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Three Pines Project (3P) is an independent, woman-owned business based in Wilmington, NC and run throughout the tri-county area of New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties. 3P supports its mission and vision through place-based nature programs, community outreach, and a commitment to decreasing barriers to social, emotional and health benefits of meaningful time spent outdoors.
What is Three Pines Project?
3P MISSION
building connections between people, community & nature
through outdoor programs.
a world where every person is provided opportunities to foster their curiosity, resilience and problem solving. Teaching the value in celebrating and lifting others up and taking time to notice and appreciate all the plants, animals and fungi that we all share space with.
3P VISION
the
story
April 2016
May 2017
June 2024
Nature Connect was founded in 2016 by Brinkley Hutchings with a pilot homeschool enrichment program in Wilmington, NC. As an avid environmental activist, Brinkley questioned, "who is going to protect our planet if children don't have a connection to the outdoors?" and with that question, Nature Connect was born.
Nature connect is the foundation for Nature Explorers which continues to operate under 3P and serve over 50 families in three counties!
In 2017 Brinkley made the decision to move to her hometown in Alabama, where she launched Nature Connect Alabama and still operates nature-based programming today.
With close ties to the Wilmington area, Brinkley chose to keep the original program in operation as well, and stayed on as founder & director to support local staff in continuing to run Nature Connect NC.
in 2024, after serving as program director and lead facilitator for two years, Kevina Casaletto assumed ownership of Nature Connect NC and made the transition to Three Pines Project. 3P launched it's first official Nature Explorers program in fall of 2024 with the support of longtime Nature Connect NC staff members, Christy Porter and Britt Carpenter.