Restoring the Rainbow: A Mussel Reintroduction Story

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… Read More

Protecting the Future of Biodiversity

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… Read More

Surveying New Hope Creek from Above

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… Read More

Mussels on the Move – Identification and Relocation

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… Read More

Students of All Ages Learn in the Duke Forest Classroom

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… Read More

Stewarding Connection: a Forest Farewell

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… Read More