The Duke Forest is pleased to announce that Dr. Nicki Cagle has been named the inaugural Director of Natural & Cultural Resources Interpretation, with all of her faculty service hours as a Senior Lecturer in Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment now formally dedicated to the Duke Forest. While Nicki has collaborated with the Duke Forest for more than a decade, this appointment formally recognizes and expands her contributions to advancing the Forest’s teaching, research, stewardship, and public engagement missions.
As a Senior Lecturer in Ecology & Environmental Education, Nicki has dedicated her career to helping students build meaningful connections with the natural world. With more than 20 years of experience in ecology, environmental education, natural history, and science communication, she creates immersive, field-based learning experiences that inspire curiosity while deepening understanding of biodiversity, conservation, and sustainability.
In her new role, Nicki will lead efforts to elevate the stories that make the Duke Forest such a remarkable place, both the ecological systems that continue to shape the landscape and the many human histories connected to it. The position is charged with increasing awareness and appreciation of the Forest’s natural and cultural resources while expanding opportunities for education, research, and community engagement. “The Duke Forest is an extraordinary place for connection and discovery,” Nicki remarked. “I’m excited to help people explore the relationships among the Forest’s species, ecosystems, and the people who have stewarded it, both past and present. I hope to create experiences that foster curiosity, belonging, and a deeper responsibility to care for the Forest.”
Her responsibilities will include developing interpretive programs and educational experiences, supporting experiential learning for Duke students, conducting natural and cultural history research, collaborating across the university, and helping guide the long-term vision for interpretation throughout the Forest.
The appointment also represents an important investment by the Nicholas School in its longstanding partnership with the Duke Forest. By directing a portion of Nicki’s faculty service toward the Forest, the Nicholas School is strengthening the connection between the two organizations while advancing Duke University’s Climate Commitment.
Although the title is new, Nicki’s impact on the Duke Forest is already well established.
She serves on the Duke Forest Advisory Committee and was instrumental in creating our Herpetofauna Community Science Program in 2018. As the program’s principal investigator, she has helped engage volunteer researchers and students in long-term amphibian and reptile monitoring while continuing her own herpetological research within the Forest.
Nicki has also played a leading role in helping the Duke Forest better understand and share its human history. She conducted the research and synthesis that informed the Forest’s land acknowledgment and worked alongside Duke Forest staff to uncover and interpret the often-overlooked stories of the people who once lived on this land. That work will soon be shared with the public through the Unearthing Duke Forest interpretive trail in the Korstian Division, an experience that invites visitors to reflect on the people who shaped this land over time.
Her commitment to connecting people with nature extends beyond research and interpretation. Nicki has championed experiential education through innovative teaching, including the upcoming Bass Connections course Connecting Amphibians and Nature: An Ecology and Rights Approach, and has consistently helped students discover how ecological science, conservation, history, and community are deeply interconnected.
Nicki has also helped shape conversations about the Duke Forest’s future. During the Duke Forest’s 2024 Annual Gathering, held as part of Duke University’s Centennial celebration, she shared her vision for the Forest’s role in Duke’s second century, emphasizing its contributions to climate resilience, teaching, research, biodiversity conservation, and regional partnerships.
“Nicki has been an extraordinary advocate for the Duke Forest for many years,” said Sara Childs, Executive Director of the Duke Forest. “This new role recognizes the tremendous impact she has already had while creating exciting opportunities to expand how students, researchers, and community members engage with the Forest. We’re thrilled to continue building this partnership with Nicki and the Nicholas School.”
As the Duke Forest continues to grow as a living laboratory and place of discovery, Nicki’s leadership will help ensure that the Forest’s ecological significance and the many stories woven throughout its landscape become more accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for all who learn, teach, research, volunteer, and recreate here.