Currituck National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region November 2008 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN CURRITUCK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Currituck County, North Carolina U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia November 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN I. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 2 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 3 Refuges of the Ecosystem ............................................................................................................4 Legal Policy Context ..................................................................................................................... 4 National Conservation Plans and Initiatives .................................................................................4 Relationship to State Partners ...................................................................................................... 5 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 7 Location and size ................................................................................................................ 7 Establishment ......................................................................................................................7 Refuge History and Purposes .......................................................................................................7 Acquisition History ...............................................................................................................7 Purposes ............................................................................................................................. 7 Special Designations .................................................................................................................. 10 Ecosystem Context ..................................................................................................................... 10 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ..............................................................................10 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 12 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation .......................................................................................12 Alterations to Hydrology ....................................................................................................13 Siltation of Aquatic Ecosystems ........................................................................................14 Proliferation of Invasive Aquatic Plants .............................................................................14 Conservation Priorities ......................................................................................................14 Physical Environment ................................................................................................................. 16 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 16 Geology ............................................................................................................................. 17 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 21 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................... 22 Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 23 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................26 Visual Resources/Aesthetics .............................................................................................26 Biological Environment ............................................................................................................... 27 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 27 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 34 Exotic Organisms .............................................................................................................. 40 Socioeconomic Conditions ................................................................................................41 History of the Area ............................................................................................................ 44 Land Use ........................................................................................................................... 47 Demographics ................................................................................................................... 52 Employment ...................................................................................................................... 54 Table of Contents i Forestry ............................................................................................................................. 54 Outdoor Recreation .......................................................................................................... 55 Outdoor Recreation Economics ........................................................................................ 56 Tourism ............................................................................................................................. 57 Transportation ................................................................................................................... 57 Cultural Environment ........................................................................................................ 57 Refuge Administration and Management ................................................................................... 58 Land Protection and Management .................................................................................... 58 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 58 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance ........................................................................ 59 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................. 63 Public Involvement and the Planning Process ........................................................................... 63 Plan Review and Revision .......................................................................................................... 64 Wilderness Review ..................................................................................................................... 64 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities ..................................................................... 64 Global Warming and Sea Level Rise ................................................................................ 65 Fish and Wildlife Populations ............................................................................................ 65 Habitats ............................................................................................................................. 67 Public Use ......................................................................................................................... 67 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 68 General Administration ..................................................................................................... 69 IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ......................................................................................................... 71 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 71 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 72 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 73 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies .............................................................................................