4.3 Wetland Natural Communities
• Investigate population densities, population growth rates, dispersal range, and extent of property damage from Nutria burrowing and herbivory.
• Determine what circumstances cause organic soils to rapidly decay in coastal wetlands.
Management Practices. Management practices that reduce impacts and work synergis- tically with other conservation actions are needed to enhance the resilience of natural resources. Particular needs include preserving biodiversity, protecting native populations and their habitats, and improving degraded habitats.
• Explore techniques for restoring tidal swamp forest and wetlands.
• Consider planting bald cypress to create the next shoreline as sea level rises and block- ing ditches to slow saltwater fow into the interior of freshwater tidal marsh as a mea- sure to reduce erosion and buy time for habitat migration inland. • Use prescribed fre to burn portions of tidal freshwater marshes to eliminate or set-back competing woody species. Mechanical cutting of woody vegetation may be more feasi- ble in wetter areas that cannot be reached by fre.
• Te use of bulkheads should be discouraged when other possibilities are available.
Conservation Programs and Partnerships. Conservation programs, incentives, and partnerships should be utilized to the fullest extent to preserve high-quality resources and protect important natural communities. Protective measures that utilize existing regula- tory frameworks to protect habitats and species should be incorporated where applicable. Land conservation or preservation can serve numerous purposes in the face of anticipated climate change, but above all, it promotes ecosystem resilience. Work with land trusts and Te Nature Conservancy to identify priority sites needing protection. • Priorities for protection include colonial waterbird nesting sites, eagle nesting sites, Wood Stork foraging areas, and important Black Rail habitat once it is better identifed. Adjacent nesting habitat for snakes and turtles should also be protected.
• Acquisition of freshwater tidal marsh habitat in the Currituck Sound area is important.
4.3.7 Nonalluvial Mineral Wetlands 4.3.7.1 Ecosystem Description
Nonalluvial mineral wetlands occur on fat, poorly drained areas of the outer Coastal Plain and occasionally in shallow depressions such as Carolina bays. Tere may also be sites that ft this community description located in the Sandhills ecoregion. Te soils in these sites
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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