Return to North Carolina's Assessment of Need (draft)
Description of Forest Legacy Area and Important Environmental Values
This area is the oldest settled area in the state yet contains a diversity of forest types from bottomland hardwood swamps (tupelo-cypress) to upland mixed hardwoods and mixed-pine and hardwoods. Wetter sites are typically remnants of the Great Dismal Swamp and often include Atlantic whit cedar. Relatively undisturbed and remote swamplands include large sections of bottomland hardwood swamp and significant natural heritage areas associated with the Great Dismal Swamp. The Chowan River Game Lands consist of several thousand acres that serve as a centerpiece for the western part of this FLA. Timber company lands (Union Camp) and the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge as well as the Merchants Millpond State Park are important components of this area.
The Upper Chowan and Dismal Swamp FLA incorporates in the Chowan River and Pasquotank River basins. The FLA includes Hertford and Gates Counties as well as parts of Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank, and Perquimans Counties.
The forests in this area provide habitat for the black bear, bobcat, wild turkey, prothonatary warbler, osprey, and bald eagle.
Significant Natural Heritage Areas
include Chowan Sandbanks, Chowan/Bennets Creek/ Catherine Creek Swamps,
Chowan River White Cedar Swamp, Dismal Swamp Megasite, Holiday Island,
Horsepen Pocosin, Meherrin River Macrosite, Merchants Millpond, The Pot
Holes, Union Camp/Chowan River Natural Areas, Upper Wiccacon River Swamp,
Warwick Creek Oak Flats and Slopes, Wiccacon River Freshwater Marsh, Wyanoke
Sandhills.
Current and Future Conversion Pressures
Increasing population south of the Virginia line is largely coming from suburban Tidewater Suffolk and Virginia Beach to the northeast. This movement is encroaching on the rural character of this area. All areas along the northern shore of Albemarle Sound have been platted for potential development, especially expanding waterfront development.
A poor agricultural economy
results in farmers cutting timber that in many cases leads to conversion
to non-forest uses. While a majority of the bottomland area along
the Chowan River is presently timber company land, new industry has been
proposed, which would lead to new development.
Goals and Objectives of FLA for Public Benefit
Maintain large contiguous blocks of working forest lands.
Buffer Chowan River Game Lands, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Merchants Millpond State Park and 12 other Natural Heritage Areas.
Conserve bottomland hardwood swamp forests and promote effective forest regeneration.
Enhance protection of the Chowan
Riverís Nutrient Sensitive Waters.
Conserve diversity of forest types
and wildlife habitat.
Potential Partnering Entities
Hunt Clubs in the region
North Carolina Coastal Land Trust
North Carolina Division of Parks
and Recreation
North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission
North Carolina Division of Forest
Resources
Boundary Description
From the Southwest corner of Hertford County
east along the boundary to the Chowan River.
Along the Hertford County/Bertie County
line south to US17.
North along US 17 to Elizabeth City.
North along US17/158 until they split,
then north along US17 to the Virginia line.
West along the Virginia line to the Seaboard
Coast Line RR west of the Meherrin River.
South along the Seaboard Coast Line RR
to US 158.
Est along US158 to the Hertford County
line.
South along the Hertford County line to
close
Figure B-7. Upper
Chowan and Dismal Swamp Forest Legacy Area.