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5 <br /> The BGF and local conservation partners received a grant from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in <br /> 2016 to identify critical landscape corridors of priority natural communities for species of greatest <br /> conservation need between conserved and private lands located within the Jordan Lake watershed. <br /> There are over 65 Natural Heritage Natural Areas, comprised of priority natural communities and habitat <br /> identified by the NC Natural Heritage Program that are located within the focus area, which includes the <br /> Cochrane property. Around Jordan Lake alone there are 19 Natural Heritage Natural Areas, comprising <br /> approximately 8,000 of the total 42,000 acres of Jordan Lake Game Lands.The project partners realize <br /> that existing protected areas are in danger of becoming further isolated by development and require <br /> protected landscape corridors to maintain ecosystem functions and processes. <br /> RESOURCE PROTECTION OBJECTIVES AND HOW THEY WOULD BE ACHIEVED <br /> The Cochrane property mature Basic Dry Oak-Hickory forest contains, and in turn, supports plants and <br /> wildlife of the Mason Farm/Laurel Hill Oak-History Forest Natural Area, the greater Jordan Lake Game <br /> Lands, and water quality of the Jordan Lake reservoir.The wildlife within the Mason Farm/Laurel Hill <br /> Oak-Hickory forest Natural Area includes, but is not limited to, the following numbers of species: 220 <br /> birds, 13 salamanders, 14 frogs and toads, 37 reptiles, and 32 mammals including white-tailed deer, <br /> (occasional) black bear, bobcat, river otter, fox, mink, and coyote. Protection and management of the <br /> Cochrane property resources would follow those of the current Mason Farm Biological Reserve <br /> Management Plan, which includes prescribed fire where appropriate. But the Cochrane property <br /> requires little to no management other than to ensure that there are no invasive plant occurrences (of <br /> which there are none at present). <br /> The NCNHP performed a 1-mile radius biological assessment of the Mason Farm Biological Reserve for <br /> the NC Division of Water Resources in October, 2016.The NCNHP database indicates that that there are <br /> records for rare species, important natural communities, natural areas, or conservation/managed areas, <br /> which includes the Cochrane property.These results are presented in the 'Documented Occurrences' <br /> tables and map (Document 1).The proximity of these records suggests that natural heritage elements <br /> could occur on the Cochrane property if suitable habitat exists. <br /> The adjacent Parker Preserve and Mason Farm Biological Reserve together also contain 12 known pre- <br /> Civil War dwelling sites, and the Parker Preserve promontory is purported to be the location of American <br /> Indian ceremonies. An inventory of all known dwelling sites is reported in the Mason Farm Archaeology <br /> Report (Map 3). <br /> OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS <br /> The North Carolina Botanical Garden, as part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, supports <br /> the teaching and research mission of the University,which extends to BGF lands.The Mason Farm <br /> Biological Reserve, in particular, has supported teaching and research for over 100 years,which would <br /> include the Cochrane property if acquired. <br /> The NCBG education programs connect people to nature through diverse, creative experiences that <br /> instill recognition of the intrinsic value of nature. Annually, NCBG offers hundreds of workshops, classes, <br /> and field trips along with programs for children and families, public schools, environmental education <br /> programs, and the Earth Partnership for Schools for teacher training. All of the above mentioned <br />