■86- 



21. Management and preservation recommendation: 



Low shoreline is one of several characteristic shoreline types 

 along the Albemarle Sound (Vincent Bellis, ECU, personal communica- 

 tion) . This area should be managed for the preservation of natural 

 vegetation behind the shoreline. The actual shoreline boundary 

 itself will be hard to stabilize as low estuarine shorelines are 

 very susceptable to erosion by storm and rising sea level. I would 

 suggest letting nature take its course as there is probably little 

 we could do to stabilize the shoreline anyway. Preservation of the 

 vegetation to landward will provide a buffer zone that will make 

 the area more pleasant for recreation. The marsh at the east end 

 of the area would need little management except for control of 

 human visitation. 



The attitude of the owners toward preservation is not known. 

 Logging could occur at any time. The shoreline could be saved if 

 the companies agreed to stop cutting within 1/4 mile of the shore 

 or marsh. It is possible the land might be bought and remotely 

 possible the owners would agree to voluntary registration. 



22. Rating (County perspective): 



1) high priority 



2) X medium priority 



3) low priority 



State Natural Heritage rating: local significance. 



23. Prose statement of site significance 



The Ablemarle Sound low shoreline is an excellent example of 

 its kind. It receives relatively little visitation and thus would 

 make an excellent recreational area. The fresh water marsh domi- 

 nated by Typha sp. (cattails) at its eastern end is one of two 

 large examples of such systems in the county. The forest behind 

 the shoreline is dominated by pine (Pinus taeda) and sweet gum 

 (Liquidambar styracif lua ) . This forest is probably not represen- 

 tative of the primordial vegetation, but does provide a buffer 

 against agricultural activities to the south. 



The area could furnish excellent recreation in the way of 

 canoeing and fishing as well as furnishing an example of low shore- 

 line physiography. It could very easily be used as a site for 

 study of sand movement along estuarine shores as the point at the 

 eastern end of the area seems to be an actively forming spit with 

 numerous off-shore bars. 



24A. Natural Characteristics Summary 



a. Vegetation-Biotic Community Summary 



Community type: Pinus taeda -Liquidambar styraciflua/Acer 

 rubrum-Nyssa sylvatica/Woodwardia areolata-Woodwardia 

 virginica 



