Central Campus and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens Expansion

With the development of Central Campus at Duke University the opportunity may exist for one hundred acres of hollows between East and West campus and a greenway swath to be assigned to Sarah P. Duke Gardens for oversight. This Masters project examines one possible scenario for the future of the Central Campus hollows. The Gardens welcomes the opportunity for this addition to the garden footprint and the possible connection that may exist to develop an academic connection to the University. This Central Campus Master Plan is to be developed over the next twenty to fifty years with possible initial construction to begin the summer of 2008. The Gardens would like the opportunity to restore the hollows back to a pine-hardwood forest. This addition would tie in to the current mission of the Gardens – to create and nurture an environment for learning, inspiration and enjoyment. Through a concentrated effort on the removal of invasive plants and the addition of native species the Gardens education programs would be enriched and a new connection to University academics would be established. With the establishment of new partnerships with various Duke Departments within campus service and the academic areas, the development of the hollows will improve Central Campus. The Gardens already functions as storm water control. With the increase of impervious surfaces that Central Campus could add, the amount of storm water runoff that will impact the Gardens and the hollows will increase. The one hundred acres of hollows of pine-hardwood would not only provide opportunities for education and research, but it would provide a mechanism to manage storm water runoff and water quality.