Ed Christopher, RF
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Public Lands and Drought
Carolinas Drought Early Warning Scoping Workshop
July 31, 2012
*Public lands of coastal NC
*Regional climate related impacts
• Shoreline erosion• Catastrophic wildfire• Saltwater intrusion• Species invasion• Habitat transition
*Sea level rise
*Salinity
*Tidal issues coupled with drought
*Vegetation change or loss
*Peat Soil (baby charcoal)
*Hydrophobic
*Fire
*Suppression actions
*Loss of land (topography changing events)
*Insects and Disease
*Southern Pine Beetle
*Laurel Wilt Disease
Challenges and Risk
*Challenges and Risk Continued…
*Funding (projects, personnel, etc.)
*Private land management
*Getting the message out there!
*Different priorities
*Desire to collaborate…funding?
*Other state/federal agency lands
*Different missions/priorities
*Ex. USAF and USFWS
POCOSIN LAKES EXAMPLE
*Opportunities
*Utilizing weather and drought forecasts
*Management implications
*Water
*Personnel
*Equipment
*Funding
*Develop Partnerships (private, state, NGO, federal)
*Exchange Information
*Seek Grants (partnerships)
*Questions?