6.5 State Conservation Partners
Toward this mission, Commission biologists conduct a variety of management and con- servation activities, ranging from surveys and inventories, to habitat management, to land acquisition. Te Division of Inland Fisheries oversees the Commission’s Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Program for aquatic nongame species. Te Division of Wildlife Management over- sees the Wildlife Diversity Program for terrestrial nongame species. A standing Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee (NWAC) provides external support and assistance to the NCWRC’s nongame activities. Te NCWRC Habitat Conservation Program works to protect, manage, and conserve aquatic, wetland, and upland habitats for the beneft of fsh and wildlife populations through technical guidance. Te program assesses impacts and provides recommenda- tions to avoid or minimize those impacts through permit and environmental document review; provides technical guidance regarding habitat conservation to governmental and private agencies and to individuals; and encourages adequate mitigation for losses of fsh, wildlife, their habitats, and uses thereof resulting from land and water developments. Te Wildlife Friendly Development Certifcation was developed through collaboration between NCWRC, NCWF, and the NC Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and was designed to recognize residential land developers who promote the conservation of wildlife habitat while using environmentally sound construction prac- tices. Te program benefts wildlife by protecting existing habitats onsite that provide food, water, cover, and places to raise young—the four components of suitable wildlife habitat. In 2011, science-based recommendations for conservation of priority wildlife habitats were developed and published in the guide Conservation Recommendations for Priority Terrestrial Wildlife Species and Habitats in North Carolina . Te recommendations were developed to assist local governments, developers, and other stakeholders in conserving and managing terrestrial wildlife habitats and species for future generations, particularly in North Carolina’s urbanizing landscapes. Te recommendations, if implemented, should increase the probability that these habitats will support most of the priority species asso- ciated with them. Te priority habitats described in the document are wetland habitats, riparian and foodplain habitats, upland forests, early successional habitats, and rock out- crops, caves, and mines.
Te programs and resources that support conservation priorities are described throughout this Plan and are summarized in Appendix M (page 1245).
6.5.2 NC Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) Te NC Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) is a division within NCDENR. Te mission of NCMNS is to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of the environment
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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