1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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)

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

12. 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

13. Contact Information
Kristen Sinclair
County Inventory Manager
(919)