20. Preservation Status: Category 7, 100% 



21. Regulatory protections in force: Unknown 



22. Threats: No major threats are evident. 



23. Management and Preservation Recommendation: Because both of the principal 

 landowners are among the largest landholders in Pender County, there may 

 be opportunity to preserve all or significant pieces of this natural 

 area. Based on land use trends in New Hanover County and the apparent 

 planning and zoning strategy in Brunswick to encourage industrial 

 development, the Pender County portion of the Brunswick Escarpment 



may, in the future, be all that remains in a natural condition. Therefore, 



it is recommended that second phase investigation (precise boundary 



delineation, discussion with landowners, etc.) be conducted. Fire is 



a significant component of ecology of this natural area, and piecemeal 



industrial and/or residential development may require increased fire 



protection of both developed and undeveloped woodlands. Should this 



be the case, management and preservation would be difficult to implement. 



Natural Characteristics Summary 



24A. Vegetation - Biotic Community Summary: 



Community type: Pinus palustris - Quercus laevis / Aristida stricta forest 



Community cover type: Pinus palustris 



General habitat feature; Longleaf pine sand ridge 



Average canopy height: 35 ft 



Estimated age of canopy trees: 40-70 years 



Canopy cover: Varies from closed to open 



Estimated size of community: Probably more than 10,000 ac, but in the 



circumscribed natural area, possibly 75 percent of the 3,080 ac. 



Successional stage: Edaphic climax 



Sere type: Psammosere 



Common canopy species in community cover or community type (but not 



dominant) : None 



Common sub-canopy or shrub stratum species in community cover or 



community type (but not dominant) : Quercus margaretta , Quercus incana 



Common herb stratum species in community cover or community type (but 



not dominant) : Cnidoscolus stimulosus, Chrysopsis gossypina, Stipulicida 



setacea, Agalinis setacea., Selaginella arenicola spp. acanthonota 



24B. Soil Summary (by community type) 



Soil series: Kureb, Rimini, Lakeland, Leon, and Wakulla sands 



Soil classification: Not determined 



Soil association: Lynn Haven-Leon-Kureb 



pH class: Very strongly acid 



Moisture class: Excessively drained 



Source of information: General Soil Map, Pender County, USDA, SCS, (1972) . 



24C. Hydrology Summary (by community type) 

 Hydrologic system: Terrestrial 



110 



