Chapter 4 Habitats
4.4.3.6.5 Conservation Programs and Partnerships Conservation programs, incentives, and partnerships should be used to the fullest extent to preserve high-quality resources and protect important natural communities. Protective measures that use existing regulatory frameworks to protect habitats and species should be incorporated where applicable. Land conservation or preservation can serve numerous purposes in the face of anticipated climate change, but above all, it promotes ecosystem resilience. The Southern Appalachian Spruce Restoration Initiative (SASRI; https://southernspruce.org) is a partnership of diverse interests with a common goal of restoring spruce ecosystems across the high-elevation landscapes of the Southern Blue Ridge. It comprises private, state, federal, and non-governmental organizations that recognize the importance of this ecosystem for its ecological, aesthetic, recreational, economic, and cultural values. The Red Spruce Technical Advisory Board (RSTAB) was convened and facilitated by The Nature Conservancy in 2023 for the purpose of providing expert opinion and science-informed technical recommendations on Red Spruce ecosystem restoration methods and potential impacts to the US Forest Service. The RSTAB’s Red Spruce Restoration Recommendations document describes desired outcomes from restoration activities, provides principles and criteria for prioritizing restoration locations, details vegetation management methods for different site conditions, and discusses potential impacts of restoration activities ( TNC 2024 ). In addition to recommendations from SASRI and RSTAB, efforts are needed to: Priority Conservation Action, Examples of Focal Species or Focal Habitats • Eliminate or minimize negative effects of future development in state and federal government holdings (state and federal parks, US Forest Service recreation developments).
• Acquire additional acreage of Spruce-Fir habitat through purchase, conservation easement, or other perpetual management agreements (particularly in the Plott Balsams and Black/Craggy Mountains).
References are located at the end of this document.
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2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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