North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) project R-1015 is the construction of the U.S. Highway 70 bypass around the town of Havelock, North Carolina. A large portion of the new right-of-way passes through Croatan National Forest (CNF) lands and will directly impact two of the largest known populations of Solidago verna M. A. Curtis (Spring-flowering goldenrod), a threatened species in N.C. and a federal species of concern (N.C. Natural Heritage Program 2004). A transplant project will be conducted to mitigate impacts to this population.
A preliminary experimental transplant study was conducted from 2003 to 2005 on various soil types in the vicinity of the threatened population and with different vegetation treatments to inform mitigation transplant site selection and management (Fleming, Stucky, and Brownie, in review). Both soil wetness and plant interactions affected transplant survival and the effect of neighboring vegetation differed significantly between soils. Increase in transplant mass is not critical to establishing a viable population, however, as small individuals can reproduce.
It is recommended that transplants be established in the longleaf pine flatwood along the west side of Wolf Pit Branch Rd.at 34° 53' N, 76° 56' W. The soil at this site is a dry phase of Leaf which was among the more favorable soils for survivorship of S. verna transplants during the experimental study. Also, the recommended site supports red-cockaded woodpecker longleaf pine nest trees so it will be prescribed burned to control shrub growth. Reduced shrub growth improved survivorship of S. verna transplants during the experimental study.
