4.4 Terrestrial Communities
and status helps determine the vulnerability of priority species to further imperilment, in addition to identifying possibilities for improved management and conservation. All stud- ies should provide recommendations for mitigation and restoration. Formal descriptions for known or putative undescribed species and investigations aimed at resolving taxo- nomic status are needed.
• Reintroduce rare species to patches or mountain ranges where they have been lost, as well as to restored areas, to improve their prospects for survival in the future climate.
• Study Timber Rattlesnake movements, use of hibernacula, and reproductive success at gestation sites. 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. • Maintain biologically signifcant areas, including Peregrine Falcon nesting areas, rep- tile den sites, and signifcant salamander occurrences through active management of outcrops to reduce the intrusion by alder, rhododendron, and other species that con- tribute to the disappearance of some vertebrates.
• Control invasive species and protect or restore areas already afected by invasive spe- cies to protect against changing climate conditions.
• Use a hand crew to manually cut down encroaching woody vegetation with chainsaws or brush blades. Any use of herbicides and surfactants will need to be of low toxicity to wildlife. Conservation Programs and Partnerships. Conservation programs, incentives, and part- nerships should be utilized to the fullest extent in order to preserve high-quality resources and protect important natural communities. Protective measures that utilize existing regu- latory 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. • Protect from trampling to allow the species pool to expand through suitable habi- tat, producing larger, more robust populations that would be better able to survive climate-related changes. • Ensure that all existing high-elevation rock outcrops are high priorities for conserva- tion action, as they are extremely rare, have a very restricted range, and are subject to extreme environmental conditions.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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