Bustling Hub of Research, Teaching and Recreation
Duke Forest Marks 75 Years as One of the Nation's Largest Private Research Forests and a Unique Resource for the University and the Region p.3
One measure of Duke Forest's status as one of the nation's leading venues for environmental research, Edeburn says, is that studies on carbon sequestration and climate change conducted at the forest's Free- Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) site have yielded more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers.
"That's an astounding number," he says. "It rivals any site in the world."
Teaching remains an equally vital part of the forest's function. More than 475 master's projects by Nicholas School and Duke students have been based on research in the forest. Hundreds of classes and field exercises are held there annually. Each year, the facility hosts more than 13,000 visits by students from grade school to graduate school. Some of these visits have left indelible impressions—on students and instructors alike.
"Some of my favorite memories of Duke Forest are from trips I led for a volunteer group called WOODS – Wilderness Outdoor Opportunities for Durham Students," recalls Duke alumna Lauren Stulgis T'01.
The children served by WOODS "were mostly minority, mostly low-income, from homes in the poorer neighborhoods of Durham, and virtually none of them had any outdoor experience," Stulgis explains. "We did different trails (in Duke Forest) with the kids, and, in particular, one trail that highlighted damage from hurricanes and the re-growth that occurred after them. It was always a big hit. The kids got so excited and would talk about that trail for weeks to come. None of them had any idea that such a place existed in Durham."
A LOCAL LANDMARK
While research and teaching remain Duke Forest's core academic missions,
conserving the natural features found within the forest—and making them
accessible for the enjoyment and education of the local community—also
is a high priority.
In 2004, the university signed an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources to place 1,220 acres of the forest in the Registry of Natural Heritage Areas. The voluntary, nonbinding agreement signaled the university's intent to preserve these lands—the forest's most significant natural areas—for the enjoyment, education and benefit of future generations.
Placing areas like Bald Mountain, Stony Creek Springs, the rhododendron bluffs along New Hope Creek and the forest's rare Piedmont meadow flats on the registry "underscored their importance not only for the biological diversity and scenic beauty they contain but also for the long-term research opportunities they provide," Edeburn says.
"The agreement gave formal recognition to something we'd been doing informally for years. Environmental stewardship has always been a core value here. It helps ensure our ability to meet the forest's mission for years to come."
With more than 11 miles of hiking trails and 76 miles of forest roads for visitors to explore, and with dozens of historic sites—including remnants of cobblestone Colonial roads, plantations, pioneer cemeteries and Native American encampments—dotting its landscape, Duke Forest attracts more than 170,000 recreational visits a year.
Accommodating these visitors presents Edeburn and his four-person management staff with the tricky task of providing for public amenities and safety, while making sure that recreational activities don't conflict with the teaching and research projects going on in the forest. But it also presents new opportunities. Having 170,000 chances a year to teach visitors about the importance of environmental stewardship and the vital ecological services Duke Forest provides to its human neighbors is an educator's dream, Edeburn says.
"Seeing the light bulb go on when people begin to understand the impact their day-to-day activities can have on the environment—or when they start to realize the role the forest plays in providing essential services like clean air and water— that's the icing on the cake," he says grinning. "You know they're starting to see the human-forest interface in a whole new light."
Tim Lucas is the Nicholas School's national media relations and marketing specialist.