Duke comprises more than 8,000 acres of campus, golf course, gardens, trails and forest - including the Marine Lab in Beaufort, N.C. Often spoken of as "the crown jewel of Duke University," Duke Gardens occupies 55 acres in the heart of west campus. Much of the campus and its buildings are maintained by the Facilities Management Department, which tends to the landscape, athletic fields and gardens and handles carpentry, electrical and plumbing needs.