Browns Island 



Name of Area: Browns Island 



Location Description: Browns Island is located within Straits (the 

 estuary between Barkers Island and the towns of Gloucester and 

 Marshallberg) . By water, it lies about h mile east of the 

 bridge to Barkers Island. See Map 17. 



Topographic Quadrangle: Markers Island, N.C. 



Ownership: Brown family 



Report Prepared by: Jeannie Wilson and John 0. Fussell, III 



Date: May, 1979 



Other Persons Knowledgable about Site: 



JoAnne Powell, Hampton Mariners Museum, Beaufort, N.C. 28516 

 Allyn Powell, National Marine Fisheries, Beaufort, N.C. 28516 



Current Use and Protection Status: Currently, Browns Island is in a 



relatively natural state, although there is at least one homesite 

 on the northeast section of the island. There are evidences 

 of several old homesites on the dune ridges. Cattle, horses and 

 pigs graze on the island now. 



The major threat to the area is the plan for development 

 (possibly into a community similar to Hilton Head, SC.) Lots 

 are for sale at the present time. Because the "high" ground is 

 less than 10' in elevation and consists of narrow relict dunes 

 separated by marshes and development would require the filling- 

 in of marshes. The soil is also very low for septic tanks. 



Charred tree trunks and stumps indicate the occurrence of 

 fire on the island. The scarcity of Red Cedar ( Juniperus vir- 

 giniana ) appears to be due to selective cutting. Otherwise, 

 this species is very common in the area. 



Vegetation and Plant Communities: The distinct plant communities of 

 Browns Island are related to slight changes in topography. The 

 south side of the island and the swales between the relict beach 

 ridges consist of salt marshes, dominated by Black needle rush 

 (Juncus roemerianus ) and Salt marsh cord grass ( Spartina alter- 

 niflora ) . Within the expanse of marsh on the south side is a 

 live oak hammock. Tree stumps are present in the surrounding 

 tidal creeks indicating that the land was probably higher 

 forested ground in the past. The hamjnock appears to be what is 

 left of a maritime forest. Live oak ( Quercus virginiana ) is 

 the only tree species present with a number of herbs not found 

 elsewhere in the marsh. 



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