Significant Natural Heritage Areas of Wake County North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Kristen Sinclair My name is Kristen Sinclair and I am the County Inventory Manager for the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. James Padgett and I are here today to inform you of a project we have begun this summer in Alleghany County, called a “Natural Areas Inventory”. First, I would like to give you some background information about our program and then describe the scope of the project, then James will give you a summary of the known natural history of the county and describe our next steps. There is a handout in your packet that summarizes this information, so you will have a reminder of what we have talked about today. Mitchell’s Mill State Natural Area

North Carolina Natural Heritage Program NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office of Natural Resource Planning and Conservation

Natural Heritage Program Mission Our program inventories, catalogues, and supports conservation of the rarest and the most outstanding elements of natural biodiversity in North Carolina. Within the framework of Natural Heritage, the mission of our program is…… This biodiversity includes species as well as the habitats in which they reside. We focus more on document high-quality and rare types of biodiversity than common species, though they are also included. Marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis) Floodplain Pool Natural Community

Focus on Rare and High Quality Plants and animals that are uncommon to rare in the state or region Species that are endangered or threatened on a global level High quality natural communities Michaux’s sumac (Rhus michauxii) Neuse River Waterdog (Necturus lewisii)

Natural Heritage Element Occurrences (NHEO) NHEO includes: > 700 plant species ~ 600 animal species and special animal habitats 120 Natural Community types Tracking means: Field survey and classification Entering records into a database Rating the quality of the occurrence Working to protect the most important populations or natural community examples

Significant Natural Heritage Areas (SNHA) The critical piece for conservation work Ecologically valuable areas “An area of land or water identified as being important for conservation of the state's biodiversity” SNHAs contain one or more of the Natural Heritage Element Occurrences Rare species Natural Communities Virginia Spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana

In the field with Harry LeGrand Wake County Inventory 2003 Two-year project to locate and document Element Occurrences and Significant Natural Heritage Areas within Wake County Focused on both public and private lands Access was limited to sites where we had permission to survey Additional areas could be discovered over time These are the most important places for biodiversity in Alleghany County In the field with Harry LeGrand

Natural Areas in 2008 Raleigh Mapping by NC NHP 9/2008 NC-50 17 28 25 1 Adam Mountain 2 Barham Granitic Flatrocks 3 Beaver Creek Floodplain 4 Blue Pond (Sunset Lake) 5 Crabtree Creek Aquatic Habitat 6 Crabtree Creek/Ebeneezer Creek Slopes 7 Fowlers Mill Granitic Flatrocks 8 Great Bend of the Neuse Natural Area 9 Hemlock Bluffs State Natural Area 10 Hodges Mill Creek Granitic Flatrocks 11 Hollemans Crossroads Salamander Pools 12 Hollemans Crossroads Slopes 13 Jim Branch/Buckhorn Creek Forests 14 Lake Johnson Nature Park 15 Lake Mirl Granitic Flatrocks 16 Lake Raleigh Hardwood Forest 17 Little Beaverdam Creek Slopes 18 Little River Aquatic Habitat 19 Marks Creek Floodplain 20 Middle Creek Aquatic Habitat 21 Middle Creek Bluffs and Floodplain 22 Mitchells Mill State Natural Area 23 Moccasin Creek Aquatic Habitat 24 Neuse River (Clayton) Forests 25 New Light Creek Slopes 26 Old Still Creek Natural Area 27 Old US 64 Granitic Flatrock 28 Old Weaver Trail Slopes 29 Pulleytown Road Granitic Flatrocks and Beaver Pond 30 Richland Creek Hardwood Forest 31 Robertsons Pond and Buffalo Creek Floodplain 32 Shearon Harris Longleaf Pine Forest 33 Six Forks Longleaf Pine Forest 34 Southwest Rolesville Granitic Outcrops 35 Swift Creek Aquatic Habitat 36 Swift Creek Bluffs 37 Temple Rock 38 The Rocks 39 Upper Barton Creek Bluffs and Ravine 40 Upper Neuse River Floodplain 41 Utley Creek Slopes 42 Walnut Creek Bottomland Forests 43 Walnut Creek Sumac Site 44 White Oak Creek Floodplain 45 Wild Cat Hollow 46 William B Umstead State Park 47 Yates Millpond Natural Areas in 2008 NC-50 17 28 25 26 8 39 45 1 US 1 US 401 2 33 22 I-540 34 29 40 7 US 70 27 15 18 I-40 46 6 31 23 10 37 5 38 Zebulon 30 US 64 Raleigh Cary 44 16 24 US 64 14 42 19 43 9 47 I-40 3 36 Garner US 1 US 401 32 21 35 41 12 11 4 20 13 Fuquay-Varina Mapping by NC NHP 9/2008

Wake County Natural Areas Areas that have been already identified for their natural heritage value and significance Wake County Open Space & Greenways Marks Creek Floodplain Mitchells Mill State Natural Area Fowlers Mill Creek Granitic Flatrocks Beaver Creek Floodplain Pulleytown Road Granitic Flatrocks The Rocks Upper Neuse River Floodplain Some representative species that fit into the types of things we are looking for include: Sundial lupine (Lupinis perennis)

Atlantic Pigtoe Mussel Municipalities City of Raleigh Lake Johnson Nature Park Crabtree Creek Greenway Greenways and parks along Neuse River (Clayton) Forests Greenways and parks along Upper Neuse River Floodplain Zebulon Little River Park Cary Hemlock Bluffs Nature Park Knightdale Open Space along Neuse River (Clayton) Forests Wendell Wendell Park - Roberstons Pond and Buffalo Creek Floodplain Atlantic Pigtoe Mussel (Fusconaia masoni)

Our website is http://www.ncnhp.org/

Future Inventory Potential More likely to be partnership or volunteer-based using WakeNature as a resource group Survey for Natural Heritage Elements as well as species in the Wildlife Action Plan Inventory that is directed to help you meet your objectives and goals To assist with the writing of a Management Plan at a specific park Beaver Impoundment at Marks Creek

Contact Information Kristen Sinclair County Inventory Manager (919) 715-8687 kristen.sinclair@ncmail.net http://www.ncnhp.org/