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Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop was in the field Tuesday, checking in on wetlands near a large housing development currently under construction in Raleigh.

Samantha joined members of the Wake Audubon Society and Carolina Wetlands Association, as well as staffers with the City of Raleigh’s Parks and Recreation Department, to scout out wetlands and vernal pools found in the area.

The development under construction calls for 500-plus homes on a 45-acre tract, adjacent to the Neuse River Greenway across from Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve.

“We’re essentially monitoring impacts of the development happening in a densely forested area,” Samantha said. “I identified some sample sites as we walked the project areas on the Neuse River Greenway. It actually took us a long time because everything was in bloom and we were pointing out all these interesting finds, and the Parks and Rec folks were so knowledgeable about what grows there, even spotting an entire field of endangered plants through a gap in the trees, a species of skullcap. It was clear this is a really special place.”

The buffer between the development and Neuse River Greenway consists of “levy forest,” a type of floodplain forest found in the North Carolina Piedmont, which also contain wetlands and vernal pools — seasonal wetlands that hold water for part of the year, typically filling during spring and drying up in the summer or fall. The temporary pools are crucial for the breeding and development of many amphibian and insect species because they provide habitat without fish predation. They are vulnerable to threats like development, pollution and habitat loss. 

Samantha and wetlands expert David Lekson were both featured recently in Sound Rivers’ podcast, “Sound Rivers: Riverkeeping Tales from the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico.” The episode “What About Wetlands” takes a deep dive into where wetlands exist in the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico watersheds, why they’re vital to clean water and how they’re currently being threatened. You can listen to the episode here or search “riverkeeping” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Music. 

Listen to all podcast episodes here!

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