Chapter 4 Habitats
4.3.13.6.4 Management Practices Management practices that reduce impacts and work synergistically with other conservation actions are needed to enhance the resilience of natural resources. Particular needs include preserving biodiversity, protecting native populations and their habitats, and improving degraded habitats. Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats • Establish examples of well-maintained and burned savannas as demonstration sites for landowners to emulate. Burning should be accomplished without placing fire lines in transition zones from uplands to wetlands and with the fire allowed to burn through transition zones. • Habitat restoration should primarily occur through growing season prescribed burning, to develop and maintain the herbaceous layer and open pine stands. Where growing season burns cannot be administered, winter burns can be constructive. Burning should be accomplished without placing fire lines in transition zones from uplands to wetlands and with the fire allowed to burn through transition zones.
• Habitat restoration should primarily occur through growing season prescribed burning.
• Snags should be retained during logging operations to increase the numbers available for cavity-using wildlife species.
• Maintain sufficient levels of woody debris in stands for reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals.
• Create borrow sites or ponds for breeding use by amphibians. Otherwise, amphibians are scarce in most flatwoods and savannas devoid of pools or open water.
• Watch for arrival of Cogongrass and other new invaders and control promptly.
• Whenever possible, burn wetlands/pools when they are dry. If this cannot be done initially, consider returning to burn wetland once it is dry to prevent overgrowth within the basin.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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