Chapter 7 Monitoring
As bird monitoring efforts are by far the most advanced and established of any species group, the establishment of protocol for other species groups (e.g., small mammals, amphibians, reptiles) should be developed with strong consideration of the lessons learned through the various monitoring efforts of NABCI. Assessments must be conducted to document status trends following completion of baseline survey work. As stipulated in recovery plans for federally listed endangered and threatened species, regular monitoring is coordinated through efforts among state and federal agencies (e.g., NCWRC, NCDENR, USFWS, NCDMF, and NOAA Fisheries). Many of these recovery plans are available for download https://www.fws.gov/program/recovery/recovery-plans. The following sections outline monitoring needs for taxa groups and provide information about protocols that can be used. A summary of activities conducted in the state that are representative of collaborative efforts implementing local, regional, and state-wide monitoring activities is available in Appendix 7. In some cases, there may be multiple lead agencies involved in each effort depending on location (e.g., Red-cockaded Woodpeckers on state- and federally owned public lands), but for simplicity, all agencies and organizations involved with the monitoring effort are listed. 7.3.1 Amphibians and Reptiles Monitoring protocols for amphibians (especially wetland breeding anurans and salamanders) and reptiles (especially secretive snakes, priority turtles, and terrapins) developed by Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) need to be applied statewide. The North Carolina PARC research, inventory, monitoring, and management (RIMM) working group can serve as the umbrella program in North Carolina for monitoring activities and data sharing. Coordinated nesting and stranding monitoring of sea turtles is critical, and collaboration with partners (NOAA-Fisheries, USFWS) must be continued. Habitats that should be included in amphibian and reptile monitoring efforts are rock outcrops, early successional habitats, Longleaf Pine forests, dry coniferous woodlands, pocosins, wet pine savannas, floodplain forests, all wetlands (including isolated wetlands, riparian corridors, and bogs), maritime forests, and estuarine systems (Mitchell 2002) . 7.3.2 Aquatic Species Many aquatic species in North Carolina (especially crayfishes and snail species) lack distribution, survey, and inventory data on which to build long-term monitoring efforts. For these groups, established monitoring priorities may not be attainable in the near term. For those taxa and species with adequate baseline data, there is strong need to improve long-term monitoring across species groups, habitats, and management actions. Important partners (statewide) to engage in aquatic species and habitat monitoring are the NCDWR, NCMNS, and USFWS.
7-12
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator