COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN CEDAR ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Carteret County, North Carolina U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region 1875 Century Blvd. Atlanta, Georgia 30345 September 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION A. COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER I. BACKGROUND ..............................................................................................................1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................1 Purpose of and Need for the Plan ................................................................................................1 Fish and Wildlife Service ..............................................................................................................2 The National Wildlife Refuge System ...........................................................................................2 Refuges of the Ecosystem ..................................................................................................3 Legal Policy Context.....................................................................................................................3 National Conservation Plans and Initiatives .................................................................................4 Relationship to State Partners......................................................................................................4 CHAPTER II. REFUGE OVERVIEW .....................................................................................................7 Introduction...................................................................................................................................7 Location...............................................................................................................................7 Establishment......................................................................................................................7 Acquisition History...............................................................................................................7 Purposes.............................................................................................................................9 Special Designations....................................................................................................................9 Ecosystem Context.......................................................................................................................9 Regional Conservation Plans and Initiatives ................................................................................9 Ecological Threats and Problems...............................................................................................12 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation .......................................................................................12 Alterations to Hydrology ....................................................................................................13 Siltation of Aquatic Ecosystems ........................................................................................13 Proliferation of Invasive Aquatic Plants.............................................................................13 Conservation Priorities ......................................................................................................14 Physical Resources ....................................................................................................................15 Climate ..............................................................................................................................15 Geology.............................................................................................................................16 Minerals.............................................................................................................................17 Soils ..................................................................................................................................17 Hydrology ..........................................................................................................................20 Water Quality ....................................................................................................................20 Air Quality..........................................................................................................................20 Visual Resources/Aesthetics.............................................................................................22 Biological Resources..................................................................................................................23 Habitat...............................................................................................................................23 Wildlife...............................................................................................................................25 Exotic Organisms ..............................................................................................................28 Cultural Resources .....................................................................................................................28 Socioeconomic Conditions .........................................................................................................30 History...............................................................................................................................30 Land Use...........................................................................................................................31 Table of Contents i Demographics...................................................................................................................32 Employment......................................................................................................................32 Forestry.............................................................................................................................35 Outdoor Recreation Economics........................................................................................35 Tourism.............................................................................................................................36 Transportation...................................................................................................................37 Cultural Environment ........................................................................................................37 Refuge Administration and Management...................................................................................38 Land Protection and Conservation ...................................................................................38 Visitor Services .................................................................................................................38 Personnel, Operations, and Maintenance ........................................................................41 Refuge Infrastructure ........................................................................................................42 CHAPTER III. PLAN DEVELOPMENT ...............................................................................................43 Public Involvement and the Planning Process ...........................................................................43 Plan Review and Revision ................................................................................................43 Summary of Planning Issues, Concerns, and Opportunities......................................................43 Hydrology..........................................................................................................................44 Fish and Wildlife Populations............................................................................................44 Habitats.............................................................................................................................46 Public Use.........................................................................................................................47 Resource Protection .........................................................................................................48 Administration ...................................................................................................................49 Wilderness Review ...........................................................................................................49 CHAPTER IV. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ......................................................................................51 Vision .........................................................................................................................................51 Goals..........................................................................................................................................51 Objectives and Strategies ..........................................................................................................52 Fish and Wildlife Populations............................................................................................52 Habitat ..............................................................................................................................55