By offering hands-on, place-based learning opportunities, the Duke Forest ignites students’ curiosity and appreciation for the natural world. Whether it’s high school students conducting scientific research for the first time or elementary students discovering the magic of the outdoors, the Forest continues to inspire the next generation of environmental scholars and stewards.
Health and Environment Scholars Conduct Field Research
As part of the Health and Environment Scholars Program at Duke (HESP), a group of Durham Public School high school students visited the Duke Forest for hands-on experiential learning. This program, which supports students from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM, pairs participants with Duke undergraduate mentors to explore interdisciplinary environmental science and health topics.
During their visit, students worked with Special Projects Coordinator Maggie Heraty to collect herpetofauna data at a cover board transect. They learned about identifying amphibians and reptiles and how to collect and interpret ecological data. Assistant Director of Teaching and Research Lee Anne Reilly guided students in setting up sampling plots in a 90-year-old Longleaf Pine stand, where they identified different life stages of Longleaf Pines and analyzed the stand’s age structure to predict future forest dynamics. Afterward, students discussed various data collection methods and their applications, as well as the skills they plan to use in their capstone research projects.
Elementary Students Experience a Week at the Creek
Meanwhile, younger learners from Forest View Elementary School spent a week exploring the Duke Forest as part of their nature-based learning initiative, “Week at the Creek.” Kindergarten through 5th-grade students rotated through engaging outdoor activity stations focused on orienteering, birdwatching, tree appreciation, animal tracks, predator-prey relationships, and nature poetry.
Senior Program Coordinator Erin Hecht led an interactive session on the herpetofauna of Duke Forest, where students became Junior Community Scientists. By surveying mock coverboards and learning about common reptile and amphibian species, these young learners gained insight into the work conducted by the adult community scientists engaged in the Herpetofauna of Duke Forest program.