11a. Prose Description of Site: 



INTRODUCTION 



The Scranton Hardwoods natural area is a 6000-acre 

 wetland containing the most extensive tract of non-alluvial , 

 hydric hardwoods known in the Pamlimarle Peninsula and prob- 

 ably the largest contiguous block anywhere in the North 

 Carolina coastal plain. The wetland hardwood stands are 

 an outstanding example of an undrained, relatively undis- 

 turbed system and include several tracts of climax-7 old- 

 growth timber representing several plant communities which 

 are endangered in the coastal plain. The area also has 

 superlative wildlife values and supports a diversity of 

 game and nongame wildlife species. 



Hydric hardwood flats, otherwise known as oak flats 

 or bottoms, are similar in species composition and struc- 

 tural physiognomy to bottomland hardwoods found on alluvial 

 terraces and natural levees along brownwater rivers in the 

 coastal plain. The major difference is the geomorphic land- 

 form with which they are associated. Hardwood or oak flats 

 are situated on "upland" terraces underlain by poorly drained 

 soils, and differ from alluvial bottomland hardwoods in not 

 being associated with stream or river floodplains and there- 

 fore not subject to annual stream flooding. These non-alluvial 

 oak flats are usually associated with poorly drained silty, 

 clayey, or fine loamy soils located on the lower marine ter- 

 races of the lower coastal plain. The oak flats wetland 

 system is discussed in more detail in the Vegetation section. 



The Scranton Hardwoods natural area is located in 

 western Hyde County between Lake Mattamuskeet and the 

 Pungo River. The tract is bordered on the north by the 

 Intracoastal Waterway , on the south by Scranton Creek , 

 on the west by US Highway 264, and on the east by exten- 

 sive pine plantations and agricultural fields. 



The natural area is situated about 1.75 miles east 

 of the embayed Pungo River estuary and is drained by two 

 small tributaries of that river. Wilkerson Creek, a 

 portion of which has been modified by the Intracoastal 

 Waterway, drains the northern portion of the tract. A 

 poorly defined, narrow drainage basin or floodplain occurs 

 along the stream channel. Water flow is intermittent in 

 the upper parts of the stream basin. The southern part 

 of the natural area is drained by Scranton Creek, a some- 

 what larger stream which is affected by tidal influence 

 from the Pungo River. Most of the natural area between 



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