NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM BIENNIAL PROTECTION PLAN Natural Heritage Areas Priority List 1995 Division of Parks and Recreation Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources I I NORTH CAROLINA NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM BIENNIAL PROTECTION PLAN Natural Heritage Areas Priority List 1995 M.C. oocnMeiTS MAY 15 1995 Division of Parks and Recreation Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/northcarolinanat1995nort — NATURAL HERITAGE AREAS PRIORITY LIST MARCH 1995 Introduction The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program compiles the'N.C. Department of Environment, the Health, and Natural Resources' priority list of "Natural Heritage Areas" as required by the Nature' Preserves Act (NCOS Chapter 113A-164 of Article 9A). The list is based on program's inventory of the natural diversity in the state. Natural areas (sites) are evaluated on quality natural the basis of the occurrences of rare plant and animal species, rare or high communities, and geologic features. The global and statewide rarity of these elements and the priority quality of their occurrence at a site relative to other occurrences determine a site's diversity of the rating. The sites included on this list are the best representatives of the natural imply that any state and therefore have priority for protection. Inclusion on this list does not best protection or public access exists. This list of sites and their priorities is based on the available information as derived from the Natural Heritage Program databases. More complete information on those natural areas may be obtained from the Natural Heritage Program. r - - Organization of the List Natural Areas is organized by The following list of North Carolina's most significant natural areas (sites) or county, and the sites within each county are ordered by ratings of national, statewide, regional (greater than local) significance. This list does not include sites considered to be of local importance. Site Significance animal A - Nationally significant sites contain examples of natural communities, rare plant or populations, or geologic features that are among the highest quality or best at their kind in the nation, or clusters of such elements that are among the best in the nation. B - Statewide significance sites contain similar ecological resources that are among the highest quality occurrences in North Carolina. There may be better quality representations or larger populations elsewhere in the nation, including possibly a few within the state. C - Regionally significant sites contain natural elements that may be represented elsewhere in the state by better quality examples, but which are among the outstanding examples in their geographic region of the state. Organization of Sites Frequently, related sites occur in clusters. The occurrence of a site in association with other sites increases its long-term viability and ecological significance. Such clusters are designated as macrosites or megasites depending upon their size Fmacrosites are of 5 to 100 square miles to (3,200 64,000 acres); megasites are greater than 100 square miles (64,000 acres)]. Standard sites are nested within these. These macrosites or megasites may contain lands which normally would not be included in a natural area but which are important for consolidating the cluster. ' Also, one or more macrosites may fall within a megasite. In other cases, sites do not occur in clusters with other sites. These sites are referred to as "stand alone" sites. Sites which occur within larger sites are grouped in this list under the name and priority rank of the larger site. The nesting of a site is indicated in this list by symbols. These symbols are: "stand-alone" site > A (i.e., a site or macrosite that is not nested within another site). = > A macrosite nested within a megasite. = = > A standard site nested within a larger site (i.e., nested only in a macrosite or megasite). = = = > A standard site nested within a macrosite that is nested within a megasite. Sizes of priority areas differ greatly. A site may be restricted to an isolated half-acre containing a remnant population of an endangered species or other unique feature. Another area may encompass thousands of acres and support many exceptional natural resources and special- interest species, but which should most logically be considered a large composite natural area. Thus, the same priority category may include an area as small as a single rock outcrop harboring an endangered species, or as large as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Quad The name(s) of the 7.5" U.S.G.S. quadrangle (quad) which shows the location of the site is given. Where the site falls on more than one quad, all quads are listed. Owner Type The third column in the list indicates the type of landowner, whether private or government. ii Ownership Abbreviations Federal Agencies COE Corps of Engineers DOD Department of Defense FWS Fish and Wildlife Service NPS National Park Service TVA Tennessee Valley Authority Federal Lands USA , Other USES US Forest Service State Agencies CM Division of Coastal Management MF Division of Marine Fisheries NC Unallocated state land/NC Department of Administration NCCUL Department of Cultural Resources NCDA Department of Agriculture NCDC Department of Correction NCDOT Department of Transportation NCHR Department of Human Resources NCWRC Wildlife Resources Commission PW Public Waters SP Division of Parks and Recreation SF Division of Forest Resources Local Agencies LOCAL unit of local government Universities and Colleges COLLEGE Other College or University DUKE Duke University ECU East Carolina University NCSU North Carolina State University UNCC University of North Carolina at Charlotte UNCCH University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill WCU Western Carolina University Private AUD National Audubon Society BGF NC Botanical Garden Foundation FEL Felbum Foundation HBF Highlands Biological Foundation LLC Local Land Conservancy NCCF NC Coastal Federation NCFF NC Forestry Foundation NSL National Scout Lands (Boy or Girl Scouts) PRV Private owner (corporate or individuals) SAHC Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy TNC The Nature Conservancy iii Protection Comments This column provides limited information about the current protection status of a site. Where appropriate, comments about the status of protection or the protection needs are given. Protection Abbreviations AEC Area of Environmental Concern BRl Bioreserve - Approved Selection BR2 Bioreserve - High Priority Candidate BR3 Bioreserve - Priority Candidate BR4 Bioreserve - Candidate DED Dedicated State Nature Preserve DNP Dedicated Nature Preserve EMT Conservation Easement ESN National Estuarine Sanctuary EWA Established National Wilderness Area MAB UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve MGT Management Agreement NNL National Natural Land mark NPK National Park NPY National Parkway NSH National Seashore ORW Outstanding Resource Water PRI Priority (Scorecard) Site : RNA Research Natural Area RHA Registered Natural Heritage Area SAP Society of American Foresteres Registered Area SBR Site Basic Record SIB Special - Interest Area SPK State Park SRN State River - Natural SRS State River - Scenic TNC Nature Conservancy Preserve WSR National Wild and Scenic River XNC TNC Exchange Record iv Site Owner Protection Natural Area Name Quad Sig Type Conunents Alamance County C >ALAMANCE ENON SLOPE BURLINGTON C PRV >ELI WHITNEY RICH SLOPES SAXAPAHAW C PRV >KIMESVILLE ROAD BASIC SNOW CAMP C PRV FOREST >ROCK CREEK UPLAND SNOW CAMP C PRV DEPRESSIONS >STONy CREEK MOUNTAIN LAKE BURLINGTON C PRV CHERRY GROVE Alexander County A >JOE-LITTLE JOE MORAVIAN FALLS A PRV MOUNTAINS TNC DNP >LITTLE MOUNTAIN MORAVIAN FALLS A PRV B >BUZZARD DOME MORAVIAN FALLS PRV GILREATH >CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN MORAVIAN FALLS PRV >PRICKLY-PEAR MOUNTAIN GILREATH PRV >ROCKY FACE MOUNTAIN HIDDENITE PRV FEL RHA >SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN MORAVIAN FALLS PRV >BALD ROCK MOUNTAIN MORAVIAN FALLS PRV Alleghany County A >STONE MOUNTAIN ESCARPMENT COMPLEX MACROSITE ==>DOUGHTON PARK WHITEHEAD B NPS PARTS RHA ==>STONE MOUNTAIN STATE GLADE VALLEY A NCSP RHA/ PROPOSED DNP PARK TRAPHILL PRV WHITEHEAD >BRUSH CREEK BOG ROARING GAP A PRV GLADE VALLEY >SKUNK CABBAGE BOGS GLADE VALLEY A NPS RHA ROARING GAP PRV >SPARTA BOG WHITEHEAD A PRV B >SADDLE MOUNTAIN CUMBERLAND KNOB B TNC/ ROARING GAP NCWRC >BIG PINE CREEK BOG ROARING GAP B NPS RHA >CHESTNUT CREEK SWAMP CUMBERLAND KNOB B PRV FOREST-BOG COMPLEX NPS RHA >LAUREL BRANCH BOG GLADE VALLEY B PRV RHA >LITTLE GLADE CREEK GLADE VALLEY B NPS RHA ROBIN RUNAWAY SITE PRV >SAVANNAH CHURCH BOG CUMBERLAND KNOB B PRV AND SEEP >SOUTH FORK NEW RIVER MOUTH OF WILSON B PW WILD & SCENIC RIVER AQUATIC HABITAT JEFFERSON DESIGNATION LAUREL SPRINGS 1 Site Owner Protection Natural Area Name Quad Sig Type Comments >EDMONDS MEADOW BOG CUMBERLAND KNOB C PRV >ENNICE MEADOW BOG CUMBERLAND KNOB C PRV >MEADOW FORK MEADOW BOG WHITEHEAD C PRV NPS RHA >NEW RIVER STATE MOUTH OF WILSON C NCSP PARK/WAGNER ROAD COVE JEFFERSON PRV FOREST LAUREL SPRINGS >OLD MANS MEADOW BOG GLADE VALLEY C PRV >PINE SWAMP FOREST-BOG GLADE VALLEY C PRV >SADDLE MOUNTAIN MEADOW CUMBERLAND KNOB C NPS RHA BOG >SUSANS BOG WHITEHEAD C NPS RHA >WATERFALLS CREEK WHITEHEAD C PRV MEADOW BOG Anson County A >PEE DEE NATIONAL ANSONVILLE FWS RHA WILDLIFE REFUGE PRV B >DEEP BOTTOM BRANCH POLKTON PRV BLUFFS >FLAT ROCK CHURCH LILESVILLE PRV OUTCROP >MARTINS ROCK WADESBORO PRV >MILLSEAT OUTCROP WADESBORO PRV RHA >RICHARDSON CREEK AQUADALE PRV