps of long-term planners and landscape architects. Most state parks have master plans, which guide growth and development over time, as well as general management plans that guide day-to-day operations. Every potential land and new facility is scored for priority. In addition, the Division maintains a systemwide plan, which directs the priorities of the state parks system and is regularly revised.

List of Division and Park Planning Documents

State Trail Planning

The Planning program also oversees North Carolina's state trails, which provide an abundance of opportunities to experience some of the state's most magnificent landscapes.

As units of the North Carolina state parks system, they are distinguished from other regional and local trails, while still offering regional connectivity and public access. State trails are composed of multiple, connected sections, and section sponsors build, maintain and manage their section of the trail – deciding on location, design, surface, permitted uses, and amenities. The Division is responsible for the overall corridor planning and coordination. The Trails and Planning staff provide guidance and assistance to all section sponsors.

For more information on State Trails, please visit the North Carolina Trails website.

The staff of the Trails Program, along with the North Carolina Trails Committee, work together to enable volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to develop trail plans, preserve land, and manage trails for all trail users.

Staff provides technical assistance, offers grant opportunities and develops successful partnerships with local conservation and recreation advocates.

Trails Program Staff