Croatan National Forest
Encyclopedia
The Croatan National Forest is a U.S. National Forest
, was established on July 29, 1936, and is located on the Atlantic coast
of North Carolina
. It is administered by the United States Forest Service
, a part of the United States Department of Agriculture
. The forest is managed together with the other three North Carolina National Forests (Nantahala
, Pisgah
, and Uwharrie
) from common headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina
. However, Croatan has a local ranger
district office in New Bern
.
, the Bogue Sound
, and the White Oak River
. The Croatan Forest is characteristic of its pine forests, salt estuaries, bogs, and pocosin
s. The forest is suitable for hiking, camping, hunting, trail biking, and all-terrain vehicles. The surrounding rivers, inland lakes, and creeks allow for swimming, fishing, boating, and canoeing. The forest is close to the cities of New Bern, NC and Morehead City, NC. It also surrounds the Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point.
which offers 21 miles (33.8 km) of trail through swamps and pine forests. Other trails include the Cedar Point Tideland Trail which traverses through a salt marsh and along the White Oak River, the Island Creek Forest Walk featuring a forest of hardwoods, and the Black Swamp OHV Trail which offers eight miles (13 km) for off-road vehicles and bikes. The 13 mile long Catfish Lake Rd. provides many roads and trails for you to explore. ....
ecoregion
. It is home to a huge variety of marine and terrestrial animals. Some of the wildlife that can be found include black bears, a wide variety of reptiles and amphibians, as well as bald eagles, and alligators. The forest is abundant with pine trees including virgin longleaf pine stands that remain untouched to this date. There are many hardwood areas that including the cypress trees
of the swamps. Carnivorous plants such as Venus flytrap
s, sundew
, and pitcher plants
may also be found. There are a few sandy areas within the forest that provide pristine habitat for the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes.
which can be found in abundance within these forests. As well as Poccasin Pine savannahs that are almost impenetrable. Many old growth beech and oak forests can be found as well. The swamps are very abundant and are the green emeralds of these forests.
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
, was established on July 29, 1936, and is located on the Atlantic coast
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It is administered by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, a part of the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
. The forest is managed together with the other three North Carolina National Forests (Nantahala
Nantahala National Forest
The Nantahala National Forest, established in 1920, is a national forest located in the American state of North Carolina. The word "Nantahala" is a Cherokee word meaning "Land of the Noonday Sun." The name is appropriate as, in some spots, the sun only reaches the floors of the deep gorges of the...
, Pisgah
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is completely contained within the state of North Carolina...
, and Uwharrie
Uwharrie National Forest
Uwharrie National Forest is a federally-designated national forest region located primarily in Montgomery County, but also extending into Randolph and Davidson counties in south central North Carolina. It is the smallest of the four National Forests in North Carolina, with a total area of 50,369...
) from common headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. However, Croatan has a local ranger
National Park Ranger
National Park Service Rangers are among the uniformed employees charged with protecting and preserving areas set aside in the National Park System by the United States Congress and/or the President of the United States...
district office in New Bern
New Bern, North Carolina
New Bern is a city in Craven County, North Carolina with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers...
.
Geography
The forest covers 159886 acres (647 km²) of coastal land. It is bordered on three sides by the Neuse RiverNeuse River
The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
, the Bogue Sound
Bogue Sound
Bogue Sound is a medium-sized geographic sound in the state of North Carolina. It separates the Bogue Banks from mainland Carteret County. Morehead City's port is accessed via the Bogue Sound. Two bridges cross the sound: NC 58 on the B...
, and the White Oak River
White Oak River
The White Oak River is a blackwater river, approximately 40 mi long, on the coastal plain of southeast North Carolina in the United States. It empties in the Atlantic Ocean.-Course:...
. The Croatan Forest is characteristic of its pine forests, salt estuaries, bogs, and pocosin
Pocosin
Pocosin is a term for 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...
s. The forest is suitable for hiking, camping, hunting, trail biking, and all-terrain vehicles. The surrounding rivers, inland lakes, and creeks allow for swimming, fishing, boating, and canoeing. The forest is close to the cities of New Bern, NC and Morehead City, NC. It also surrounds the Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point.
Trails
Many hiking trails can be found throughout the Croatan Forest such as the Neusiok TrailNeusiok Trail
The Neusiok Trail is a hiking trail located in the Croatan National Forest in Carteret County, North Carolina. The trail traverses the forest from a sandy beach on the Neuse River to a salt marsh on the Newport River, and along the way, it crosses cypress swamps, hardwood ridges, longleaf-pine...
which offers 21 miles (33.8 km) of trail through swamps and pine forests. Other trails include the Cedar Point Tideland Trail which traverses through a salt marsh and along the White Oak River, the Island Creek Forest Walk featuring a forest of hardwoods, and the Black Swamp OHV Trail which offers eight miles (13 km) for off-road vehicles and bikes. The 13 mile long Catfish Lake Rd. provides many roads and trails for you to explore. ....
Flora and fauna
The Croatan National Forest lies completely within the Middle Atlantic coastal forestsMiddle Atlantic coastal forests
The Middle Atlantic coastal forests are a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the United States.-Setting:The Middle Atlantic coastal forests stretch along the Atlantic coast of the United States from the Delmarva Peninsula south to the Georgia coast...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
. It is home to a huge variety of marine and terrestrial animals. Some of the wildlife that can be found include black bears, a wide variety of reptiles and amphibians, as well as bald eagles, and alligators. The forest is abundant with pine trees including virgin longleaf pine stands that remain untouched to this date. There are many hardwood areas that including the cypress trees
Cupressaceae
The Cupressaceae or cypress family is a conifer family with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27 to 30 genera , which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130-140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdioecious or dioecious trees and shrubs from 1-116 m tall...
of the swamps. Carnivorous plants such as Venus flytrap
Venus Flytrap
The Venus Flytrap , Dionaea muscipula, is a carnivorous plant that catches and digests animal prey—mostly insects and arachnids. Its trapping structure is formed by the terminal portion of each of the plant's leaves and is triggered by tiny hairs on their inner surfaces...
s, sundew
Sundew
Drosera, commonly known as the sundews, comprise one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginous glands covering their leaf surface. The insects are used to supplement...
, and pitcher plants
Sarracenia
Sarracenia is a genus comprising 8 to 11 species of North American pitcher plants. The genus belongs to the family Sarraceniaceae, which also contain the closely allied genera Darlingtonia and Heliamphora....
may also be found. There are a few sandy areas within the forest that provide pristine habitat for the eastern diamondback rattlesnakes.
Habitat
The Croatan National Forest offers a variety of habitats that provide excellent homes and safe havens for wildlife. There are many Longleaf Pine Savannahs that are vital to the Red-cockaded WoodpeckerRed-cockaded Woodpecker
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a woodpecker found in southeastern North America.- Description :About the size of the Northern Cardinal, it is approximately 8.5 in. long, with a wingspan of about 14 in. and a weight of about 1.5 ounces...
which can be found in abundance within these forests. As well as Poccasin Pine savannahs that are almost impenetrable. Many old growth beech and oak forests can be found as well. The swamps are very abundant and are the green emeralds of these forests.
External links
- http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/index.htm
- http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-croatan-nantahala-pisgah-uwharrie-national-forest-sidwcmdev_066950.html
- U.S. Parks at About.com