A proposal for reclassification of the Walnut Creek Wetland to a nature preserve
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Date
2015-04
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Master of Natural Resources Professional Papers (North Carolina State University. College of Natural Resources)
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North Carolina State University. College of Natural Resources
Abstract
Graham, Sherry Anne. A proposal for reclassification of the Walnut Creek Wetland to a
Nature Preserve. (Under the direction of committee chair Dr. Gary Blank and committee
members Dr. George Hess and Dr. Roger Moore).
The Walnut Creek Wetland Center opened in September of 2009 aiming to
increase awareness about the benefits wetlands provide. The center is situated in a 48
acre wetland owned and managed by the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and
Cultural Resources Department. Although establishment of the Walnut Creek Wetland
Center was brilliant, the surrounding open space still requires procedures and funding
to address problems like invasive species, erosion, poor access to the wetland, lack of
properly trained staff to handle spontaneous arrivals of unattended children, and
influxes of litter washed from upstream.
The land surrounding the center is categorized in different use classes, with
none of them being preserve or park. The 48 acre tract is designated as greenway by
Raleigh Parks, which is a land use class managed more for human access rather than
protection of natural resources. In 2011, the City of Raleigh Parks Recreation and
Cultural Resources adopted criteria to guide establishment of nature preserves. The
Walnut Creek wetland has never been formally assessed for suitability as a nature
preserve but according to my estimation, it meets five of the first eight Nature Preserve
criteria and all of the additional criteria for a total of 10/13. Hence, I propose a formal
assessment prior to expenditure of bond funds. In this document I set forth factors to
make this a high priority for natural resource managers within the City of Raleigh.
Factors set forth as motivation for reclassification are:
(1) Socio-economic motivation
(2) Historical land use, specifically how it informs future land use
(3) Current inventory assessments of wetland function and habitat
(4) Adherence to the City of Raleigh 2030 Comprehensive Plan and hence the
newly adopted Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources System Plan.
Research on these four factors confirmed that the neighborhood just north of the
WCWC is one of the most economically depressed in the city. Current quality of
ecosystem function and habitat are medium in the wetland, which indicates potential for
restoration. Biodiversity and human access are low but bond funding will eventually be
available. Historical research shows that rich habitat once did exist; even now a
relatively diverse habitat exists despite a two-mile proximity to a major metropolitan area
in a sustained period of population growth.
In response to population growth the City of Raleigh adopted the System Plan.
The Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources System Plan sets forth the current Level
of Service for Nature Preserves by establishing that each citizen should live within five
miles of a Nature Preserve. There is not a preserve within a 5 mile radius of the majority
of citizens in southeast Raleigh. Establishment of a Preserve in the Walnut Creek
Wetland would satisfy this Parks Recreation and Cultural Resources objectives by
increasing level of service while protecting ecosystem services.
In anticipation of a Master Plan, the wetland is being proposed for designation as
a Nature Preserve with funding, management, and protection beyond that of a
traditional park. A unique proximity to both downtown and connection to other protected
properties makes habitat improvement in the Walnut Creek wetland an ideal resolution
for the immediate neighborhood, urbanites in downtown Raleigh, and the ecosystem
itself. To improve habitat, five actions are recommended.
(1)Reclassify the Walnut Creek Wetland from greenway to Nature Preserve.
(2) Dedicate funds to the Nature Preserve to control access and ensure the most sensitive
areas see minimal impact.
(3) Preserve and protect the area to expand Significant Natural Heritage Areas via
ecosystem restoration efforts designed to increase occurrences of heritage species.
(4) Protect water quality by taking measures to reduce influx of litter from Little Rock Creek
and pinpoint the sources of other pollutants; and
(5) Strengthen community outreach to increase awareness that healthy streams are a
community asset and wetlands are an integral aspect of healthy urban infrastructure and
economy due to the ecosystem services they provide.
