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<br /> PROJECT AREA
<br /> The adjacent Eno River and New Hope Creek-Jordan Lake watersheds are located in the Eastern
<br /> Piedmont of North Carolina in the Upper Neuse and Cape Fear River basins,respectively(Figure 2).
<br /> These watersheds include portions of Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake counties, the City of
<br /> Durham, and the towns of Apex, Carrboro, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough.
<br /> O — a zs s tv (b)
<br /> f
<br /> Figure 2. (a)Protected areas(NCNHP 2019b) in the
<br /> Eno River and New Hope Creek-Jordan Lake
<br /> " -�
<br /> ;..,, watersheds in (b)the Upper Neuse and Cape Fear
<br /> River basins of North Carolina.
<br /> Over 20 natural communities recognized by
<br /> - 1 NCNHP occur in the project area.Natural
<br /> communities are defined as"distinct and
<br /> F—IPM10CI
<br /> Duer - recurring assemblage[s] of populations of plants,
<br /> °" k animals,bacteria, and fungi naturally associated
<br /> PwWwdAms with each other and their physical environment"
<br /> Watersheds l ,' .� (Schafale 2012).Natural communities in the
<br /> Eno Rirr &uihuwnes w.Rt
<br /> project area span upland,riparian, and wetland
<br /> He 6.4to",H—H pe geek
<br /> Hew Hope Lr"*-krdan Lake _ communities, including but not limited to upland
<br /> F—i NM HWO R ver-krdan Lakc " 1' depression swamps, several types of oak-hickory
<br /> f, e forest,diabase glades,hardpan prairie barrens,
<br /> bottomland hardwood forests,rich mesic slopes,
<br /> heath bluffs,mesic mixed hardwood forests, and
<br /> numerous riparian forest variants(Schafale and Weakley 1990; Schafale 2012). These natural
<br /> communities provide habitat for a number of rare plant and animal species (terrestrial and aquatic)and
<br /> support a rich fauna of birds,bobcats,mink,weasels,box turtles,numerous amphibian species, (an
<br /> overabundance of)white-tailed deer,the relatively recent arrival of coyotes, and many other wildlife
<br /> species and taxonomic groups(North Carolina Biodiversity Project 2019).
<br /> Local, state, and national agencies,universities, land trusts, and private landowners (such as the North
<br /> Carolina Plant Conservation Program,Eno River State Park,Eno River Association,North Carolina
<br /> Botanical Garden Foundation, Triangle Land Conservancy,Duke University,UNC Chapel Hill,US Army
<br /> Corps of Engineers, county and local governments, and others)hold thousands of acres of wildlands and
<br /> natural open space in the project area(Figure 2). Connecting and preserving these areas with landscape
<br /> corridors is a primary focus of this project.
<br /> Much more detail on the significant biodiversity,natural and environmental features, and history of the
<br /> project area may be found in county natural area inventories conducted by NCNHP,ongoing data
<br /> collected and managed by NCNHP(current data available from https://www.ncnhp.orvjdatq),the NC
<br /> Wildlife Action Plan(NCWRC 2015),county and municipal comprehensive plans, and other
<br /> conservation planning and assessment documents for the region or specific sites (see References Cited
<br /> section in this report).
<br /> A Landscape Plan for Wildlife Habitat Connectivity 9
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