NATURAL AREA INVENTORY 

 Basic Information Summary Sheet 



1 . Natural Area Name : Lanier Quarry Savanna 



2 . County : Pender 



3. Location: Lanier Quarry Savanna is located southeast of Maple Hill and 

 south of NC 50, 0.3 miles, and southeast of SR 1532, approximately 0.4 

 miles. The site is reached by dirt road which turns left (east) , of f 



SR 1532 at a small cemetery. Coordinates: 34°38'N, 77°40'W (FIGURE 13). 



4. Topographic Quadrangle (s) : Maple Hill, NC 1981; Maple Hill, SW, NC (1981) 



5. Size*. Ca. 140 ac 



6. Elevation: 18 ft to 24 ft above mean sea level 



7. Access: By private road from SR 1532, proceed 2.2 mi. southeast of 

 Maple Hill to the intersection of SR 1532, turn right (south) and go 

 0.3 mi. to private road on left by cemetery. Turn on dirt road and 

 follow this road past quarry to an open, disturbed area, eventually 



to be mined. The central part of savanna is then located west of this 

 clearing, but parts of woodlands are included in natural area. 



8. Names of investigators: S. W. Leonard Ricky Davis 



P. 0. Box 3475 126 Duncansby Court 



Wilmington, NC 28406 Cary, NC 27511 



9. Date(s) of Investigation: May-October, 1981 



10. Priority Rating: High 



11A. Prose Description of Site: Lanier Quarry Savanna is a flat expanse 

 with scattered longleaf pines surrounded by the swamp of Sandy Run 

 Creek and small, wooded tributary drainages. The savanna is reportedly 

 maintained by local landowners who periodically burn the area in order 

 to promote growth of insectivorous plants, which they harvest for local 

 sale. During the investigation of the savanna, peripheral woodlands 

 were found to contain several rare species of interest, and therefore, 

 the natural area has been expanded from the initial site study by 

 Alan S. Weakley in August 1980. 



In addition to the botanical significance of the natural area, 

 and perhaps the major contributing factor to the uniqueness of the 

 flora is the presence of underlying strata of a weakly consolidated, 

 fossiliferous limestone. Overburdan is relatively thin, generally 

 being less than 10 ft. Soil pH was tested by Lamotte kit found to 

 be in the range of 7.5 to 8.0. No other savannas are known in Pender 

 County which contain comparable flora and have these soil conditions, 



77 



