AgroEcology
In keeping with the instructions in the Last Will and Testament of Doris Duke, the purpose of our Agro-Ecology Program is to demonstrate that the operations of Duke Farms, including our farming operations, can be conducted in a way that is both sustainable and wildlife friendly. We seek to do that through extensive wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement, use of renewable energy, and sustainable operations in everything we do. Principal examples of this commitment can be found in our extensive organic community garden program, where local residents learn to grow their own wholesome food, our green building practices, and our new training program for new farmers to help create a vibrant local farm economy, and our commitment to lowering the carbon footprint of our overall operations.
Our experience to date suggests that sustainable farming is actually an excellent strategy to reduce our carbon footprint and helps us to reach our other ecological goals. Organic farming practices can help to sequester carbon in our soils, require less irrigation and energy to move water to farm fields, and avoid the carbon emissions from trucking food long distances. As such, the sustainable farming programs at Duke Farms, and indeed all of our operations, are designed to serve as working models that can be replicate by others on a small or grand scale to be more sustainable and to help address the adverse impacts of climate change.
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Grassland Management for a Grasshopper Sparrow
Download PDF
How Increasing Levels of Private Land Enrollment in Conservation Agreements Affect the Population Viability of Grassland Birds
Download PDF
Food Banks - How to Help, How to Get Help
Read More
Carbon Farming Workshop
Read More
Rotational Grazing Project
Read More