Problem Statement

The Piedmont of North Carolina, particularly the Triangle region (Durham and Chapel Hill), is experiencing significant biodiversity loss driven by rapid urbanization, habitat degradation, and the cascading impacts of climate change. Over the past decade, the Triangle has seen explosive population growth—Durham alone has grown by over 25% since 2010, while Chapel Hill has expanded at a slightly slower rate, transforming once rural landscapes into urban and suburban environments. This surge in human development disrupts local ecosystems, leading to habitat fragmentation, reduced native species populations, and greater vulnerability to invasive species. Compounding these pressures are the effects of climate change, which alters temperature and precipitation patterns, shifting habitats, and driving species to extinction. Without immediate and effective interventions, these factors will continue to erode the ecological integrity of the region.

Study Area

The Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory, established in 1931, serves as a living laboratory for studying the impacts of these factors. Covering over 7,000 acres, the Duke Forest is one of the largest and oldest continuously managed forests in the Piedmont, providing critical habitats for a variety of flora and fauna. Home to mammals like white-tailed deer, gray foxes, and coyotes, as well as amphibians, reptiles, and numerous bird species, the forest is a microcosm of the region’s biodiversity. It also offers diverse habitats, including hardwood forests, pine plantations, streams, and wetlands, making it an ideal site for research on how urbanization and climate change are reshaping ecosystems.

Our Goal

Our goal is to conduct wide, multi-pronged biodiversity surveys in the Duke Forest to counteract the effects of shifting baseline syndrome—a phenomenon where each generation perceives the environment they grew up in as “normal,” even as biodiversity declines from previous levels. By addressing this, we aim to provide a more accurate understanding of ecological baselines and document how socioecological systems adapt to the pressures of urbanization and climate change. The knowledge gained will inform conservation efforts and help guide sustainable development practices in the region.

Our Work

We are conducting comprehensive biotic surveys across the Duke Forest using various techniques to capture the full spectrum of biodiversity. These include:

• Transect surveys for systematic sampling of animal populations.
• Wildlife cameras to monitor larger fauna and nocturnal species.
• Acoustic monitoring equipment to track bird and amphibian species based on their vocalizations.
• Bioblitzes, where teams of scientists and volunteers gather to record as many species as possible within a designated time frame.
• Incidental searches to record opportunistic sightings of species outside structured surveys.

By combining these methods, we are building a robust, long-term database of faunal diversity that will provide insights into how local ecosystems are evolving and how we can mitigate further losses.