lib. Prose Description of Site Significance: 



The primary significance of Northwest Pocosin is in 

 its relatively undisturbed condition. Although it is small in 

 acreage in comparison both to its original size and to other 

 pocosin systems in the state, Northwest Pocosin is in several 

 aspects superior to pocosin lands elsewhere in Pamlico County. 

 First, most of the natural area is unditched, and appears to 

 be hydrologically undisturbed. Large tracts of undisturbed 

 pocosin wetland in private ownership are virtually absent in 

 Pamlico County, and are becoming extremely scarce in North 

 Carolina overall. In 1962 nearly 20 percent of Pamlico 

 County was rated as "natural pocosin" (Wilson, 1962) ; today 

 this figure has dropped to between 5 to 10 percent, repre- 

 senting a major loss of wetland habitat. 



Of the several pocosin vegetation types present in 

 Northwest Pocosin, high pocosin (sensu Otte, 1981) forms the 

 least disturbed single community. More extensive examples 

 of high pocosin are known in other parts of the Coastal Plain, 

 but few are as completely undisturbed. The high pocosin por- 

 tion of the natural area is notable in its extent and for its 

 apparently uninterrupted fire history. (The latter observation 

 is based on appearance of the vegetation in the field and on 

 review of aerial photography.) The old-growth pond pine wood- 

 land and younger pond pine forest communities are also very 

 well developed. The former is limited in extent; the latter 

 is the largest pocosin community in the natural area. 



The Northwest Pocosin natural area is contiguous with 

 the natural area located along the north (Pamlico County) 

 section of Minnesott Ridge on the east, and with areas of 

 cypress-gum swamp along Upper Broad Creek to the west (not 

 described in this document) . Thus an intact system exists 

 from pine flatwoods through a broad expanse of several poco- 

 sin types, to swamp forest. Each natural area complements 

 and buffers the other; and both share populations of signif- 

 icant faunal elements such as the black bear and red-cockaded 

 woodpecker. 



Excellent black bear habitat is present throughout the 

 pocosin natural area; the chief limitation is probably the 

 small size of the area relative to the needs of a self- 

 maintaining bear population. 



Fairly extensive red-cockaded woodpecker habitat is 

 present, including open, old-growth pine stands with a low 

 understory, which provide potential cavity trees; and pine 



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