NATURAL AREA INVENTORY FORM 



Basic Information Summary Sheet 



1. Natural area name: DISMAL SWAMP SHIELD FERN NATURAL AREA 



2. County: 

 Gates, NC 



3. Location: 



Along south side of US 158, just below toe of Suffolk Scarp. 



About 0.6 mi east of Acorn Hill in east-central Gates County. 



Fern area occurs for 300 m parallel to hwy. and extends 300 m into swamp, 



4. Topographic quadrangleC s ) : 



Beckford, 1929(1942) 15 min (1:62,500). 



Beckford NE, 1981 advance print. 7^1 min (1:24,000) 



5. Size: 



40 acres (16 ha) 



6. Elevation: 20 feet (6 meters) 



7. Access: 



Park along shoulder of US 158. Walk in along boundary line path 

 between M. R. White and J. B. Briggs. Boundary perpendicular to road, 

 poorly marked with faded red blazes. 



8. Names of investigators: 



Cecil C. Frost, Botany Dept., UNC 



9. Date(s) of investigation: 



8-12-1981, 1-4-1982 and several other visits from 1977 to 1981. 



10. Priority rating: 

 High 



