Southeast Conservation Blueprint Summary for North Carolina
Reference Document 6-1
frog, still occur in limited numbers in the Sandhills PARCA. Habitat fragmentation and succession are the major threats to this region. Conservation measures that prioritize acquiring and protecting adjacent parcels to reestablish connectivity, and maintaining natural fire regimes, will greatly benefit the rare species that inhabit this PARCA. South Brunswick The South Brunswick PARCA is located in the very southeast corner of North Carolina, a region that is a significant center of endemic biota, with high biological diversity and many rare species. Pine flatwoods, pine savannas, freshwater marshes, pond pine woodlands, pocosins, and some sandhill communities were once common. Like many coastal areas, this PARCA has been impacted by development and land use changes, but a few small areas of high-quality lands are managed with public resources. To conserve remaining habitat and species, management techniques like restoring native vegetation, natural fire regimes, hydrological flow patterns, and shoreline integrity, as well as protecting and buffering remaining natural areas and wetlands, should be employed. South Fork New River The South Fork New River PARCA in Northwest North Carolina includes the most ecologically intact Southern Appalachian mountain bog complex, one of the rarest wetland habitat types in the state. These mountain bogs are home to the elusive bog turtle, North America's smallest turtle species and one of the most endangered turtles in the world. Both mountain bogs and bog turtles have seen drastic declines due to habitat loss and fragmentation, mostly due to ditching and draining wetlands for conversion to agricultural fields, and ecological succession. Habitat restorations that restore hydrology by streambank repair, filling ditches, removing invasive species, and clearing large woody debris will have the greatest conservation benefit for this PARCA. In addition, identifying remnant populations and acquiring land to reestablish metapopulation connectivity will safeguard populations from future development and declines. Southern Blue Ridge The Southern Blue Ridge PARCA occurs in the Blue Ridge Mountains ecoregion and is most diverse PARCA in Tennessee. It consists of narrow, forested mountain ridges that are highly dissected with elevation ranging from 300-1,500 m and primary vegetation consisting of oak forests with some mixed mesic and northern hardwood forests. Streams are high-gradient with clear, cool water with bedrock and boulder substrates and are drained by the Ocoee, Hiwassee, Tellico, and Little Tennessee Rivers that feed into the Tennessee River. The Conasauga River briefly flows through the PARCA along the Georgia-Tennessee state line before ultimately flowing into the Coosa River. Due to the diversity of habitat within this region, the PARCA contains more than 80 different species of herpetofauna. Some threats include dams and impoundments, sedimentation/water pollution, unsustainable timber practices, bait bucket invasives, illegal poaching, and direct persecution of hellbenders, eastern pine snakes, and timber rattlesnakes. Upper Chattooga Situated within the Blue Ridge, the Upper Chattooga PARCA is a sanctuary of hardwoods covering rugged terrain. The Chattooga River, carving its way south, is a high-quality watershed. The area is home to some of the highest peaks within the state and is notably cooler than other areas at the same latitude. The region has high salamander diversity, including multiple species found nowhere else in Georgia.
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Created 11/20/2024 using the Southeast Conservation Blueprint Explorer
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