Agenda - 12-01-1987 - Laserfiche WebLink

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DUKE FOREST: FAO$ SHEET n2"7 HISTORY: Duke Forest was founded over fifty years ago as an outdoor laboratory for forestry research and education. Much of the land that was aquired was worn out and abandoned farms . With additions over the years the forest grew to its present size of 8, 300 acres . The vast majority of that acreage is in Durham and Orange Counties spread over five separate tracts, the Durham Division, Korstian Division, Blackwood Division, Eno Division, and Hillsborough Division. THE THREAT: The Duke Administration commissioned a non-profit group called The Urban Land Institute to study the Forest and make recommendations for the future. The ULI , composed primarily of nationally prominent real estate developers , _issued its report in early 1987 . They recommended that most of the Forest ( 6, 000 acres ) be developed . Their recommendations include development of residential tracts , exclusive neighborhoods , condominiums , ( in the Durham Division they envision an upper income/low density neighborhood called "Founders Row" ) , commercial areas with shopping centers , as well as areas for light industry. THE RESPONSE: Initially the Administration expected to respond to the report at its September Board meeting. A vociferous public response opposed to the ULI recommendations led Duke to delay acting on the report. To allay alumni and public concerns Duke created the Land Resources Committee, composed of trustees and faculty to study the issue and make recommendations in Spring of 1988 . The LRC in turn created three subcommittees to examine specific aspects of the Forest. They_ areI the Academic Uses Committee to examine forestry research and education uses , the Non-Academic Uses Committee to examine other._ways= in which the Forest may be used, and the Community Concerns Committee to gather • and evaluate input from surrounding communities. These subcommittees will deliver their reports to the LRC by the beginning of the year . The Trustees will probably respond in late spring, 1988 . PRESENT USES OF THE FOREST: Duke Forest represents the oldest outdoor laboratory for forestry research in the country. Managed stands of trees dating back to the 1930' s are invaluable for comparative studies. Currently, over one million dollars of forestry research takes place annually. A significant four million dollar multi-year study on acid rain is currently underway. There are over 135,000 "visitor days" a year which translates to well over a quarter of a million people yearly using Duke Forest. Visitor uses include hiking, bird-watching, jogging, horseback riding, bicycling and simply seeking solitude. As development pressures increase in the Triangle area , the Forest has become an increasingly important open space preserve. The local government bodies have maintain low density zones around the Forest in anticipation of the Forest being main- tained in its present state.