4.4 Terrestrial Communities
• Over the state as a whole, give a high priority to restoring connections that are lost due to construction of four-lane highways and other roads that create near-impassible barri- ers for all animals except those capable of fight. • Preserve riparian bufers and foodplains, especially where clearcutting near wetlands causes higher solar radiation and an increase in probability of wetlands drying out. • Place a high priority on protecting wetlands and adjacent uplands through acquisition or easement.
4.4.18 Sparsely Settled Mixed Habitats 4.4.18.1 Ecosystem Description
Tis community type represents large tracts of open land that have not been developed and may have only periodic encroachment from human activities. It may contain a mixture of community types, where vegetation may be natural or a mixture of planted and natural species. Teir lack of habitat specifcity makes it difcult to assign these communities to any one ecosystem group, all of which represent distinguishable habitat categories. Tese landscapes often serve as movement corridors for wide-ranging animal species, partic- ularly carnivores near the top of the food web. Tese species often use a wide variety of habitat types in their pursuit of food, mates, and other resources. 4.4.18.2 Location of Habitat Sparsely settled mixed habitats occur statewide but are more characteristic of the lower Coastal Plain and the Mountains, particularly in areas which have relatively low human populations. Within the lower Coastal Plain, the largest blocks are on the Albemarle– Pamlico Peninsula, and in the Mountains within national forests. 4.4.18.3 Problems Affecting Habitats Development and inundation can be expected to reduce availability of large blocks of undisturbed or unfragmented habitat. Tis trend will continue so long as the human popu- lation continues to grow and new ways are found to exploit even the most marginal of lands for human uses. Sea level rise is likely to afect large areas of the easternmost (outer) Coastal Plain where many important wildlife refuges are located. Inundation of wildlife refuges will result in dispersal inland to Piedmont areas. Movement inland can be expected, but there are far fewer potential refuge areas in the inner Coastal Plain and Piedmont to support viable pop- ulations of large predators or venomous snakes than there currently are in portions of the
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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