The month leading up to Earth Day was a busy one as we engaged over 300 young learners, both in the classroom and in the Forest! Elementary students from local schools took part in presentations and field trips with Duke Forest staff to learn more about nature in their schools’ […]
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New Hope Creek Restoration: A Community Effort New Hope Creek is the lifeblood of the Duke Forest’s Korstian Division and a vital tributary to Jordan Lake, a drinking water source for our region. Currently, the creek is the focus of a three-phase restoration effort that is as much about people […]
Over sixty community members joined us at New Hope Creek near the Wooden Bridge in the Korstian Division for our first-ever Biodiversity Day. Local experts led small groups through nearby habitats while sharing their knowledge on plants, fungi, birds, fish, and mussels. Participants also learned about how our ongoing restoration […]
This summer, we had the pleasure of hosting Chloe, a Durham resident and undergraduate student at Brown University, as our intern. Chloe is a Presidential Scholar at Brown, a program designed for high-achieving, creative students to foster intellectual curiosity through research, leadership, and community engagement. She came to us by […]
The North Carolina Master Naturalists Program, run through N.C. Cooperative Extension, provides opportunities for community members to learn about and contribute to conservation and stewardship. Adult students across a wide range of ages and with varied professional backgrounds apply to the year-long Master Naturalists program and form a cohort that […]
Two and a half months into the New Hope Creek Restoration Project, the new clear-span bridge is taking shape! Our partners at Sanford Contractors drilled and poured the primary concrete support pillars that are fixed to the bedrock beneath the floodplain. They also formed and poured the “end bents,” which […]
The week before classes started, the Duke Forest hosted three First-Year Experiential Orientation groups. Before these new Duke students arrive on campus, they choose from dozens of orientation options based on their interests and passions. This year, the Duke Forest hosted Project Global, Project Herd, and Project Earth, which all […]
Written by: Sara Childs, Executive Director of the Duke Forest I had never been to the Adirondacks, and I knew nothing of its history – not the cultural, ecological, or geological. I was wowed by all of it. My very first stop on the trip, before arriving at Paul Smith’s […]
This summer, the Duke Forest hosted two programs designed to spark curiosity and connect young learners with nature. From welcoming summer campers displaced by flood damage to hosting families for story time and hands-on exploration, the Forest continues to serve as a living classroom where imagination, discovery, and stewardship take […]
Employees from Google’s Durham office recently joined several Duke Forest Staff and Forest Steward volunteers for a service event as part of their global “GoogleServe” campaign. The group learned how to identify non-native Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and spent a hot couple of hours combing through the forest, cutting out […]
The newly-formed Triangle Mycological Society (TMS) recently hosted a Fungal Foray in the Duke Forest. Foraging for and collecting mushrooms (or anything!) in the Forest is strictly prohibited. However, under the guidance of Rytas Vilgalys, Duke Professor of Biology, who holds a current research registration approval through the Office of […]
The Duke Forest and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have been working together as partners since 2023 around the New Hope Creek Restoration Projects. Our mutual goals include protecting and improving habitat within New Hope Creek for freshwater mussels and enhancing the populations of native mussel species. After […]
Tropical Storm Chantal brought significant damage to many natural areas in our region, and the Duke Forest was no exception. All six divisions of the Forest sustained damage, with the Korstian Division hit hardest due to intense flooding along New Hope Creek. Water levels there rose to heights not seen […]
Duke Forest Executive Director Sara Childs recently gave a keynote address at the Carolina Biodiversity Collaborative (CBC) Annual Symposium, hosted at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. The CBC’s mission is to address the biodiversity crisis by advocating for biodiversity research, promoting education in biodiversity-related careers, and engaging in […]
On Wednesday, June 11, Duke Forest staff joined Libby White from the Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab at the Concrete Bridge for the second and final pre-restoration drone flight of New Hope Creek. This flight, along with one from last fall, captured high-resolution LiDAR and visible light data during two […]
One of the primary motivations for embarking on the restoration of New Hope Creek is to improve habitat quality and connectivity, particularly for the state threatened Notched Rainbow Mussel (Villosa constricta) and the federally threatened/state endangered Atlantic Pigtoe Mussel (Fusconaia masoni). While the Concrete Bridge over New Hope Creek does have culverts to […]
Written by Tyler Gibson, Office of the Duke Forest. As drone technology rapidly evolves, researchers increasingly use these flying tools to gather data where traditional tools and human eyes cannot reach. Lightweight, agile, and equipped with advanced sensors, drones unlock new insights from their unique vantage points. The Duke Forest […]
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 […]
Writing and photographs by Kirsten Khire, University Communications, and Tyler Gibson, Office of the Duke Forest. Three universities. Three distinct research studies. One extraordinary Forest. The Duke Forest, Duke University’s largest outdoor teaching and research laboratory, is more than just a beautiful landscape—it is a dynamic hub for scientific discovery. […]
by Jianna Torre Master of Forestry Student In late April 2024, Duke Forest staff and Duke Nicholas School of the Environment Master of Forestry students completed a prescribed burn of a 30-acre hardwood tract in the Hillsboro Division of the Duke Forest. Prescribed fire is a valuable tool for foresters […]
Blake Tedder, our Assistant Director of Engagement, shares this letter with the Duke Forest community upon his transition to a new role within Duke’s Office of Climate and Sustainability. March 7, 2024 Dear Duke Forest Supporters, I hope this message finds you well and in touch with natural places that […]
We are thrilled to announce the establishment of a new fund to support student internships on the Forest. Bruce Roberts, Ph.D., and his wife Ginny Roberts of Delaware, Ohio, recently gave a generous gift to the Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory to establish the Bruce and Ginny Roberts Duke […]
Senior Program Coordinator Maggie Heraty spent a day with Forest Supervisor Tom Craven and Forest Technician Zach Carnegie and gained a new appreciation for how much they accomplish in a typical day. She shared her reflections with our team, and we’re sharing them here as an homage to our Field […]
by Andrea Kolarova, Operations & Management Summer Intern If you have visited the Duke Forest recently, you may have seen me driving my truck along the gravel roads on a trail maintenance mission, or spotted my blue and white cap between the trees as I investigate ash trees for my […]
Expanding the Team to Meet the Moment In the first half of 2023, our office is reflecting on some of the major accomplishments coming out of our 2017-2022 5-Year Strategic Plan. This plan has been a pivotal one for the Forest. As we move to advance these goals and accomplishments […]