4.4 Terrestrial Communities
• Break large renourishment projects into smaller project zones in order to minimize impacts of direct burial to turtle nests. Intersperse project zones with untouched beach to facilitate recolonization of invertebrate fauna (Speybroeck et al . 2006) . • Complete renourishment projects before the start of the warm season to improve chances of invertebrate recolonization. Project implementation should be avoided at times that coincide with critical life stages of sensitive species, such as beach-nesting turtles or piping plover nesting seasons (Speybroeck et al. 2006) . • Although protected by law in North Carolina, feral horse herds should be restricted from some areas where they currently roam free. Such restriction would be particu- larly benefcial at Shackleford Banks and Currituck National Wildlife Refuge (Porter et al. 2014) . Use exclosures to fence of portions of barrier islands where feral horses still occur, allowing recovery of maritime grassland communities. 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.
4.4.17 Successional Communities (Herb, Shrub, Woody) 4.4.17.1 Ecosystem Description
Successional communities are also referred to as early successional habitats. Successional uplands are dominated by herbaceous vegetation and/or shrub cover because most trees have been removed, either through natural means or by human activity. Where tree spe- cies exist they are young and often not much taller than shrubs. Successional wetlands are primarily dominated by herb and shrub communities that develop on frequently fooded, semi-permanently fooded, or other wetland sites follow- ing disturbance, either natural or manmade. Natural examples of successional wetlands include the communities that form as Beaver ponds become flled-in with sediments, par- ticularly following abandonment of a pond by the Beavers. Artifcial examples include hab- itats that form along routinely maintained corridors (e.g., power line easements, rights-of- way) and where borrow pits, farm ponds, drainage ditches, or larger reservoirs become flled-in.
Successional communities can be described as grassland, shrubland, or woody types.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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