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relatively short period of time and it was felt that at this stage 

 accurate information about the structure and geographic extent of an 

 area would be more valuable than exhaustive collecting and observations 

 that might fail to produce any sightings of rare or endangered 

 organisms. Due to this approach it is strongly recommended that some of 

 the designated areas be further investigated with the specific purpose 

 of locating rare plants and animals. 



Eight areas were selected. We feel that five of the areas should 

 have a very high priority for further investigation while the other 

 three should be placed at medium priority. The areas are located in all 

 parts of the country and vary in size from 154 to 29,793 acres (See 

 Figure 1.) All are wetland habitats. The high priority areas and their 

 sizes are: 



Upper Alligator River Pocosin; 29,793 acres 

 Buck Island Bay Forest; 1,368 acres 

 Upper Alligator River Marsh; 971 acres 

 Scuppernong River Swamp Forest; 7,569 acres 

 Frying Pan Lake White Cedar Forest; 154 acres. 



The medium priority areas and their sizes are: 



Harvester Road Tall Pocosin; 7,989 acres 

 Albemarle Sound Low Shoreline; 1,633 acres 

 Alligator Creek-Second Creek Swamp Forest; 

 16,044 acres. 



Of all the areas, the most significant seems to be the Upper 

 Alligator River Pocosin. This huge tract represents only a portion of a 

 much larger area that is south of Lake Phelps in Washington and Hyde 

 Counties (see attached map) . This vast system of about 124 square miles 

 has been greatly modified by prior attempts at agriculture and is now 

 threatened by the possibility of peat mining. The segment that we have 

 designated as the Upper Alligator River Pocosin is the least disturbed 

 portion of this system and remains the best example of unmodified or 

 only slightly modified pocosin on the Albemarle Pamlico Peninsula. This 

 segment is much lower in elevation than the area south of Lake Phelps 

 and at mostly less than 5 feet above sea level future peat mining would 

 be difficult. If accomplished, the mining of this area would result in 

 the formation of a lake or marsh. If permits are ever granted for peat 

 mining south of Lake Phelps, we recommend that the state attempt to 

 acquire the Upper Alligator River Pocosin in partial mitigation for that 

 destruction. 



Although we have identified specific potential natural areas in 

 Tyrrell County, other wetland areas that were not chosen may be equally 

 significant for shelter and wildlife movement. All of the wetlands in 

 this county are interconnected creating corridors that allow unmolested 

 movement. Perhaps the best example of an animal that benefits from 

 these corridors is the black bear for it allows them to have large home 

 ranges without ever venturing into the open upland. We have observed 

 signs of bear in virtually every lowland part of the county so perhaps 

 this county has a relatively healthy population (See Figure 2.). 



