Wildberry Woods 



Name of Natural Area: Wildberry Woods 



Location: Carteret County; Salter Path USGS Topographic quad map; on 

 N.C. Hwy. 24 and Broad Creek southwest of Morehead City, North 

 Carolina adjoining the Croatan National Forest. See Map 29.- 



Ownership and Administration: Dr. Jan Kohlmeyer is the owner. 



Size: Approximately 38 acres, excluding residential area. 



Land Use: The land has served as a study site for biologists from the 

 University of North Carolina and other institutions. Some cutting 

 of pine by the previous owners, occurred around 1962. The Kohl- 

 meyer residence, a house and some outbuildings, adjoin the natural 

 area. Since their ownership, the Kohlmeyers maintained this tract 

 in its natural condition. 



Protection Status: The land is protected as a registered N.C. Natural 

 Heritage Area. 



Reasons for Significance: Wildberry Woods is representative of coastal 

 plain communities. Within its relatively small area, three princi- 

 pal communities are featured: the estuarine Spartina-Juncus salt- 

 marsh community; the sandy woodlands, savannas of loblolly and 

 longleaf pines; and the evergreen shrub bogs complemented by a 

 freshwater pond and branches. The site offers habitat for several 

 rare species (see Table 1). Osprey, a bird of special concern, 

 fish regularly in Broad Creek, the northeast boundary of the 

 proposed natural area. Moreover, orchids, the Venus Flytrap and 

 pitcher plants populate portions of the land. Wildberry Woods 

 exhibits a wide- natural diversity on both the community and species 

 level. The area serves as an excellent example of coastal plain 

 communities, and its usefulness for nature interpretation and 

 scientific observation is evident. 



Preserve Recommendation: Wildberry Woods should be protected from develop- 

 ment because of its value as habitat for the various special plants 

 and animals, its function as a possible field station for educational 

 purposes, and its proximity to the Patsy Pond natural area. 



Management Recommendation: Management efforts should be directed towards 



simple maintenance and up-keep of the property with minimal development, 



Compiled by the Natural Heritage Program, DNRCD, Division of Parks and 

 Recreation, Raleigh, N. C. (1979). 



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