Abstract . Ten natural areas are described and delineated for Pender 

 County as a result of a field survey during May - October 1981. The natural 

 areas contain slightly more than 101,000 acres and at least 104 significant 

 features. The largest percentage of natural area lands (67 percent) is 

 managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. A large fraction of the 

 remaining natural area acreage is comprised of river swamp. Only a small 

 percentage of natural area acreage is non-wetland. Of those areas inventoried, 

 the least satisfactory survey was performed on possibly the most significant 

 natural area in the county — Angola Bay — where conventional methods of field 

 analysis are nearly impossible to perform. Several promising natural areas 

 were also discovered, but due to various constraints, were not examined 

 adequately. These sites occur mostly along the Cape Fear River, the upper 

 section of the Northeast Cape Fear River, Holly Shelter Creek sub-basin, 

 Penderlea Game Lands, and the "Mooretown ponds". Research is continuing 

 on the flora associated with the Invershiel-Meggett soil association near 

 Maple Hill, and a composite "Birds of Pender County" is planned. 



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