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Madison 2012X AN INVENTORY OF SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS OF MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Shawn C. Oakley with terrestrial animal data provided by C. Reed Rossell, Jr. N.C. Natural Heritage Program Office of Conservation, Planning, and Community Affairs Department of Environment and Natural Resources Funding provided by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund December 2011 AN INVENTORY OF SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS OF MADISON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Shawn C. Oakley with terrestrial animal data provided by C. Reed Rossell, Jr. N.C. Natural Heritage Program Office of Conservation, Planning, and Community Affairs Department of Environment and Natural Resources Funding provided by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund December 2011 SUMMARY The inventory of the significant natural areas, ecological communities, and rare species of Madison County, North Carolina was funded by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund. This report identifies 39 Significant Natural Heritage Areas (SNHAs) in Madison County which are comprised of stand-alone standard sites, a significant aquatic habitat, and two landscape-scale sites. Information about natural areas in Madison County is provided, as well as detailed descriptions of SNHAs including their significance, natural community types, rare and uncommon species, and management needs. The report is intended to provide guidance for land use decisions by county government, conservation and land management agencies, and interested citizens. Voluntary conservation options are available for owners of lands identified for protection in this report. Field work for the inventory took place during summer and fall of 2008, fall 2009, and spring and fall 2010. Field work focused on areas on private and public land, with emphasis on public land in 2008 and fall 2010. A project zoologist assisted in surveys of many of the sites. The content of this report was derived from the recent field work, as well as from previously-archived data. In addition to surveying new areas, substantial work was done to update the status of previously-identified sites and to fill data gaps. For some sites, such as Spring Creek Gorge, Lovers Leap/Stackhouse Slopes, and Paint Rock Road Natural Area, boundaries were expanded to include additional high quality areas. Boundaries were reduced for some sites that had been impacted since they were initially described and delineated. Some areas supporting old-growth communities, or communities that approach old-growth in terms of maturity, were also documented. Of the 39 ecologically significant SNHAs that are ranked at the county, regional, state, or national level of significance, no sites in the inventory are believed to merit the national level of significance. Two of the sites are landscape-scale macrosites and one is a significant aquatic habitat. Eleven sites are State-significant, including three that are near the national significance level: Spring Creek Gorge, Paint Rock Road Natural Area, and Lovers Leap/Stackhouse Slopes. Seventeen sites are of Regional significance, including one of the Big Creek Macrosite and the Lower French Broad Aquatic Habitat. Cover Photo: Paint Rock. French Broad River. Madison County, North Carolina. ca. 1894. Hillers, J.K. 185 - hjk00185 - U.S. Geological Survey - Public domain image 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people provided assistance with various facets of the inventory. Matt Roark of the Madison County Tax Assessor’s Office provided re-projected digital parcel data for the county, more than once. Michelle Pugliese of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) provided assistance with landowner permission and access for numerous tracts held as conservation easements as well as for several tracts being considered for easements. Joffrey Brooks of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission provided contacts and instruction for accessing the Sandy Mush Game Land. I appreciate the assistance of Mars Hill Town Manager Darhyl Boone for providing information and permission to access Mars Hill watershed. Much assistance was provided by Josh Kelly, Staff Biologist at the Asheville branch of Wildlaw, an environmental advocacy organization. Josh shared knowledge about various areas in the county and provided direction to impressive, previously undocumented sections of Spring Creek Gorge. Thanks also to Kevin Caldwell of Mountains-to-Sea Ecological, Inc. for information regarding a previously unknown mafic plant site in the Ivy River Corridor and to Dr. Jim Petranka of the University of North Carolina-Asheville, who provided useful information and insights into the rare southern zigzag salamander (Plethodon ventralis) in general and specifically in regard to its occurrence well east of the French Broad River, in atypical habitats. Others who provided assistance include Bob Burns, Security Manager for the Wolf Laurel Resort, and all of the numerous land owners who gave permission to survey, and especially to those who provided friendly assistance and support for the inventory. I was glad to have the opportunity to partner with the project zoologist, Reed Rossell, whose steadiness and good nature were welcome in the field. 3 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 6 OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................. 6 METHODS ................................................................................................................................. 6 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA ..................................................................................... 9 STUDY AREA ........................................................................................................................... 9 PHYSIOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY ................................................................................ 9 GEOLOGY ............................................................................................................................... 13 LAND USE ............................................................................................................................... 15 THE BIODIVERSITY OF MADISON COUNTY ...................................................................... 17 NATURAL COMMUNITY TYPES ........................................................................................ 17 FLORA AND FAUNA ............................................................................................................. 33 DISCUSSION OF SIGNIFICANT NATURAL HERITAGE AREAS........................................ 48 CONSERVATION OPTIONS...................................................................................................... 52 AREAS FOR FURTHER SURVEY ............................................................................................ 54 BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND ENDANGERED SPECIES LAWS ........................................ 55 FEDERAL LAW ...................................................................................................................... 55 STATE LAW ............................................................................................................................ 56 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 57 SITE DESCRIPTIONS ................................................................................................................. 59 AQUATIC SITE ........................................................................................................................... 65 LOWER FRENCH BROAD RIVER AQUATIC HABITAT .................................................. 67 BALD MOUNTAINS ................................................................................................................... 71 BIG CREEK MACROSITE ..................................................................................................... 73 BLACK PINE RIDGE .......................................................................................................... 77 WHITEOAK FLATS BRANCH .......................................................................................... 81 WHITEROCK CLIFFS ........................................................................................................ 85 BIG FLAT/RICE GAP ............................................................................................................. 91 FLINT MOUNTAIN BOULDERFIELDS ............................................................................... 95 SAMS GAP/HIGH ROCK ....................................................................................................... 99 SPILLCORN/LOCUST KNOB .............................................................................................. 103 SPILLCORN/RICHLAND MOUNTAIN .............................................................................. 107 STREET GAP FOREST ......................................................................................................... 111 SUGARLOAF KNOB ............................................................................................................ 115 CENTRAL MADISON COUNTY SITES ................................................................................. 119 BIG ROCK SPRING .............................................................................................................. 121 CROOKED CREEK MEADOW BOG .................................................................................
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