The same relative position of hardwood flats along 

 the outer margins of a peat -dominated landscape is found 

 in Pamlico County in and around the Light Grounds Pocosin. 

 There hardwood flats similar to the Scranton Hardwoods 

 stands occur as a concentric band surrounding the peaty 

 pocosin wetland. This relationship has not been described 

 previously in the literature and further, more intensive 

 field work by hydrologists, botanists, pedologists and 

 others is urgently needed to describe this unique and 

 rapidly disappearing pocosin-hardwood flats ecosystem. 



Wildlife and Avian Diversity 



The Scranton Hardwoods natural area has superlative 

 values in terms of wildlife habitat and avian diversity. 

 The tract supports the largest deer herd in Hyde County 

 (Rod McClanahan, WRC District biologist, pers. comm. 

 1982) and probably some of the densest populations known 

 anywhere in the state. 



The area is designated an official black bear sanctuary 

 by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Although no bear 

 sign was observed by us , bears are reported to feed in and 

 pass through the area occasionally (McClanahan, pers. comm. 

 1982) . Because of the increasing isolation of the tract 

 due to massive land clearing operations north and east of 

 the natural area, it is unlikely that the site can support a 

 viable bear population in the future. 



The natural area also contains a Wild Turkey population 

 as a result of a February 1981 release of 15 birds (Rod Mc- 

 Clanahan, WRC biologist, pers. comm. 1982) . At least one 

 brood was successfully reared in the summer of 1982 and 

 it is likely that a viable breeding population will become 

 established. The mature oak stands provide ideal habitat 

 for the species and its large size (6000 acres) insures 

 sufficient space to support a population. 



Wild Turkeys were probably originally native in Hyde 

 and adjacent counties until illegal hunting and habitat 

 destruction caused their demise some years ago (McClanahan, 

 pers. comm. , 1982) . 



The forested wetland supports at least 35 species of 

 breeding birds including 5 species of woodpeckers and 7 

 species of wood warblers. The only known Hyde County 

 population of White-breasted Nuthatches is found here. 

 In the lower coastal plain this species is restricted 

 to mature riverine cypress-gum swamps and hardwood 

 flats. 



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