Mapping Ecological Methane Leaks to Guide Wetland Restoration (2026-2027)

Background

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and wetlands are estimated to contribute nearly one quarter of global methane emissions. However, these estimates remain highly uncertain because methane fluxes vary enormously across landscapes and are difficult to measure with traditional, ground-based methods. New drone and satellite sensor technologies have the potential to revolutionize our ability to measure and model methane emissions from natural ecosystems.

The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina (TNC) recently received a $67 million federal grant to restore 33,500 acres of drained peatlands. Restoration is known to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and wildfire risk, yet its impacts on methane remain unclear. Because restored peatlands can emit or consume methane, managers need better tools to identify methane “control points” and minimize unintended emissions.

Project Description

This project team will develop and test drone-based methods for mapping methane emissions with the goal of creating high-resolution methane maps for restored and unrestored peatlands across the North Carolina coastal plain.

The team will begin with a “campus as lab” approach, refining methane detection techniques at Duke and Duke Forest field sites — including stormwater ponds, a beaver marsh and a shrubby floodplain — before applying these methods in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy.

Team members will:

• Train with the Duke Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab to pilot drones and design flight paths.
• Use drone-mounted LIDAR, multispectral sensors and anemometers to produce landcover maps, topographic models and wind-informed flux calculations.
• Pair drone measurements with conventional gas exchange methods such as static chambers and eddy covariance to calibrate and validate methane estimates.
• Conduct soil biogeochemistry analyses to understand landscape drivers of methane emission hotspots.
• Incorporate satellite imagery to contextualize wetland hydrology, vegetation and inundation patterns.
• Synthesize all of these data to create high-resolution methane maps across the peatland landscapes.

The team will quantify methane fluxes across six TNC peatlands: three unrestored peatlands scheduled for rewetting and three restored peatlands of varying ages. By identifying methane sources, sinks and environmental “control points,” the team will generate actionable insights on how restoration practices influence carbon budgets and how management can minimize unintended methane emissions.

Anticipated Outputs

• Open-source publication detailing novel drone-based techniques for mapping methane over natural landscapes
• Preliminary data supporting NSF or NASA grant proposals
• High-resolution methane “storytelling” maps for six TNC peatlands, identifying sources, sinks and key environmental drivers
• Report for TNC outlining opportunities to mitigate methane emissions during wetland restoration

Student Opportunities

Ideally, this team will include 4–5 graduate students and 4–5 undergraduates. Students with experience or interest in electrical or mechanical engineering, biochemistry, environmental management, GIS, data visualization, carbon accounting, ecosystem restoration or drone operation are ideal candidates.

Students will work in three subteams: engineering, biogeochemistry and communications. Depending on specialization, team members may gain experience in:

• Drone piloting and sensor integration
• Remote sensing analysis (LIDAR, multispectral imagery and satellite data)
• GIS-based cartography, spatial modeling and climate storytelling
• Soil biogeochemistry and ecosystem sampling
• Methane flux quantification and carbon accounting
• Stakeholder science and nonprofit collaboration
• Scientific communication with conservation partners

Graduate and professional students will develop hands-on project leadership and teaching skills, and some may collect data for their own dissertation or thesis projects. All students will have the opportunity to travel to the North Carolina coastal plain pocosin peatland.

Timing

Fall 2026 – Summer 2027 (optional)

• Engineering: develop and test drone methane mapping protocols
• Biogeochemistry: learn soil analysis methods and analyze satellite data
• Communications: synthesize existing carbon datasets and define deliverables with TNC

Spring 2027:

• Engineering: map methane, landcover and topography across six peatlands
• Biogeochemistry: conduct field sampling and complete lab analyses
• Communications: produce greenhouse gas data visualizations and methane maps

Summer 2027 (optional):

• Finalize TNC report, methods publication and other deliverables

Crediting

Academic credit available for fall and spring semesters