Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Last updated

Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.jpg
Looking down on part of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Map of the United States
USA North Carolina relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (North Carolina)
Location Hyde, Tyrrell, Washington counties, North Carolina, United States
Nearest city Creswell, North Carolina
Coordinates 35°45′03″N76°30′37″W / 35.75097°N 76.510162°W / 35.75097; -76.510162
Area110,106 acres (445.58 km2)
Established1963
Governing body U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula in Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties, North Carolina. Its headquarters is located in Columbia.

Contents

Pocosin Lakes NWR was established in 1990. Originally, the 12,000-acre (49 km2) southwestern portion of the refuge, now known as the Pungo Unit, was established in 1963 as the Pungo National Wildlife Refuge, but was merged in 1990 with Pocosin Lakes. The National Wildlife Refuge is 110,106 acres (446 km2), and approximately 90,000 acres (364 km2) were donated. The refuge is named for the pocosin peat wetlands that make up the majority of the protected habitat.

This refuge is home to indigenous animals such as the black bear, alligator, two species of fox, bobcat, raccoon, coyote, opossum, beaver, river otter, mink, and red wolf. It was the site chosen for the reintroduction of the endangered red wolf in 1987. [1] It is located along the Atlantic Flyway and is home to more than 200 species of birds. The Pungo Lake unit is a notable overwintering site for Tundra swans, snow geese, and many species of ducks, with about 100,000 waterfowl in residence between November and January. [2] [3]

Ecology and Conservation

Nearly one-third of the refuge is currently undergoing hydrology restoration. [4]

Past Wildfires

Two notable wildfires have burned within the Pocosin Lakes NWR since its protection. In April 1985, the Allen Road Fire ignited in the refuge, burning nearly 100,000 acres over three weeks and requiring assistance from the Marines to extinguish the peat 'ground fires' it left in its wake. [5] On June 1, 2008, lightning struck the refuge and started a wildfire known as the Evans Road Fire that had, as of 17 September 2008, spread to about 40,704 acres (164.72 km2), and burned much of the same land before it was completely contained. [6] [7] The fire was declared out on January 9, 2009. [8]

History

Indigenous Occupants

Human presence in the Pocosin Lakes region likely dates back as many as 10,000 years. Though little systematic archaeological investigation of the Pocosin Lakes NWR has been undertaken, the adjacent Phelps Lake was found to contain more than 30 dugout canoes, some as many as 4,400 years old. [9] Indigenous people likely lived nearby, and accounts from early in the refuge's documented history mention the presence of various Native American artifacts on the shores of Pungo Lake. [10] The region was populated by tribes of Algonquian peoples up until the late Woodland period. The word "pocosin" itself comes from an Algonquian language via an uncertain etymology. While tribal organization and boundaries changed rapidly during the era of colonization, as conflict and disease inflicted high mortality rates on indigenous peoples, the Secotan and Machapunga tribes are both recorded in the area. The Machapunga people and Pungo Lake may share name roots; an 1888 account of a group of displaced "Mattamuskeet Indians" in Robeson County reports that they referred to Pungo Lake as Mattapungo. [11]

Colonization and Development

Following European colonization, the pocosin lakes were quickly modified and developed in an attempt to expand available crop land. In 1840, the state (via its agent "The Literary Board") began a decade-long attempt to drain Pungo Lake in what is now the Pocosin Lakes NWR. A 25-foot-wide canal was excavated by enslaved people, who worked knee-deep in water and were housed in "shanties" along the edges of the canals. Though efforts to drain the lake were eventually abandoned when little usable land was revealed, the canal construction did drop the lake's surface level by at least 5 feet, and the Pungo Lake Canal still extends from the lake to the Pungo River. [12]

Representation in Media and Art

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,003. Its county seat is Plymouth. The county was formed in 1799 from the western third of Tyrrell County. It was named for George Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White River National Wildlife Refuge</span> Protected area in Arkansas, United States

The White River National Wildlife Refuge is a 160,756 acres (650.56 km2) wildlife refuge located in Desha, Monroe, Phillips, and Arkansas counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The refuge is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. White River NWR borders on Cache River National Wildlife Refuge at its northern boundary. In 1974, the White River Sugarberry Natural Area was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Wildlife Refuge</span> United States protected area designation

The National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) is a system of protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an agency within the Department of the Interior. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants. Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge as the first wildlife refuge in 1903, the system has grown to over 568 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts encompassing about 859,000,000 acres (3,476,200 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge</span> Protected area in Florida, US

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is a 140,000-acre (57,000 ha) U.S. National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on the Atlantic coast of Florida's largest barrier island. NASA's Kennedy Space Center and visitor complex are also situated on the island and NASA can restrict access to the refuge based on its operational needs.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake. The 10,004-acre (40.48 km2) preserve is composed of swamps, pools and channels and is a stopping point for migratory birds. It is the largest contiguous wetland complex in the northeastern United States and comprises a portion of the larger Montezuma Wetlands Complex, which is a partnership between the USFWS, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as several other non-profit support organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quivira National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife refuge in Kansas, United States

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in south central Kansas, United States, includes rare inland marshes. Located near the town of Stafford, it lies mostly in northeastern Stafford County, but small parts extend into southwestern Rice and northwestern Reno Counties. Its proximity to the Central Flyway migration route and the salt marshes on the refuge combine to endow the refuge with a large variety of birds. Many of these birds are uncommon in other parts of Kansas or even the central part of the continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Dismal Swamp</span> Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina, US

The Great Dismal Swamp is a large swamp in the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the eastern United States, between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It is located in parts of the southern Virginia independent cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk and northern North Carolina counties of Gates, Pasquotank, and Camden. Some estimates place the original size of the swamp at over one million acres (4,000 km2). As of 2022 the size of the Great Dismal Swamp is around 750 square miles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge</span> Protected area in the Amargosa Valley of southern Nye County, Nevada

The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a protected wildlife refuge located in the Amargosa Valley of southern Nye County, in southwestern Nevada. It is directly east of Death Valley National Park, and is 90 mi (140 km) west-northwest of Las Vegas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scuppernong River (North Carolina)</span> River in North Carolina, United States

The Scuppernong River is a blackwater river that flows through Tyrrell County and Washington County, North Carolina, into the Albemarle Sound. The river shares its name with the Scuppernong grapes native to the area. The river has a history closely linked to colonization and agricultural utilization. Currently, the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and Pettigrew State Park can be found on the banks of the river. The River is celebrated annually through the Scuppernong River Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge</span> Nature center in Folkston, Georgia, US

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a 402,000‑acre (1,627 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in Charlton, Ware, and Clinch Counties of Georgia, and Baker County in Florida, United States. The refuge is administered from offices in Folkston, Georgia. The refuge was established in 1937 to protect a majority of the 438,000 acre (1,772 km2) Okefenokee Swamp. Though often translated as "land of trembling earth", the name "Okefenokee" is likely derived from Hitchiti oki fanôːki "bubbling water".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge</span> National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina, United States

The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is a 152,000-acre (620 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in eastern North Carolina along the Atlantic Coast. It was established on March 14, 1984, to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type—the pocosin—and its associated wildlife species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife reserve in the United States

Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota around Chase Lake. The majority of the land area of the refuge has been designated as wilderness and is known as the Chase Lake Wilderness. The refuge is one of the oldest in the U.S., having been set aside in 1908. The refuge is home to one of the largest nesting colonies of white pelicans in the U.S.

The Half-Way Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota and consists of 160 acres (0.65 km2). The refuge is a "limited-interest" refuge, which is privately owned easement refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge is closed to the public and was established to protect habitat for migratory bird species and other animal life. Chase Lake Wetland Management District oversees the refuge, which in turn is a part of the Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge</span> Wildlife refuge in Georgia, USA

The Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 4,049 acre (16.4 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located in Lanier County, Georgia. Banks Lake is a natural pocosin or sink of ancient geologic origin. The refuge was established in 1985 for the protection and conservation of this unique environment as well as migratory and resident wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge</span> United States National Wildlife Refuge in Florida

The St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Apalachicola, on the barrier island of St. Vincent. The refuge includes Pig Island, located in the southwest corner of St. Joseph Bay, nearly 9 miles west of St. Vincent and 86 acres of mainland Florida along Franklin County Road 30A. The 12,490-acre (51 km2) refuge was established in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pocosin</span> Kind of wetland of the Atlantic plain

Pocosin is a type of palustrine wetland with deep, acidic, sandy, peat soils. Groundwater saturates the soil except during brief seasonal dry spells and during prolonged droughts. Pocosin soils are nutrient-deficient (oligotrophic), especially in phosphorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alligator River (North Carolina)</span> Stream in North Carolina, USA

Alligator River is a small river in eastern North Carolina, separating Dare County and Tyrrell County. It empties into Albemarle Sound. A 21-mile canal connects the Alligator River with Pungo River to its west. The Lindsey C. Warren Bridge of U.S. Route 64 crosses the river.

The Evans Road Wildfire was a smoldering peat fire in Eastern North Carolina that started on June 1, 2008 by lightning strike during North Carolina's drought - the worst on record.

Alligator Lake, also called New Lake, is a natural freshwater lake in Hyde County, North Carolina. It has a diameter of approximately 3.5 miles, and its 6,000 acre area makes it one of the five largest natural freshwater lakes in North Carolina. Like the other freshwater lakes of North Carolina, it is quite shallow, having a maximum depth of between 6 and 7 feet. Its two outlets are Alligator River and Pungo River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pungo Lake</span> Freshwater lake in Hyde County, North Carolina

Pungo Lake is a freshwater lake in Washington County and Hyde County, North Carolina. The lake has an area of about 2,800 acres, and is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in the state. It is the smallest of the Pocosin Lakes.

References

  1. ↑ "Wildlife & Habitat - Pocosin Lakes - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service". www.fws.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Pocosin Lakes NWR: The Hidden Gem of the Inner Banks". N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Pungo - Pocosin Lakes". Audubon. September 12, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Pocosin Lakes Hydrology Restoration - Pocosin Lakes - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service". www.fws.gov. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Allen Road Fire Facts" (PDF). North Carolina Forest Service. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Wildfire smoke, odor reach Triangle". WRAL.com. June 12, 2008.
  7. ↑ "Wildfire contained, not out". WRAL.com. September 18, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Evans Road Fire on Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Officially Declared "Out"". Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. January 9, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge" (PDF). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. May 1990. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  10. ↑ Refuge Leaflet. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. 1953.
  11. ↑ McMillan, Hamilton (1888). Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony: An Historical Sketch of the Attempts of Sir Walter Raleigh to Establish a Colony in Virginia, with the Traditions of an Indian Tribe in North Carolina. Indicating the Fate of the Colony of Englishmen Left on Roanoke Island in 1587. Advance Presses. p. 19.
  12. ↑ Sawyer, Roy T. (May 5, 2010). America's Wetland: An Environmental and Cultural History of Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina. University of Virginia Press. ISBN   978-0-8139-2969-9.

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service .

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.