Appendix 3
Reference Document 3-1
What is the invasive species threat concern for the species?
(a) High threat, known to have a direct impact on native species. (b) Moderate threat, suspected to have a direct or indirect impact on native species. (c) Unknown at this time. (d) Low threat, suspected to have only indirect or minimal impact on native species. (e) Has no impact on native species.
Metric 17. Economic Influence in NC. Hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other wildlife related activities have an important economic influence in North Carolina. The perception of a species’ economic influence, either as a single species or as part of a group of species, can be subjective and difficult to measure because both positive and negative economic influences are associated with the species. The economic influence may be broad and hard to quantify because economic value can be generated in numerous ways and associated with wildlife in general. For instance, purchasing a hunting license could result in additional expenditures for ammunition, clothing, equipment, and travel expenses for lodging, meals, and fuel, but these purchases may also be related to other recreational activities. An individual bird species may not be associated with economic influence, but bird watching as an industry has an economic influence as demonstrated by revenues that are tracked and reported by several different interest groups. Other economic influences that may be difficult to measure include the ecosystem services provided by wildlife species, such as water filtering by mussel species that contribute to higher surface water quality thereby reducing regulatory requirements associated with impaired waters. Depredation of crops by a pest species may have a negative economic influence on a landowner or the agriculture industry, but the need to control the pest species creates a positive economic influence on the wildlife damage control industry and may create hunting opportunities. Vehicle collisions with wildlife may be a negative economic influence on vehicle owners and insurance companies, but the need to repair or purchase a replacement vehicle contributes positively to auto towing and repair businesses and dealerships. The presence of a rare or listed species may trigger a requirement for additional environmental coordination and more stringent design standards for a construction project, which may be viewed as a negative economic influence, but the requirements support an environmental and engineering design consulting services industry. Scores for this metric are assigned based on best professional judgment about the highest level of economic influence of the species (either individually or as part of a group) without regard to whether it is positive, negative, or both.
2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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