Every year in November, we come together for an evening to discuss recent research, teaching, and forest management activities related to the Duke Forest. We will frequently highlight a special theme and host a guest lecturer to expand on that topic. Attendees can enjoy great food, wine, and lively conversation! Our Annual Gathering is an important opportunity for our diverse community, which cares about the forest, to share insights and connect. We hope to see you there! Please check back for details on future events and registration.
Past Annual Gatherings
2024 Annual Gathering, a Duke Centennial Celebration– Penn Pavilion (West Campus)
On November 14, 2024, over two hundred new and longstanding community members came together to celebrate and explore the Forest’s deep-rooted connection with Duke University. This year, we excitedly brought the event to campus as a Duke Centennial celebration.
Event Highlights:
Welcome Remarks: Duke University President Vincent Price opened the event by sharing his personal connections to the Forest and emphasized that it is one of the many assets that are distinctly Duke.
Presentation: Duke Forest Executive Director Sara Childs shared a story of the Forest’s origins and its connections to the formation of Duke University and the School of Forestry. She described the myriad ways the Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory remained an incredible resource for Duke and the greater community.
Panel Discussion: Following this historical journey, an esteemed panel that was moderated by Lori Bennear, Stanback Dean of the Nicholas School, discussed the future of the Duke Forest. Together, the panelists shared their vision and insight regarding the role of Duke Forest in Duke’s 2nd century, including its ongoing contributions to Duke’s Climate Commitment, teaching and research, and regional partnerships. Attendees gained a better understanding and appreciation of how the Forest continued to serve as a critical asset to both the University and the surrounding community. The panelists included:
Toddi Steelman: Vice President/Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability, Office of Climate and Sustainability
Sara Childs: Duke Forest Executive Director, Office of the Duke Forest
Nicolette Cagle: Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and Policy, Nicholas School of the Environment
Korstian Award – Blake Tedder, Assistant Director of Engagement
Thursday, November 16 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Forest History Society 2925 Academy Rd., Durham
The tradition continued. After four years, the Duke Forest Gathering returned to the Forest History Society for an evening of connection and learning. We shared about the state of the Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory and the special projects going on in New Hope Creek with a full house. Beyond the typical updates on teaching, research, and management, regular visitors to the Korstian Division were treated with a presentation from Executive Director Sara Childs about a major habitat restoration project that involves the removal and replacement of the Concrete Bridge and a partial dam downstream. This New Hope Creek habitat restoration project is one of the largest undertakings in the history of Duke’s biggest and oldest teaching and research lab. Our guest speaker Brena Jones highlighted the importance and fascinating life cycles of freshwater mussels.
2023 Clarence F. Korstian Award: Beverly R. Burgess
Guest Speaker Brena Jones is the Central Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Research Coordinator at N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. In this role, she is responsible for researching and surveying freshwater animals including fish, mussels, crayfish, and snails in the Yadkin-Pee Dee, Cape Fear, Lumber, and White Oak River Basins. At this year’s Duke Forest Gathering, Brena will share how critically important these animals, and especially mussels, are to our freshwater ecosystems, and she’ll reveal the fascinating yet hidden life they lead under the surface and why their populations are so threatened
2021 Annual Gathering – Virtual
In 2021 we celebrated the Duke Forest’s 90th anniversary with a special virtual presentation of the history, impact, and future of the Duke Forest from Director Sara Childs. Though we missed the great food, wine, and conversation of years past, attendance was unrestricted by geography and we were excited for this opportunity to engage a larger network of Duke Forest enthusiasts through this virtual meeting platform.
You can watch the 2021 Annual Gathering by clicking the image below:
2019 Annual Gathering – Forest History Society
Theme: Habitat Connectivity What an exciting year for Duke Forest staff and our community members. This year, the Annual Gathering moved to the beautiful new facility of the Forest History Society located on Academy Road in Durham. In the spirit of collaboration – this year’s theme – we were delighted to host this event with the support of the Forest History Society. President Steve Anderson gave tours of the library, archival vault, and special building features.
Our registration was full at 100 people—with more still on the waitlist. Interest in the Duke Forest remains high. Duke Forest Director Sara Childs presented an overview of the past year in teaching, research, management, and community outreach. Our special guest presenter was NC Botanical Garden’s Director of Conservation Johnny Randall, Ph.D. who shared extensively about habitat loss and the fragmentation of habitats in our region. He highlighted the recent work of the Eno-New Hope Landscape Conservation Group, a coalition of local conservation organizations including the Duke Forest who are working together to create a plan for wildlife habitat connectivity.
After Johnny’s presentation, Sara provided some more comments about the Duke Forest’s involvement in the project and then announced Duke University’s purchase of land adjacent to the Blackwood Division that will help to protect ongoing research and the Meadow Flats Natural Heritage Natural Area.
Nicholas School of the Environment faculty member Nicolette Cagle, Ph.D. presented the 2019 Clarence F. Korstian Award to all of the 2019 Herpetofauna Citizen Science program volunteers for their dedication to the program. The program provides data that will help us better manage the Forest for these species and that will benefit future research.
2018 Annual Gathering – New Hope Creek Improvement Association
Theme: Biodiversity & Citizen Science
Thank you to the attendees of our 2019 Annual Gathering. We filled the New Hope Improvement Association with over 100 community members eager to learn more about ongoing activities in the Duke Forest. Food, wine, conversations and connections started the evening. Director Sara Childs gave an overview presentation with project updates for the preceding year in the Duke Forest. Ecology Ph.D. student Rebecca Dalton then shared with us about her research examining the link between climate change, the timing of life cycle events, and how spring ephemeral plants interact for shared resources in the Duke Forest. After Becky’s presentation, Assistant Director Jenna Schreiber talked about citizen science in the forest and gave a recap of our first season of Herpetofauna of the Duke Forest and shared information about our new Tree Phenology project. We gave the 2018 Korstian Award to Tom Griffin who has been an ardent volunteer for the Duke Forest. And, finally, we revealed the winners of the Duke Forest Photo Contest.
2017 Annual Gathering – New Hope Creek Improvement Association
Theme: Wildlife: Home in the Forest
Thanks to everyone that attended the 2017 Annual Gathering! We enjoyed great food, wine, and conversation before hearing about all the Duke Forest happenings in the last year and learning about wildlife from Dr. Ron Sutherland, Conservation Scientist with the Wildlands Network. We revealed the winners of the Duke Forest Photo Contest and presented the Clarence Korstian Award to Judson Edeburn, our former resource manager, for his continued support of our operations. See photos on our Facebook page. Duke Forest: 2017 Year in Review
2015 Duke Forest – New Hope Creek Improvement Association
Theme: Forests in a Changing World
Thank you to all the Duke and Durham community members that participated in the 2015 Annual Gathering last week! We enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, wine, and friendly conversation before diving into a series of presentations on forest resilience. First, our Director, Sara Childs, updated us on research, management, education, and volunteer activities in the Duke Forest over the past year. Our guest speaker, David Halley, RF, CF, of True North Forest Management Services, gave us an overview of current and upcoming forest threats and how we can effectively manage for them. Sara ad Jenna Schreiber, the Duke Forest Operations Manager, followed this up by speaking on how forest threats are being addressed specifically in the Duke Forest. We announced the winners of the 4th annual Duke Forest Photo Contest, and the Clarence Korstian Award was presented to Nicki Cagl, PhD., a professor at Duke University in the Nicholas School of the Environment and great friend of the Forest. See November 2015 posts on our Duke Forest Facebook Page for photos.
2014 Duke Forest – New Hope Creek Improvement Association
Theme: Least Wanted – Invasive Species and their Impacts on our Forests
Many thanks to everyone that participated in this year’s annual gathering; it was our largest crowd yet with over 90 community members in attendance! The evening was fun-filled with wonderful food, wine, and conversations. Sara Childs, Duke Forest Director, provided highlights about activities on the forest in the last year and updates on several important projects. Jenna Schreiber, Duke Forest Operations Manager, presented on invasive plants affecting the Duke Forest; and our guest speaker Kelly Oten, Ph.D, with the NC Forest Service, gave a great talk about the emerald ash borer and thousand cankers disease – two relatively new invasive pests threatening North Carolina. Duke Forest’s graduate student assistants put together a wonderful resource table about invasive species with live specimens and lots of information sheets. We also unveiled the winners of our 3rd annual Duke Forest Photography Contest, and celebrated long-time and now retired Resource Manager, Judd Edeburn. He was presented with a plaque that will be located at the entrance of what is now the Edeburn Division. See presentations and pictures from the evening below and check out this great post about the annual gathering written by Duke’s Director of Research Communications. Duke Forest: Year In ReviewDuke Forest: Least Wanted
