Nature Conservancy and Nags Head 

 bought 390 acres at a special conser- 

 vation price from Resolution Trust 

 Corp., which acquired the land from a 

 failed savings and loan. The forest's 

 steep topography is formed by relic 

 dunes that dip into low-lying swales 

 and freshwater ponds. The largest of 

 the interdunal ponds is the primary 

 water source for the town of Nags 

 Head. And though the forest has a low 

 diversity of plants compared to main- 

 land forests, it has the highest diver- 

 sity of all maritime forests on the 

 Outer Banks and is habitat for rare 

 plant species such as woolly beach 

 heather and fen orchid. 



BUXTON WOODS, Dare County, is 

 the largest remaining maritime forest 

 in the state with 3,000 acres of dense 

 forest on a relic dune-swale system. 

 The federal government bought 920 

 acres of the privately owned forest for 

 the Cape Hatteras National Seashore; 

 North Carolina purchased 700 acres 

 and preserved them as natural areas 

 within the N.C. Coastal Reserve. The 

 remaining acres are subdivided into 

 hundreds of privately owned parcels. 

 Buxton Woods displays the greatest 

 diversity of the state's maritime for- 

 ests, with a range of vegetation that 

 includes freshwater marshes, swamp 

 forests, shrub swamps and upland 

 maritime forests. This diversity of 

 habitat supports a variety of rare flora 

 and fauna. Eight rare plant species 

 monitored by the N.C. Natural Heri- 

 tage Program have been reported in 

 the area — the greatest concentration 

 of rare plant species on the Outer 

 Banks. The diversity of mammals is 

 also greater than any other forested 

 barrier island in North Carolina or ad- 

 jacent states. The site was nominated 

 as an Area of Environmental Concern 

 in 1986 when plans for a golf course 

 were hatched. The state designation 

 would have been precedent-setting, 

 but Dare County agreed to protect the 

 forest with a local ordinance. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATURAL 



AREA, Carteret County, is the largest 

 remaining tract of the Bogue Banks 

 maritime forest. North Carolina owns 

 and manages the 290-acre site as a state 

 natural area, which is valued for its un- 

 disturbed maritime forest and extensive 

 dune ridge-swale system. The forest is 

 significant because it is a large, con- 

 tiguous tract containing all the common 

 maritime forest species, swamp forest, 

 freshwater and saltwater marshes. In 

 nearby Atlantic Beach, the maritime 

 forests have been cleared entirely for 

 commercial development. But Pine 

 Knoll Shores, where the natural area is 

 located, is one of the highest, most 

 stable and heavily forested parts of the 

 island. To the south, Emerald Isle is 

 under extreme development pressure. 



HUGGINS ISLAND, Onslow County, is 

 100 acres and generally flat. The steep 

 sides of the island leading up from the 

 marsh are about 6 1/2 feet high. It is 

 relatively undisturbed on one of the 

 most rapidly developing sections of the 

 North Carolina coast. It is a good ex- 

 ample of maritime forest on a sound, 

 rare along the North Carolina coast be- 

 cause the larger sound islands such as 

 Harkers Island have been cleared for 

 development. The island has many 

 large old trees of various species and a 

 significant stand of swamp forest. The 

 owners have stipulated that it be devel- 

 oped as a natural area, park, corporate 

 retreat or small subdivision. The island 

 is classified as conservation in the 

 Onslow County land-use plan. 



BALD HEAD WOODS, Brunswick 

 County, is chiefly a resort in the 

 three-part Smith Island Complex. The 

 Nature Conservancy North Carolina 

 Chapter negotiated the state's purchase 

 of a 128-acre tract in the 414-acre for- 

 est; another purchase is in the works. 

 Today, half of the original maritime 

 forest is golf course and development. 

 The extremely old trees are one of its 

 most significant remaining features. It 



is also the largest maritime forest in the 

 state that has undeveloped natural tran- 

 sition zones with both soundside salt 

 marshes and oceanside dune systems. 

 Its sparse canopy, fallen to storms, al- 

 lows light to penetrate and nourish a 

 thick undergrowth of vines. The entire 

 Smith Island Complex is registered as a 

 National Natural Landmark. Bald Head 

 is the southernmost island in the com- 

 plex and supports maritime vegetation 

 resembling that of the South Carolina 

 sea islands, such as an abundance of 

 cabbage palmettos. 



MIDDLE ISLAND, Brunswick County, 

 is 100 acres and located between Bluff 

 Island and Bald Head Island. The pri- 

 vately owned island is almost com- 

 pletely surrounded by marsh and has 

 two to three dune ridges that are pro- 

 nounced at the western end. Like the 

 other islands of the Smith Island Com- 

 plex, its sparse canopy is disturbed by 

 frequent storms that increase light and 

 promote dense undergrowth. Although 

 this island is being developed, enough 

 of the woods remains natural to merit 

 its protection as an excellent example 

 of a maritime forest with subtropical 

 elements. 



BLUFF ISLAND, Brunswick County, is 

 the smallest and northernmost island of 

 the Smith Island Complex. The state 

 owns, but doesn't actively manage, the 

 70-acre tract. It is surrounded by marsh 

 on its northern, southern and western 

 boundaries; its eastern boundary is a 

 dune system and active beach. There is 

 little topographical relief on the island, 

 which is flat except for two dune ridges 

 that run down its middle. The forest 

 canopy is thin due to frequent storms 

 that allow the growth of understory and 

 vines. Its freshwater pond is unusually 

 close — about 330 feet — to the beach. □ 



From An Assessment of Maritime 

 Forest Resources on the North Caro- 

 lina Coast, a report submitted in 1988 

 to the Division of Coastal Management. 



Jeannie Faris 



10 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1993 



