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New Hope Corridor Open Space Master Plan <br />Component 10. Orange County R�ildlife Protection Areas <br />B. Duke Forest and Upper New Hope Creek <br />Jurisdiction: Orange County, and Chapel Hill <br />Faisting Land Use and Ownership: <br />• Duke University and other private land owners. <br />Future Land Use: <br />Use of Duke Forest lands is subject to Duke land resource policy and, therefore, may <br />change over time. Land adjacent to Duke Forest is now and will probably remain <br />primarily in low density residential and agricultural use. <br />Significant Resources: <br />This component includes the Korstian Division of Duke Forest and the western, <br />upstream corridors of New Hope Creek, as shown on the New Hope Corridor Open <br />Space Master Plan Map (page 3). <br />A basic assumption in the creation of the Open Space corridor concept and this <br />Master Plan has been that the inclusion of Duke Forest and its trails is a critical part <br />of the Master Plan. As has been noted many times in this Master Plan, the trails in <br />the forest are already used by hikers. Plant and animal life are plentiful and worthy <br />of protection. <br />This Component of the Master Plan takes advantage of the splendid and immensely <br />popular Alluvial Forest Trail along New Hope Creek in the Korstian Division of <br />Duke Forest. This trail has been created by informal hiking activity and for the most <br />part is on floodplain soils that are scoured during flood events. in several locations, <br />the trail connects with fire roads constructed and maintained by Duke Forest crews. <br />These roads lead out of the forest to locked gates opening onto State - maintained <br />roads. One of the roads, Wooden Bridge Road, leads to Whitfield Road at Gate 24. <br />Another unnamed fire road leads to Gate 25, also on Whitfield Road. <br />Recommendations for the Protection and Use of Component 10-B: <br />• Recognizing that Duke University has assumed the management, maintenance, <br />and liability responsibilities for Duke Forest and its trails, the Committee <br />recommends that the appropriate local governments consider sharing in these <br />56 <br />