7.4 Habitat Monitoring
et al. 2015) . Bat monitoring eforts in North Carolina (and throughout the southeast) need to be coordinated and data shared through a unifying body (e.g., SBDN, USFS, or USGS).
Tere is also a need for long-term survey and monitoring programs for all small mammals in North Carolina. Key habitats to focus monitoring eforts for small mammals are early successional habitats, dry coniferous woodlands, foodplain forests, and mesic and oak forests. For bats, key habitats for monitoring are caves, foodplain forests, mesic forests, and dry coniferous woodlands. 7.4 Habitat Monitoring Given the varied habitat monitoring eforts ongoing across North Carolina, it is impossible to use a single trend to make a gross assessment of changes in habitat quality and quantity. A variety of indicators used in combination, however, could provide an indication of habitat and ecosystem conditions, such as forest conversion rates, land development rates, wetland losses, percent of impervious surface changes by watershed or river basin, and/or Impaired Waters listings. Monitoring needs for particular habitats are detailed throughout the natu- ral community descriptions in Chapter 4 (Habitats). Ongoing habitat monitoring conducted by NCWRC is largely associated with habitat res- toration activities in order to gauge success in pre- vs. post-restoration treatments. Other eforts coincide with regular species monitoring (e.g., habitat monitoring is a component of biennial colonial waterbird monitoring). Habitat monitoring is a critical component of NCWRC projects such as:
• Game lands management activities
• Watershed enhancement program activities
• Waterfowl management areas/impoundments
• Hydropower remediation/Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing eforts
• CURE program areas (areas that are being restored to quality early successional habitat).
Te North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR) has developed guidelines for natural resource inventory and monitoring in state parks and provides an example of data collection, management, and reporting (NCDPR 2000) . Te guidelines have been used for baseline inventories of park resources, long-term monitoring studies, and cooperative research agreements with the agency.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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