During the academic year, graduate students awarded an assistantship from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment may work with Forest Staff on a variety of projects related to forest management, including:
Natural area monitoring
Education and outreach
Road and trail maintenance
Timber inventory and harvest prep
Gate and sign improvement
Boundary line marking
Data and records organization
GPS data collection
GIS data entry
Data analysis
Communications / PR
Recreation management
Duke Forest Staff with 2017-2018 student Assistants (R>L) Kelly Horvath, Emily Leung, and Matt Brantley (not pictured, Kelli Palaka), May 2018
Some perspectives from our students:
My time spent working in the Duke Forest this year was truly invaluable. I’ve always found nature to be somewhat of an escape from tiresome or stressful days. Having the opportunity to work in the forest every week helped me stay on track with my studies not only by providing the mental healing I needed but also because it reminded me why I am here pursuing a graduate degree in Environmental Management. – Kelly Horvath
The forest’s proximity and ease of accessibility has enriched the coursework available at the Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, with clear examples of active forest management for wildlife conservation and timber harvesting. The Duke Forest acts as a resource to provide examples of the theory learned in class, with the added bonus of fresh air and outdoor atmosphere. – Emily Leung
I truly believe that Duke Forest is the most valuable asset the Duke Forestry program has, and that not only includes the physical forest, but the staff that goes out of their way on a daily basis to better our (students) experiences, whether that be academically, through professional development, or simply building meaningful personal relationships. – Matt Brantley
