end of Lea Island accounts for an unexpectedly high berm. Storm 

 overwash is minimal, and occurs predominantly on the low southern 

 portions of the islands. A high remnant foredune of a former barrier 

 location is present on the northwest side of Lea Island, near the point 

 where Long Point Channel curves into Eddy Sound. 



Vegetation of the islands is comprised of typical foredune herbs, 

 such as sea oats and saltmeadow grass, sometimes mixed with waxmyrtle 

 and yaupon shrubs, and an occasional juniper or live oak. There is 

 no significant maritime forest on the islands. 



Fauna is best represented by shorebirds which feed, rest, and 

 nest there, although deer are present on Hutaff Island. The fairly 

 long expanses of beach provide nesting grounds for sea turtles. 

 The shallow creeks and flats along the mainland sides of the islands 

 contain a few areas of oyster "rocks", but may be more important 

 biologically (and recreationally) as clam and crab grounds. 



11B. Prose Description of Site Significance: The most significant features 

 of Lea and Hutaff Islands are their absence of residential and com- 

 mercial development, their use as turtle nesting areas, two rookery 

 sites for terns, black skimmers, and Wilson's plover, populations of 

 Drummond's prickly pear cactus and the seashore amaranth, and their 

 geographical position and function as wave energy dissipaters. 



Indications are that development of Lea Island is forthcoming. 

 It is difficult to envisage a development plan which will provide 

 access, electricity, water, sewerage, and other amenities of residential 

 land use that will not be imperilled by foredune erosion, storm over- 

 wash, inlet migration, and water quality decline. While the floristic 

 significance of the islands would not necessarily be impaired by 

 development, the faunistic components are susceptible to loss of 

 habitat. Therefore, a high priority rating is given to the islands, 

 and is based on the scarcity of undeveloped barrier islands in North 

 Carolina and on the faunal utilization. 



12. Significance Summary: (See TABLE 9) 



Legal Status, Use, and Management 



13. Ownership type by percent area: Private 100%, Public 0%, Unknown 0%, 

 based on the assumption that State of North Carolina does not claim 

 that portion of the marshlands and tidal flats lying below mean high 

 tide. 



14. Number of Owners: 2 



15. Name(s) of owner (s) and/or custodian (s) (with addresses, phone numbers, 

 and other pertinent informaiton) : Lea Island, Inc.; heirs of George 

 Henry Hutaff 



135 



