The Nature Conservancy should seek to acquire key tracts 

 of this vegetation type in the North Carolina Coastal Plain, 

 where excellent candidates are present in the Federal Paper 

 and Stonewall Hardwood Stands. Only acquisition can main- 

 tain this very threatened group of communities in the long 

 run. The Natural Heritage Program should establish or pur- 

 sue landowner contacts and seek to register some tracts. 

 Additional field work is of critical importance to fully 

 define the significance of the hardwood flats biota. 



Management needs are not well-known, but appear to be 

 few after initial acquisition. Included are hydrologic 

 monitoring, monitoring of rare species populations, control 

 of vegetation such as Japanese honeysuckle , and prevention 

 of timber trespass, firewood poaching and illegal hunting. 

 No need for active site manipulation is currently recognized. 



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