Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region August 2008 COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN ALLIGATOR RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Dare and Hyde Counties, North Carolina U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Atlanta, Georgia August 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 I. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Need for the Plan .................................................................................................... 1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ...................................................................................................... 2 National Wildlife Refuge System .................................................................................................. 2 Legal Policy Context ..................................................................................................................... 3 National Conservation Plans and Initiatives .................................................................................3 Relationship to State Partners ...................................................................................................... 4 II. REFUGE OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 Refuge History and Purposes .......................................................................................................5 History ................................................................................................................................. 5 Purposes ............................................................................................................................. 5 Special Designations .................................................................................................................... 7 Ecosystem Context .......................................................................................................................7 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ................................................................................9 Ecological Threats and Problems ............................................................................................... 10 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation .......................................................................................10 Alterations to Hydrology ....................................................................................................11 Siltation of Aquatic Ecosystems ........................................................................................11 Conservation Priorities ......................................................................................................13 Challenges ........................................................................................................................ 14 Physical Resources .................................................................................................................... 14 Climate .............................................................................................................................. 15 Geology and Topography ..................................................................................................16 Minerals .............................................................................................................................16 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 16 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................... 19 Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 20 Air Quality ..........................................................................................................................20 Visual Resources ............................................................................................................... 22 Biological Resources ................................................................................................................... 22 Habitat ............................................................................................................................... 22 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................... 30 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................................... 35 Socioeconomic Environment ...................................................................................................... 35 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 35 History ............................................................................................................................... 36 Land Use ........................................................................................................................... 38 Demographics ................................................................................................................... 41 Employment ...................................................................................................................... 41 Forestry ............................................................................................................................. 43 Outdoor Recreation in the Area ........................................................................................43 Outdoor Recreation Economics ........................................................................................44 Table of Contents i Tourism ............................................................................................................................. 45 Transportation ................................................................................................................... 45 Cultural Environment ........................................................................................................ 46 Refuge Administration and Management ................................................................................... 46 Land Protection and Conservation ................................................................................... 46 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 46 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance......................................................................... 51 Refuge Infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 52 III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 55 Public Involvement and the Planning Process ........................................................................... 55 Summary of Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities ..................................................................... 56 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................... 56 Fish and Wildlife Populations ............................................................................................ 57 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 59 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................. 60 Resource Protection ......................................................................................................... 61 Wilderness Review ........................................................................................................... 61 IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ........................................................................................................ 63 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 63 Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 64 Goals .......................................................................................................................................... 64 Wildlife and Fish Populations ............................................................................................ 64 Habitat Management......................................................................................................... 65 Public Use/Outreach ........................................................................................................