-73- 



The pocosins south of Lake Phelps in Washington and Hyde 

 counties and those in Tyrrell County are all part of the same 

 system. The elevation of the Washington-Hyde portion is 15 to 20 

 feet while most of the pocosin in Tyrrell County is 5 feet or less. 

 The area described here is in the zone of elevational transition 

 and at 10 to 17 feet should really be included in the Washington- 

 Hyde part of the system. See Figure 15. 



The land is flat and the soils are apparently extremely deep 

 peat. The ditches that have been cut are about ten feet deep and 

 even at this depth only the organic portion of the profile is 

 visible. As you travel west leaving Tyrrell County and entering 

 Washington County, the pocosin becomes progressively more modified. 

 First there are sections with low shrubs and small pond pines, then 

 sections with only low shrubs, and finally sections dominated by 

 broomsedge. This series of one-half or one square mile blocks 

 produces an excellent sequence of pocosin successional stages. 



10. 



Significance Summary (categories represented and descriptions) 



Feature 



b. Description of 



significant feature 



c. Comparative 

 Assessment 



High quality ter- 

 restrial plant 

 community 



Pinus serotina /mixed Erica- 

 ceous shrubs 



Developing tall pocosin 

 with limited modifi- 

 cation. Part of one 

 of the largest pocosin 

 systems in the state. 



Outstanding geo- 

 logic feature 



Peatlands 



Part of one of the 

 major peat deposits 

 in the state 



Area with high 

 research value 



Developing tall pocosin 



Pocosin areas in adjacent 

 Washington County were 

 cleared at different 

 times producing an 

 excellent system in which 

 to study the succession 

 of pocosin lands. 



11. Legal Status and Use 



Ownership type by percent area: Private 



Public 

 Unknown 



100 



% 



"% 



% 



12. 

 13. 



Number of owners : 



Name(s) of owner(s) and/or custodian(s) with addresses, phone 

 numbers : 



1. First Colony Farms 

 Creswell, NC 27928 



