Camping Tips
Because
fire normally plays a big role in the forest ecosystem, Croatan Forest managers use
controlled burns, at the right time of the year and under certain weather
conditions, to maintain a natural balance. For example, controlled burns
help maintain the habitat of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker in
mature longleaf pines, and remove competing vegetation to ensure the
survival of some of the forest's more unusual plants, such as the Venus
flytrap.
The Croatan
National Forest is home to a rare combination of five insectivorous plants:
pitcher plants, sundews, butterworts, Venus flytraps, and bladderworts.
These plants trap and eat insects, a source of nitrogen which in turn allows
these plants to thrive in poor soils. These plants also thrive where
controlled burns release nutrients, remove competition, and open their sites
to sunlight. It is against the law to remove any of these plants from the
Croatan National Forest.