Project purpose: the purpose of the U.S. Fish and wildlife service grant is to enhance and or restore longleaf pine forest and basic marl forest habitats that benefit numerous priority species…

Project purpose: the purpose of the U.S. Fish and wildlife service grant is to enhance and or restore longleaf pine forest and basic marl forest habitats that benefit numerous priority species including red-cockaded woodpecker (federally endangered) at several nature preserves owned by the north carolina coastal land trust (ncclt) in carteret, craven and jones counties, north carolina. The grant will also enhance and restore basic marl forest at ncclts island creek preserve in jones county for priority species like northern long-eared BAT (federally endangered). Activities to be performed(s): ncclt will contract out the following longleaf pine restoration enhancement work: (1) prescribed burn on approximately 100-acres of previously thinned longleaf pine forest at ncclts 923-acre bern preserve (2) hydro AXE or brush cutting of 30-acres of encroaching pocosin vegetation surrounding high quality longleaf pine stands at ncclts 303-acre mill creek preserve and (3) plant longleaf pine on 30-acres of ncclts 113-acre trent river preserve. Ncclt will also contract out herbicide treatments on 10-acres of wisteria at ncclts island creek preserve and will follow up with native tree planting in the 10-acres once the wisteria is eradicated (EST. 2-3 years). Expected deliverables: - enhance 130 acres of longleaf forest for red-cockaded woodpecker and other focal species. - restore 30-acres of longleaf pine forest for red-cockaded woodpecker and other focal species. - restore 10-acres of basic marl forest for northern long-eared BAT and other focal species. Intended beneficiaries: ncclts island creek preserve lies adjacent to a portion of the croatan national forest and shares a 2.5-mile boundary along island creek. Visitors to the U.S. Forest services forest walk trail on the croatan national forest will appreciate the eradication of the invasive wisteria from across the creek on ncclts island creek preserve. Both ncclts bern and mill creek preserves are also adjacent to portions of the croatan. Longleaf pine enhancement work will compliment efforts by the U.S. Forest service to manage this endangered ecosystem.