interpreted as definitive statements of the total significance of any 

 natural area. Further significance of any site may become apparent with 

 additional investigation. 



All natural areas reported on are worthy of preservation in their own 

 right, and therefore, of special consideration in planning the future devel- 

 opment of the county. Twelve of the thirteen natural areas reported on 

 here — Bald Head Creek Natural Area, Battery Island, Camp oreinch Savannah, 

 Gause Savannah, Green Pond Savannah, Greenbank Bluff, Henrytown Savannah, 

 Long Bays Savannah, McKinzie Pond Marsh, Sandhills Creek Impoundment, 

 Smithville Carolina Bay Complex, and Waccaraaw Island Savannah — because of 

 their included elements of significance and the uniqueness of each individual 

 area, are regeirded as being of high priority, while one area — Drowned Bay 

 Savannah — exhibits a lesser degree of significance (medium priority). In 

 addition, of the other listed areas, Big Cypress Bay, Big Island Savannah, 

 Blue Pond, Orton Pond "Natural" Area, Spring Creek Pond, and the Sunny 



Point Limesinks should also be given high priority in preservation efforts 



3 

 and land-use planning « 



The relative degree of protection merited by any individual natural 

 area is dependent on the level of significance of the site, as well as upon 

 site structure and dynamics. For example, some locally significant areas 

 could withstand a multiple land use ethic, where such recreational activities 

 as hunting, fishing and hiking are permitted, while maintaining site integ- 

 rity. Other sites have such a high level of significance and/or are so 

 fragile in nature or limited in extent, that outright protection with enforce- 

 ment of strict usage regulations is mandatory to continued existence of 

 the area. 



As a last note, an appeal is order with regard to the content of this 

 report. While an attempt was made to reconnoiter all portions of the county 

 with equal thoroughness, and while every reasonable effort has been made to 

 seek out and identify ALL significant natural areas worthy of conservation 

 efforts, it is nevertheless probable that one, or several, significant sites 

 may have been missed due to the relative inaccessibility of a few areas 



The Bryant Mill Creek site is considered to essentially be a part of 

 the Cape Fear River bluff forest which includes Greenbank Bluff, Further, the 

 Green Swamp Natural Area, owned by the North Carolina Nature Conservancy, 

 are presumed to be protected, although usage of adjacent privately owned 

 lands may ultimately affect the status of the Conservancy tract, 



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