The Duke Campus: Flora & Fauna: Duke Forest

It's impossible to describe Duke Forest in a single sentence. Overall, it is 7,900 acres of natural beauty, right next to the main part of campus.

It is hardwoods, pines, and towering oaks, as well as owls, beaver, wild turkeys, hawks, snakes, and squirrels.

It is recreation, with more than 30 miles of trails—perfect for hiking, biking, strolling, or horse-back riding—winding through the woods.

It is research. The Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory, established in 1931, oversees education and research, timber and wildlife management, and the sustainability and protection of rare species and unique ecosystems.

And it is part of Duke's history. Much of the land that is now Duke Forest was once overworked, abandoned farms. Stone chimneys and foundations of homes, wells, cemeteries, and sometimes even liquor stills, dot the landscape, and several grist mill sites can be seen along New Hope Creek.