The long-term vision for the facility involves its use by most academic departments of the university, such as anthropology, biology, business, coastal ecology, English, environmental art, history, hospitality management, leisure studies, and sociology. Initially, the greatest use of the facility by ECU will be for the student field trips and as a base of operation for research in areas of wetland ecology, archaeology, colonial and maritime history, geography, and anthropology. In time, additional uses may include a writer's retreat, academic workshops, departmental retreats, conferences, summer field station programs, and public university programs such as elderhostel and continuing education. With all that the field station has, much remains to be developed. State funding covers only the very basic costs of university operations and does not pay for the maintenance and upkeep of special projects such as the Field Station for Coastal Studies at Mattamuskeet.
Private funding is essential for the success of the program.
On mainland Hyde County's Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge.