4.4 Terrestrial Communities
resources. Particular needs include preserving biodiversity, protecting native populations and their habitats, and improving degraded habitats. • Maintain and restore connections between habitat blocks, not only to allow adjust- ments in range in response to climate change, but to maintain genetic connectivity, population resilience and adaptability more generally. • Transportation facilities that utilize longer bridges at streams and wetlands not only minimize impacts (and thereby reduce mitigation requirements) but also provide cross- ing options for wildlife that often travel riparian corridors. Wildlife underpasses should be constructed for all new highway projects, as these reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, conserve important travel corridors, and provide linkages for bear populations and many other wildlife species. • Limit the development of roads or other infrastructure within large unfragmented blocks, as this would promote the development of denser human settlement or create connectivity barriers through fragmentation. • Work cooperatively with other agencies to defne sustainable forestry criteria for bio- mass production. Conservation Programs and Partnerships. Conservation programs, incentives, and part- nerships utilized to the fullest extent in order to high-quality resources. Land conservation or preservation can serve numerous purposes in the face of anticipated climate change, but above all, it promotes ecosystem resilience. • Protect existing large blocks of habitat and restoreconnections between these blocks in order to beneft the species in this group and to enhance the viability of the state’s native biodiversity overall. • Protect smaller tracts that are situated between blocks so they can function as a corri- dor between conservation sites.
• In the Coastal Plain, give a high priority to protecting movement corridors that allow inland migration away from inundating areas along the sounds and seacoast.
• 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.
494
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online