North Carolina Wetlands
Functions & Benefits
FUN Wetlands are a great place for recreation. People like to visit wetlands to fish, boat, hunt, hike, camp, birdwatch, take pictures, and relax.
FLOOD & EROSION CONTROL Wetlands give rainwater a place to go—they hold water from heavy rain events and help prevent flooding in nearby areas. Wetlands slow down soil erosion by slowing the speed of the water passing through.
MIGRATION REST AREA Wetlands provide important resting locations for migrating birds like tundra swans, songbirds, and more!
CLEAN WATER Wetlands help clean the water that passes through them before it reaches streams, rivers, estuaries, and the ocean. In North Carolina, many cities and towns get their drinking water from rivers.
HABITAT Wetlands are homes, or habitats, for a wide variety of plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals.
FOOD Wetlands are a great source of food production. Harvest of fish and shellfish that rely on wetlands
WATER SUPPLY Wetlands slowly release water after filling up, continuing to
In North Carolina, development in wetlands requires a permit from either the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) for freshwater wetlands or the NC Division of Coastal Management for saltwater wetlands. While state and federal environmental regulations have slowed the rate of wetland loss along with conservation efforts by governmental and nongovernmental organizations, local governments still have an important role, particularly when it comes to preventing the loss and alteration of smaller areas outside the jurisdiction of federal and state programs (e.g., isolated wetlands). It is also important for a plan to protect other sensitive habitat areas within the local jurisdiction. North Carolina has designated over 2,500 land and water areas that are important for the conservation of the natural biodiversity of North Carolina. The NC Natural Heritage Program (NHP) identifies natural areas based on biological surveys, as authorized in the Nature Preserves Act. These areas often contain the best populations of rare species, their habitat, and exemplary natural communities. Overall, the NHP’s goal is to protect the full spectrum of organisms and ecological processes that comprise North Carolina’s Natural Heritage. There are 67 federally threatened and endangered species known to occur in NC according to the 1973 Endangered Species Act. Finally, NC is home to over 2.5 million acres of estuarine waters as well as inland waters, which are sensitive to impacts from development on surrounding land. Many commercially and recreationally important aquatic species spend critical parts of their life cycle in nursery areas along our estuaries, rivers, and coastal waters. Plans can help protect, preserve, and enhance North Carolina’s fishery resources by ensuring that adjacent land uses minimize their impact on the habitats that serve as critical nursery and shell fishing areas.
Comprehensive Land Use Planning in Coastal North Carolina
Section 3.3
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