Significant Natural Heritage Areas of Wake County North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Kristen Sinclair 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. Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis) Floodplain Pool Natural Community Marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum)

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)

Rare Plants and Animals Natural Heritage Element Occurrences (NHEO) We track: –> 700 plant species –~ 600 animal species and special animal habitats Tracking a species means: –Field survey and ID –Entering records into a database –Rating the population quality –Working to protect the most important populations

North Carolina Classification of Natural Communities (3 rd approx., 1990) About 120 types are currently tracked High Quality Natural Communities Natural Heritage Element Occurrences (NHEO)

Significant Natural Heritage Areas 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 tracked Natural Heritage elements –Rare species –High quality natural communities The critical piece for conservation work

Wake County Inventory 2003 Two-year project to locate and document 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 In the field with Harry LeGrand

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 Mapping by NC NHP 9/ Raleigh Fuquay-Varina Garner NC-50 US 401 I-40 Cary Zebulon US 64 I-540 US 401 US 1 US 64 US 70 I-40 US Natural Areas in 2008

Wake County Natural Areas 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 Sundial lupine (Lupinis perennis)

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 )

Future Inventory Potential More likely to be partnership or volunteer- based using WakeNature as a resource 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

Contact Information Kristen Sinclair County Inventory Manager (919)