4.3 Wetland Natural Communities
to adapt to climate change. Protection of a large and diverse pool of examples is the best way to ensure that many survive the future stresses. Surveys. Distributional and status surveys need to focus on species believed to be declin- ing or mainly dependent on at-risk or sensitive natural communities. • Design specifc surveys to determine status and distribution of birds not adequately picked up by the Breeding Bird Survey in foodplain forests (e.g., the Cerulean Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, etc.).
• Determine the status and distribution of Wayne’s Black-throated Green Warbler.
• Determine the status and distribution of the Swallow-tailed Kite, Mississippi Kite, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, and Anhinga (as well as other colonial nesting waterbirds). • Determine the breeding and roosting status and distribution of the Chimney Swift in natural conditions along major foodplains with appropriate habitat conditions (e.g., older, hollow trees). • Determine the status and distribution of priority bat species, including Northern Long-eared Bat, Rafnesque’s Big-eared Bat, Northern Yellow Bat, Seminole Bat, Southeastern Bat, Little Brown Bat, and Tricolored Bat. • Conduct small mammal surveys, especially for the Eastern Woodrat, with a focus on circumneutral soils (other small mammal survey needs include the Cotton Mouse and Southern Pygmy Shrew).
• Determine the status and distribution of snakes using foodplain forest habitats (Taylor and Jones 2002) .
• Document Bald Eagle nesting sites.
Monitoring. Long-term monitoring is critical to assessing species and ecosystem health over time and gauging the resilience of organisms to a changing climate. Tese eforts will inform future decisions on how to manage species and their habitats. Studies should include identifcation of population trends, as well as assessment of impacts from conserva- tion or development activities. Long-term monitoring sites need to be identifed and moni- toring protocols developed for all priority species. Monitoring plans should be coordinated with other existing monitoring programs where feasible.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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