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20 <br /> INTRODUCTION <br /> OVERVIEW AND PROJECT OBJECTIVES <br /> The Eno River and New Hope Creek-Jordan Lake watersheds in North Carolina are home to ecologically <br /> significant forests,wetlands, and other habitats that support a rich diversity of plant and animal species, <br /> including rare species. In these two watersheds,the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program(NCNHP) <br /> has identified over 65 Natural Heritage Natural Areas(NHNAs) (NCNHP 2019c).NHNAs are terrestrial <br /> or aquatic sites"of special biodiversity significance due to the presence of rare species,unique natural <br /> communities, important animal assemblages, or other ecological features"(NCNHP nd,2019d). Around <br /> Jordan Lake alone, 19 NHNAs encompass approximately 8,000 of the more than 40,000 acres of the <br /> Jordan Game Land(NCNHP 2019c,NCWRC 2019). <br /> Movement of animal species within and between <br /> these NHNAs and other priority natural communities <br /> (wildlife habitats) is necessary for their survival. In <br /> the face of increasing habitat loss and fragmentation <br /> from development and other threats,including climate <br /> change,wildlife species require an intact, connected '- <br /> network of habitat and movement corridors that <br /> maintain ecosystem functions and processes(Rudnick <br /> et al. 2012). Connecting wildlife habitats not only 1; <br /> benefits wildlife populations but also benefits water <br /> quality,native plants, our local economy(including <br /> working farms and forests), and public health(MRCS <br /> 2004). <br /> Important wildlife habitat anchors, including many <br /> NHNAs and other priority natural communities <br /> identified by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources <br /> Commission(NCWRC) (2015),have already been <br /> conserved in the project area by local land trusts,local <br /> government open space programs,state and national <br /> agencies, educational institutions such as Duke <br /> University and the University of North Carolina at <br /> Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill), and other private and <br /> public landowners.However,the collaborators on this <br /> project recognize that existing conservation lands <br /> (such as in Figure 1) are in danger of becoming <br /> isolated by barriers to wildlife movement, such as Figure 1.A protected upland hardwood forest in the <br /> roads and development. project area.Photo credit David Blevins. <br /> Through discussions that led to the development of <br /> this project, group members articulated the need to identify places important for current and near-future <br /> landscape habitat connectivity,with the intention that results will help inform conservation priorities, land <br /> use decision-making, and transportation infrastructure siting and improvements. This collaboration across <br /> jurisdictions and organizations is also intended to foster coordination on shared landscape conservation <br /> goals that require planning based on ecological systems rather than jurisdictional boundaries. <br /> A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity 7 <br />