Campus Closed for Wildlife & Ecosystem Recovery
2026-01-12, 2026-01-18, 2026-01-19, 2026-01-25, 2026-01-26 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
The Duke Farms campus is closed every Sunday & Monday.

Trails Open
2026-01-13 08:30 - 16:30, 2026-01-14 08:30 - 16:30, 2026-01-15 08:30 - 16:30, 2026-01-16 08:30 - 16:30, 2026-01-17 08:30 - 13:00, 2026-01-20 08:30 - 16:30, 2026-01-21 08:30 - 16:30, 2026-01-22 08:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) and 6 more dates
All Trails and the Orchid Range are open.

Farm Barn Cafe Open
2026-01-15 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-16 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-22 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-23 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-29 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-01-30 10:00 - 14:00
Nourish yourself with seasonal delights from Chef Lauren

Farm Barn Cafe Open
2026-01-17 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-24 10:00 - 14:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States

Closing at 1:00 PM - Inclement Weather
2026-01-17 13:00 - 16:30
Duke Farms will be closed on Saturday, 1/17/2026, beginning at 1:00 PM.

Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls Walk
2026-01-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Let’s get birdy!

Let’s ring in the new year with some birdy friends! Start 2026 off right, looking for Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls around Duke Farms. Grab your favorite adventure buddy and join us for a bird walk on Saturday, January 24 from 3-5 pm. We will also look out for other raptors, wading birds, songbirds, waterfowl, and anyone else on the campus.
Program Guidelines
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable. Programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE, but in the event of severe weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.
We provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate, please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.
About the Instructor
Lindsay McNamara has over 12 years of experience working in conservation, environmental nonprofit communications and development. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and an M.A. in Public and Organizational Relations. She has been birding since she was nine years old when she saw her first Great Blue Heron along the Raritan River. She’s been leading bird walks since 2018 and is always looking to engage new birders in her lifelong passion. You can join her on her monthly bird walks through her new LLC Beachy Birder Adventures, and her favorite bird is the one she’s looking at.
Photo by Lindsay McNamara.
Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Become a Member
Invest in our efforts to protect wildlife, revitalize habitats, and model clean energy solutions by becoming a member. Membership includes discounted classes and access to other members exclusive experiences.
Visit dukefarms.org/membership to learn more.

GIS for Conservation
2026-01-28 09:00 - 2026-01-30 16:00 | Duke Farms, 1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough Township, NJ, 08844, United States
Learn how to integrate GIS into Conservation.

Course Overview
This three-day short course equips participants with foundational GIS skills using ArcGIS as a tool for applied conservation. Participants will gain the confidence and technical ability to use GIS for spatial analysis, ecological monitoring, field data integration, and conservation storytelling. Emphasizing practical, field-based applications, the course focuses on how GIS supports habitat management, restoration planning, species tracking, landscape analysis, and effective communication of conservation outcomes. Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, participants will explore how spatial tools can drive more informed decisions. This course is ideal for conservation practitioners, land managers, educators, and environmental professionals looking to integrate GIS into their work.
Day 1: Fundamentals of GIS and Conservation Applications

Introduction to GIS in conservation
Creating, collecting, and managing data
Field data collection using mobile apps (Survey123, Field Maps)

Day 2: Spatial Analysis

Pattern recognition and spatial relationships
Mapping and analysis in ArcGIS Pro
Sharing maps and data products

Day 3: Storytelling

Using ArcGIS StoryMaps and Instant Apps
Designing engaging storytelling tools
Creating project pages using ArcGIS Hub

Continuing Education Credits
This course is approved for credits from the following organizations.
American Society of Landscape Architects: TBD
Ecological Society of America: TBD

About the Instructor
Joseph Kerski is a geographer and educator focused on GIS-based curriculum development, research in the effectiveness of GIS in education, professional development, communication about the need for geographic skills, tools, and perspectives through keynote addresses, articles, social media, and workshops, and fostering partnerships to support GIS in education and society. He has given two TED talks and has created over 6,000 geo-related videos. Joseph teaches online and face-to-face courses for a wide variety of audiences and communities including the Native Indigenous community, HBCUs, educators, conservation/environment, and others. He is active in educational and environmental nonprofit organizations, including SCGIS, NAAEE, AAG, NCSS, and served as president of the National Council for Geographic Education. After serving for 21 years as geographer at NOAA, US Census Bureau, and USGS, Joseph served for 18 years as Education Manager for Esri, providing thought leadership in geospatial technologies in formal and informal education at all levels, internationally, before beginning his own consultancy in 2025. He has written books such as Interpreting Our World, Spatial Mathematics, International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning with GIS in Secondary Schools, The Essentials of the Environment, Tribal GIS, and The GIS Guide to Public Domain Data. But as a lifelong learner, Joseph feels as though he’s just getting started and thus actively seeks mentors, partners, and collaborators.

Prerequisites
This course is intended for conservation practitioners, land managers, educators, and environmental professionals with little to moderate prior GIS experience. Participants should have a general familiarity with conservation concepts such as ecological systems, habitat management, or related fields, though this is not required. Each participant will need access to a personal laptop and a smartphone or tablet for field exercises, as well as an ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Pro account. There will be a limited number of loaners with ArcGIS available to borrow during the course.

Program Guidelines
All programs begin at the Farm Barn Orientation Center unless otherwise noted.
Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable.
Programs at Duke Farms are held rain or shine, but in the event of severe or impeditive weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

Accessibility
Duke Farms is committed to equitable nature access, and the following accommodations may be available, depending on the program:

Paved, flat trails
Instructors with voice amplifiers
Assistive listening devices (ALDs) for indoor programs
American Sign Language Interpreters, with ten (10) days’ notice
KultureCity sensory bags
We welcome working, trained service animals as described by the ADA

We may be able to provide additional, reasonable accommodations not listed here; please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.

Become a Member
Invest in our efforts to protect wildlife, revitalize habitats, and model clean energy solutions by becoming a member. Membership includes discounted classes and access to other members exclusive experiences.
Visit dukefarms.org/membership to learn more.
