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ATTACHMENT C <br />PROJECT GUIDELINES FOR NATURAL HERITAGE INVENTORIES <br />The goal of a Natural Heritage inventory is to determine whether all or portions of the subject area <br />contain significant ecological resources such as habitat for rare species, high quality natural <br />communities, or important wildlife habitats worthy of conservation status, and to document those <br />significant ecological resources. The contractor shall work in conformance with project <br />specifications from the N.C. Natural Heritage Program and he or she should compile an assessment <br />of all plant and animal species listed as endangered, threatened, special concern, candidate, or special <br />concern and all high - quality natural communities found in a systematic inventory. <br />The required procedures for conducting these Natural Heritage inventories are as follows: <br />(1) Receive specific instructions, procedural requirements, and report formats from the Natural <br />Heritage Program. <br />(2) Conduct a systematic inventory of the subject area for high - quality natural communities and <br />occurrences of plant or animal species listed as endangered, threatened, candidate, or special <br />concern by the Natural Heritage Program. <br />(3) Use the Natural Heritage Program's standard methodology for the inventory, including a <br />review of existing element occurrence data, interpretation of topography, geology, forest <br />cover, and soils, interpretation of aerial photography (if available), and ground - truthing <br />potential sites. Landowner permission should be obtained prior to visiting privately owned <br />sites. <br />(4) Complete a Natural Heritage Program Rare Species Form for each rare plant or animal <br />species occurrence complete with maps showing rare species locations. <br />(5) Complete a Natural Heritage Site Survey Report for each significant natural area and provide <br />maps showing the locations of the natural areas on USGS topographic maps (1:24;000 scale) <br />and labeled following report guidelines. <br />(7) Prepare a final report in conformance with guidelines provided by the Natural Heritage <br />Program. The report should include an analysis of the ecological significance of the subject <br />area (or portions thereof), site descriptions of each natural area of national, state or regional <br />significance, with maps showing the extent of the significant natural area . Site Survey <br />Forms and Rare Species Forms mentioned in #4 and #5 above should be included as <br />appendices. <br />LP <br />INVENTORY PROCEDURES (NHP) <br />April 5, 2000 <br />