Chapter 3 Species
Addendum 2
3.15.1.2 State Regulations
The N.C. Nature Preserves Act enacted in 1985 (NCAC 1985: a.2 c.143B § 49- § 135.273 ) allows the State to obtain and dedicate land as permanently protected nature preserves. North Carolina’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Plant Conservation Program (PCP) was authorized by the Plant Protection and Conservation Act (NCAC 1979: a.19B c.106 § 202.12- § .202.22 ) to manage plant conservation in the State including adopting a state list of protected plant species, adopting and enforcing regulations that protect, conserve, and enhance those listed species, and developing conservation programs for the benefit of listed species. The PCP is responsible for managing more than 14,500 acres of conservation preserve properties across the state (Friends of Plant Conservation 2021). These preserves provide critical conservation for about 18% of the listed plant species in North Carolina. Additional plant protection is provided by legislation that protects land from criminal trespass (NCAC 2014: a.22 c.14 §126-§159.4) and prohibits taking of certain wild plants from private or public land without a permit issued by the owner.
3.15.2 Evaluation and Identification of Plant SGCN
As noted in Section 3.1.2 in the 2015 NCWAP, conservation priorities need to consider the greatest variety of biological diversity possible to ensure species survival and viable ecosystem services. Similar to methods used by the taxonomic Scientific Councils convened by the Commission’s Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee, the PCP convenes a Scientific Committee to evaluate, identify, and recommend plant species that need protection through state listing. The evaluation process considers the rarity, threats, and short-term trends of every species tracked by the NCNHP. The methodology involves broad participation by species experts and provides opportunities for public input through a 60-day comment period. The species evaluation process and a list of participants involved in developing and implementing the evaluation process are described in a white paper provided in new Appendix R.
3.15.3 Conservation Concerns
Most at-risk plants in North Carolina are endemic species and species with small, isolated populations limited to narrow distributions in insular and highly fragmented habitats (Cartwright 2019). As part of the PCP Scientific C ommittee’s evaluations, a threats analysis is performed for plant species which considers each population as a discrete unit. In this way the viability of each population is considered by the Committee and the overall species’ viability is assessed by reviewing the status of the populations within the state. It is understood that some imperiled or rare species in North Carolina might be more common elsewhere; however, each
2022 Addendum 2 NC Wildlife Action Plan
3A2- 3
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