FY2017 Region 4 Inventory & Monitoring Branch RFP Form

Project Title: At-Risk and Rare Occurrences and Inventory on the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

Funding Requested: $19,388

Submitted by and contact information (Name, phone number, e-mail - of refuge staff member with direct project oversight responsibility): Lyne Askins, Refuge Manager, Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, 843.335.6023, [email protected]

Primary Project Objective(s): 1) Determine population occurrence and density of rare, at-risk, and federally listed vascular (see list below) within the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge 2) Map species occurrence data along with sampling framework 3) Describe the specific environmental and vegetation attributes associated with each targeted species 4) Identify immediate threats, including locations of invasive species, to rare species populations 5) Compile a Vascular Plant Inventory for the Refuge 6) Recommend management and conservation measures

Briefly describe how this information will address refuge information needs, particularly where associated with goals and objectives from the CCP, HMP, or IMP or other relevant planning documents. The Sandhills is a physiographic and geologic region that covers the innermost section of the South Atlantic Coastal Plain. The region covers an unbroken span from south-central North Carolina, through South Carolina, and into east-central Georgia. The topography of the area is composed of rolling, hilly terrain, dissected by numerous blackwater streams. As its name implies, soils of the Sandhills region are typically sandy, low in nutrients, acidic, and do not hold water. Many of the region’s flora is adapted to droughty conditions of the soil substrate. The Sandhills is home to many globally and state rare species, including a few federally listed as endangered or threatened—e.g., Michaux’s Sumac, Chaffseed.

The Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located within the section of the Sandhills region of Chesterfield County, South Carolina. The refuge totals over 47,000 acres of fee ownership and conservation easements, of which nearly two-thirds is covered by varying condition and productivity classes of upland longleaf woodlands. These uplands are maintained by fire, and the ground layer is dominated by native bunch grasses, herbs, and dwarf shrubs, and often includes basal sprouts of oak species that vary in density with site conditions. Loamy soils found in lower slope positions of these uplands support various legume species—these sites are referred to as ‘bean dips’. Generally speaking, the upland habitats on the refuge have received the most botanical research, but have not been systematically studied. Dedicated searches throughout the refuge would be expected to reveal new occurrences of rare and native species. Other habitats on the refuge have not been well-inventoried. The remainder of the refuge is composed of streamhead bogs and pocosins, seepage slopes, Atlantic white-cedar swamps, and bottomland forests. Wetland and seepage communities (including several insectivorous plants), occur in hydrologically appropriate locations. These include narrow areas along drainages and pond margins, where occasionally prescribed fire visits and creates openings for Atlantic white cedar reproduction. A number of uncommon but unique plants can be found across these different habitats including Sandhills Bog Lily, Well’s Pyxie , Sweet Pitcherplant, Pinebarren Gentian, and White-wicky. This diverse flora also supports a variety of native pollinators, especially bees, butterflies, and moths (Lepidopteron). The refuge Habitat Management Plan (USFWS 2014) identifies the unique flora of its wetland habitats (including bottomland forests, pocosin wetlands) as a resource of concern, and suggests periodically inventorying and mapping unique flora as a probable assessment method to identify primary habitat response. The table below lists federally listed, rare, and at-risk species known to occur (either current or historical reference) or that have the potential to occur based on availability of habitat on the Carolina Sandhills NWR:

Occurrence

So. Carolina So.

Habitat

Status Status

Global Global Scientific Name Common Name

1 2

4

3

LISTED Lysimachia asperulifolia Pocosin loosestrife G3 S1 P Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Rhus michauxii (E) Michaux’s sumac G2 SX P Dry Longleaf Pineland Schwalbea americana (E) Chaffseed G2 S3 P Dry Longleaf Pineland GLOBALLY OR STATE RARE Andropogon Narrow-leaved bluestem G5 S1 O Depression Ponds – Vernal Pools perangustatus Andropogon mohrii Bog bluestem G4? S2 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Burmannia biflora Northern burmannia G4 S2 P Depression Ponds – Vernal Pools Carex collinsii Collin’s sedge G4 S2 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Chrysoma Woody goldenrod G4G5 S1S2 P Dry Longleaf Pineland pauciflosculosa Danthonia epilis Bog oat-grass G3 S2 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Eriocaulon texense Texas pipewort G4 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Gentiana autumnalis Pinebarren gentian G3 S2 O Dry Longleaf Pineland Hexastylis sorriei (en) Sandhill heartleaf G1 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Kalmia cuneata White-wicky G3 S2 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Lilium pyrophilum (en) Sandhills bog lily G2 S1 P Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Lycopus cokeri (en) Carolina bugleweed G3 S2 P Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Myriophyllum laxum Loose water-milfoil G3 S2 O Beaver Ponds and Impoundments Nestronia umbellula Nestronia G4 S3 O Oak-Hickory Forest Orbexilum lupinellum Lupine scurfpea G3 S1 P Dry Longleaf Pineland Paspalum bifidum Bead-grass G5 S2 O Dry Longleaf Pineland Potamogeton Alga pondweed G4 S1 P Blackwater Rivers and Cypress-Gum confervoides Swamps barbulata Common pyxie-moss G4 S2 O Moist Pine Flatwoods and River Terraces Pyxidanthera brevifolia Well’s pyxie-moss G3 S1 O Turkey Oak Scrub (en) Rhynchospora alba Northern white G5 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes beaksedge Rhynchospora oligantha Feather-bristled G4 S2 O Moist Pine Flatwoods and River beaksedge Terraces Rhynchospora Coastal bog beaksedge G4 S2 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes stenophylla Ruellia ciliosa Sandhills wild-petunia G5 S1 P Dry Longleaf Pineland Sarracenia rubra ssp. Sweet pitcherplant G4 S3 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes rubra Schoenoplectus Swamp bulrush G3 SNR O Beaver Ponds and Impoundments etuberculatus Solidago pulchra Carolina goldenrod G3 S1 O Moist Pine Flatwoods and River Terraces Sporobolus brevipilis Pinebarren sandreed G4 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Sporobolus pinetorum Carolina dropseed G3 S2 O Moist Pine Flatwoods and River Terraces Syngonanthus flavidulus Yellow pipewort G5 S2 P Moist Pine Flatwoods and River Terraces Tridens carolinianus Carolina fluffgrass G3 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Vaccinium sempervirens Rayner’s blueberry G4 S1 P Moist Pine Flatwoods and River (en) Terraces Xyris chapmanii Chapman’s yellow-eyed G3 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes grass Xyris scabrifolia Roughleaf yellow-eyed G3 S1 O Streamheads and Seepage Slopes grass AT-RISK Amorpha georgiana Georgia indigo-bush G3 SNR O Moist Pine Flatwoods and River Terraces Balduina atropurpurea Purple honeycombed- G2 S1 P Moist Pine Flatwoods, Seepage head Slopes Carex impressinervia Impressed-nerve sedge G2 S1 P Moist hardwood forests along creeks Eupatorium paludicola Swamp justiceweed G2 SNR P Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Isoetes hyemalis Wintergreen quillwort G2 S1 P Blackwater Rivers and Cypress-Gum Swamps Lindera subcoriacea Bog spicebush G3 S3 P Streamheads and Seepage Slopes Lobelia boykinii Boykin’s lobelia G2/G S3 P Carolina Bays, Moist Pine Flatwoods, 2G3 Cypress-Gum Swamps Ludwigia brevipes Long Beach Seedbox G2/G S1 P Marshes, Seepage Slopes, 3 Blackwater Rivers Macbridea caroliniana Carolina's birds-In-A- G2 S3 P Blackwater Rivers and Cypress-Gum Nest Swamps Sporobolus teretifolius Wireleaf dropseed G2 S1 P Moist Pine Flatwoods and River Terraces 1 NatureServe’s global conservation status assessment (G5: Secure; G4: Apparently Secure; G3: Vulnerable; G2: Imperiled; G1: Critically Imperiled) 2 NatureServe’s state conservation status assessment for South Carolina (S3: Vulnerable; S2: Imperiled; S1: Critically Imperiled; SX: Presumed extirpated; SNR: not ranked/under review) 3 O=historical or current location documented; P=potential occurrence because of available habitat 4 Dominant natural community that the species is located in, based on Sorrie (2011) types. (E): Federally listed Endangered (en): Endemic to the Sandhills region

Briefly describe the methods. Identify any protocols that will be used (if cited, citation only). Include sample design and the number of sites, frequency of sampling and scale of effort. Sampling will be conducted to detect and map rare plant species, and to compile a floristic inventory of the Refuge. Preliminary data on rare target species will be acquired through compilation of herbarium specimen data and acquisition of data from the state heritage program. Aerial photographs, vegetation maps (when available), and topographic maps will be reviewed for the Refuge to identify target search areas that are likely to contain rare plant populations. Habitats that will be searched include (but are not limited to) longleaf pine savannas, wet savannas, bottomland forests, freshwater marshes, and blackwater streams. Targeted habitats will be visited during months when rare plant species are most likely to be visible, and appropriate habitats searched. Rare plant occurrences will be recorded with a GPS unit accurate to 5m. Plants will be counted, or, for larger populations, the population size estimated. Habitat, associated species, and threats will be recorded. The Refuge floristic inventory will be compiled while searching for rare plant species, and will be supplemented with searches in all refuge habitats. All vascular plant species observed will be recorded. Species not previously recorded for the Refuge will be vouchered.

Who will conduct the work (e.g., refuge staff-force account, contractor, or memorandum of agreement with federal/state/university/NGO partner)? Keith Bradley (Botanist) will conduct all work, including advance data collection, fieldwork, data processing, and reporting. Carolina Sandhills NWR will provide logistical support (when needed) and manage Mr. Bradley’s contract. I&M Branch Botanist, Forbes Boyle, will provide oversight for the duration of this project.

How will the data be managed, and by who? The Southeast Region Inventory and Monitoring Branch and Charleston Ecological Services Division will co-manage the final dataset. Raw datasets and reports will be hosted on ServCat.

In addition to RFP reporting requirements, what are the deliverables (map, data, etc.)? Deliverables will include: 1) geodatabase and associated shapefiles of plant occurrences and optimal habitat, 2) a database of plant occurrences and natural or plant community descriptions, 3) a database of all vascular plant species, 4) vouchered specimens delivered to state herbaria.

Briefly list any leveraging of cooperator or partner resources. Also, identify the principle investigator if not refuge staff (e.g., partner led projects). Keith Bradley will serve as the principal investigator. Refuges will provide assistance with access to remote areas if necessary. ES and I&M will provide relevant data, including occurrence records and vegetation maps.

What will be the role of the requesting refuge(s) in this project? Staff at Carolina Sandhills NWR will provide logistical support and manage the contract.Provide an itemized budget for requested funds (e.g., equipment, travel, labor, contract etc.): Item Units Unit Price Total Preparation (days) 3 $240.00 $720 Travel Time (hours) 39 $30.00 $1,170 Field Surveys (days) 39 $300.00 $11,700 Report writing, GIS, herbarium specimen processing 10 $240.00 $2,400 Supplies and Equipment $100

Travel (lodging, mileage) $3,248 Total $19,338