Chapter 7 Monitoring
7.3 Species Monitoring Some populations are naturally dynamic because of life history strategies ( r - versus k - reproductive strategies), while others may fluctuate on a generational, seasonal, or periodic basis depending on various environmental or biodiversity factors. Multiple investigation strategies may be needed to understand the dynamics of a species’ population size. Surveys, monitoring, and research to facilitate appropriate conservation actions must be conducted to determine vulnerability of priority species to specific threats and studies should provide recommendations for mitigation and restoration. In North Carolina, birds and sea turtles are the only vertebrate groups for which there are historically established, standardized, long-term monitoring efforts. Recent efforts have incorporated national protocols for acoustic bat monitoring at a regional landscape level. It is important to continue implementing established monitoring programs to further strengthen trend and population estimates, and, as baseline inventory and survey data allow, to establish new monitoring efforts across all other taxa groups. In addition to the work conducted by NCWRC staff, the NCWRC coordinates a great deal of species status and population monitoring conducted by others and manages a collection permit system to regulate the collection of nongame fauna. The data from annual collection permit reports submitted by permit holders are reviewed by the NCWRC and added to a statewide database. Voucher specimens collected during priority aquatic species surveys and monitoring efforts are archived at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences to identify and document where species occur; this information is included in datasets managed by the museum. All data collected by the NCWRC becomes part of a database managed by the state’s Natural Heritage Program and access is available through the NC Natural Heritage Data Explorer at https://ncnhde.natureserve.org. Monitoring is also a standard component of many other agency planning efforts, such as the NCDEQ’s Fish Community Assessment Data, the USFS Land and Resource Management Plans, and DOD Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (see Section 7.2.1). Future monitoring efforts need to build on and use these existing systems. There are other monitoring efforts conducted in the state on smaller scales, at levels focused on specific wildlife needs, or as part of research by universities or private organizations such as special interest groups (especially for birds) (NCDNCR 2025, Mitchell 2002) . The NCDEQ data collected for the stream fish community assessment program is shared with the NCWRC, NCMNS, and NCNHP and any nonnative species records collected by the program are shared with the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program (https://nas.er.usgs.gov). More information about the fish community assessment is available on the website Fish Community Assessment Data | NC DEQ.
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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