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Management and Preservation Recommendation: Considering the sorts of 

 natural values of this tract, it is difficult to delimit features 

 that are more worthy of preservation than other features. One 

 value of the tract is its size, and any diminishment in size 

 increases the liklihood of species within being extirpated. 

 This is true of species such as the Red-cockaded Woodpecker 

 that are restricted to an already small "island" of suitable 

 habitat and species that require large "wilderness" tracts, 

 such as Bald Eagle and Black Bear. 



There is a possibility that Duke University may sell the 

 tract northwest of N.C. 12. Since the land has virtually no 

 commercial value, it is probably not threatened by any sudden 

 extreme alteration. If it were sold, the m.ost likely future 

 alteration might be the building of homes along the highway. 

 This would have little immediate direct impact on the rest of 

 the area, but would detract from the near-wilderness character 

 and could also lead to a decrease in the incidence of wildfires 

 that are important in maintaining certain plant communities. 



Considering the fact that the Cedar Island National Wild- 

 life Refuge abuts the northwest portion of this tract and that 

 particular portion includes all the endangered and threatened 

 species we found, it might be appropriate for the U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service to acquire most or all of that area. The Fish 

 and Wildlife Service is certainly an appropriate agency to 

 administer a fire management program which the area badly needs. 



If the Fish and Wildlife Service were to acquire the land 

 northwest of N.C. 12, and if Sailors Snug Harbor, which probably 

 is not considering selling the land, could be made to realize 

 the natural significance of their land through the Natural 

 Heritage Program, then the entire study area would be reasonably 

 well preserved. However, a fire m.anagement program for the area 

 southeast of N.C. 12 would still be lacking. 



