Are
there any endangered species at Mountain Longleaf NWR?
The
endangered gray bat has been recorded in the area and can be expected
to forage along refuge streams. The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker
inhabited the refuge area through the 1960s, and with prescribed burning
could pioneer from nearby lands or be reestablished in the future. The
white-fringeless orchid, a candidate species, is found in mountain seepages
within the refuge. The Nature Conservancy has identified 11 species of
flora and 21 species of fauna they consider rare within the refuge lands.
What will be the
economic impact of Mountain Longleaf NWR?
Currently the
refuge has 2 employees and the Army is providing funding of $250,000 dollars
a year for the first two years of operation. When fully, funded we expect
an annual budget for goods, services and salaries of about $900,000 and
we anticipate employing up to 10 people.
The Fish and Wildlife
Service plans to open portions of Mountain Longleaf NWR to recreation
and visitation. We expect Mountain Longleaf NWR to attract thousands of
visitors, thereby providing positive economic benefits to the surrounding
community.
What kinds of public
recreation will be allowed?
Wildlife comes first on national wildlife refuges, and so all recreational
uses must be compatible with wildlife conservation. We anticipate a number
of wildlife dependent uses in the near future. These include hunting,
fishing, wildlife photography, bird watchingwildlife observation, environmental
education and other forms of nature study.
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