Boiling Springs Lakes "Natural" Area 



As noted in the original report, the largest concentration of Ked- 

 cockaded Woodpeckers ( Picoides borealis ) in the county, both in terms of 

 population size and density, occurs within the Boiling Springs Lakes 

 development, and the American Alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ) 

 is common throughout the tract. Both species are on the federal list 

 of endangered species. Additionally, it has since been verified that 

 several threatened plant species occur within the area. These include 

 pine barrens dog-fennel ( Eupatorium capillifolium var, leptophyllum ) , 

 pondspice ( Litsea aestivalis ) , and loose water-milfoil ( Myriophyllum 

 laxum). 



It is suggested that some effort be made toward preservation of 

 these significant biotic elements, e. go, educating the developers and 

 individual owners of the value of their lands as breeding habitat for 

 a number of threatened and endangered species. However, due to the mul- 

 tiple ownerships of the various sites concerned, previous and present-day 

 developmental activities, heavy recreational use of the area, and other 

 related factors, the value of the tract as a potential natural area must 

 be considered very low, 



Orton Pond Natural Area 



When considered in its entirety, i, e., in terms of the 1979 report, 

 expanded to include the Brunswick Town airea limesinks, Orton Pond Natural 

 Area is clearly one of the most significant areas in Brunswick County and 

 within the state. Verified threatened and endangered species present 

 include (alphabetically): 



Alligator mississippiensis American Alligator 

 Anhmga anhinga Water-turkey 

 Eleochetris robinsii Dwarf Spike-rush 

 Picoides borealis Red-cockadfed Woodpecker 

 Potamogeton illinoensis Pondweed 

 Rhexia cubensis Meadow-beauty 

 Rhynchospora tracyi Tracy ' s Beak-rush 

 Utricularia olivacea Dwaxf Bladderwort. 



In addition, the natural area contains exceptionally high quality 

 geomorphic examples of limesinks with a great veiriety of vegetational com- 

 munity types, extremely important breeding habitat for two "special con- 

 cern" species of birds — 'the Osprey ( Pandion halioetus ) and Great Blue 

 Heron ( Ardea herodias ) — ^as well as the threatened Water-turkey, and 

 extensive populations of a number of aquatic species infrequent in the 

 region, 



Piver Bays Bog 



The original contract report concerned with the bog site warned that 

 the threat of destruction of the natural area from development of adjacent 

 lands as pine plantation was great. The site was destroyed during I980 

 as a result of activities by its owners in converting the adjacent pocosin 

 area to pine plantation. This is extremely unfortunate in light of the 

 importance of the bog's large sweet pitcher plant ( Sarracenia rubra ) popu- 

 lation, and in light of the fact that destruction of the site was unnecessary 

 for successful silvicultural use and management of the adjacent pocosin, 



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