Coastal Regional Commission Regional Resource Plan Regional Important Resources Plan Coastal Regional Commission Regional Resource Plan Coastal Regional Commission Regional Resource Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 1 The Process ............................................................................................................................................. 1 The Plan .................................................................................................................................................. 1 SUMMARY OF RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 3 Green Infrastructure Network .............................................................................................................. 3 Areas of Conservation ........................................................................................................................... 3 Natural and Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................ 3 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 4 Background............................................................................................................................................ 4 Regionally Important Resources Plan .................................................................................................. 4 Methodology and Process ..................................................................................................................... 5 Nomination and Evaluation .................................................................................................................................. 5 Research and Data Collection ............................................................................................................................... 5 Criteria for Determining Value of Regionally Important Resources ................................................................ 6 Identification of Vulnerability of Regionally Important Resources.................................................................. 6 Resource Categories ............................................................................................................................................... 7 VALUES TABLE ......................................................................................................... 18 VULNERABILITY TABLES .......................................................................................... 21 RIR NATURAL RESOURCES NARRATIVES............................................................... 23 Wildlife Management Reservations .................................................................................................... 24 Natural Areas and Other Georgia Maintained Wildlife Conservation Properties: ............................. 25 Values ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Vulnerabilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 26 Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................................ 26 Policies and Protective Measures ........................................................................................................................ 27 SURFACE WATER RESOURCES ................................................................................ 30 Water supply watershed ...................................................................................................................... 30 Protected River Corridors .................................................................................................................... 31 Floodplains ........................................................................................................................................... 31 Coastal Regional Commission Regional Resource Plan Values ...................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Vulnerabilities ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................................ 32 Policies and Protective Measures ........................................................................................................................ 33 GROUND WATER RECHARGE AREAS ..................................................................... 36 Values ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Vulnerabilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 36 Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................................ 37 Policies and Protective Measures ........................................................................................................................ 38 WETLANDS ............................................................................................................... 41 Values ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Vulnerabilities ....................................................................................................................................................... 42 Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................................ 42 Policies and Protective Measures ........................................................................................................................ 43 STATE PRIORITY AREAS .......................................................................................... 46 Priority Forests .................................................................................................................................... 47 Values .................................................................................................................................................................... 49 Vulnerabilities ...................................................................................................................................................... 49 Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Policies and Protective Measures ........................................................................................................................ 51 Regional Greenways and Multi-Use Trails ........................................................................................... 53 Multi-Use Trails .................................................................................................................................... 53 Colonial Coast Birding Trail ................................................................................................................ 54 GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES ........................................................ 55 POLICIES AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES TABLE .................................................... 58 CULTURAL HISTORIC RESOURCES NARRATIVE ................................................... 65 Federal and State Parks ....................................................................................................................... 66 Fort McAllister ..................................................................................................................................... 66 Cumberland National Seashore .......................................................................................................... 67 Crooked River State Park .................................................................................................................... 67 Fort Pulaski National Monument ....................................................................................................... 67 Fort Morris State Park ......................................................................................................................... 67 Coastal Regional Commission Regional Resource Plan Fort King George Historic Site ............................................................................................................ 68 Sapelo Island National Estuarine Reserve .......................................................................................... 68 Skidway Island State Park ................................................................................................................... 68 Wormsloe State Park ..........................................................................................................................