Chapter 7 Monitoring
7.4 Habitat Monitoring Given the varied habitat monitoring efforts ongoing across North Carolina, it is impossible to use a single trend to make a gross assessment of changes in habitat quality and quantity. A variety of indicators used in combination, however, could provide an indication of habitat and ecosystem conditions, such as forest conversion rates, land development rates, wetland losses, percent of impervious surface changes by watershed or river basin, and/or Impaired Waters listings. Monitoring needs for particular habitats are detailed throughout the natural community descriptions in Chapter 4 (Habitats). Ongoing habitat monitoring conducted by the NCWRC is largely associated with habitat- restoration activities to gauge success in pre- vs. post-restoration treatments. Other efforts coincide with regular species monitoring (e.g., habitat monitoring is a component of biennial colonial waterbird monitoring). Habitat monitoring is a critical component of NCWRC projects such as: • Game lands management activities • Watershed enhancement program activities • Waterfowl management areas/impoundments • Hydropower remediation/Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing efforts The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR) conducts natural resource inventory and monitoring in state parks and provides access to data for each park online https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/nrid/public.php (NCDNCR 2025) . The guidelines have been used for baseline inventories of park resources, long-term monitoring studies, and cooperative research agreements with the agency. Land in North Carolina is primarily in private ownership, which emphasizes the importance of refining and strengthening remote sensing techniques when direct access to lands may not be feasible. Satellite imagery Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and digital elevation models, and geo-spatial data analysis tools have become more accessible and digital resources for statewide, regional, and national coverage are generally available through numerous sources. High-quality GIS data sets and imagery are available online from the NCDOT Business Partner Resources, Enterprise GIS data https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/gis/Pages/default.aspx. 7.4.1 Terrestrial Habitat Monitoring Programs NCNHP Natural Heritage Program Natural Areas (NHPNA) identify terrestrial and aquatic sites that are of special biodiversity significance. A survey-based approach and indicator species are used to determine what habitat units constitute core areas and what priority rank they should receive. Indicator species are selected based on their sensitivity to the integrity and fragmentation of specific types of habitats. Landscape/Habitat Indicator Guilds are used for
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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