20210773 Ver 1_More Info Received_20220405

Strickland, Bev
From: David Michaels <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 5, 2022 10:59 AM
To: [e-mail]
Cc: Homewood, Sue; Michael Brame; Hugh Creed Associates Inc, P.A.
Subject: RE: [External] Request for Additional Information: SAW-2021-00814 (Flemingfield
Road tract / McLeansville / Guilford County / residential)
Attachments: scan0026.pdf; Flemingfield Road Suitable habitat Survey Report.doc
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David and Sue,
Please find attached the report from the consultant for the above referenced property. Please confirm receipt.
I would consider this an interim report until such time as these plants are in season and can be final verified in the
field. The consultant has basically eliminated a large portion of the property from consideration, and we would be able
to phase site planning to work around these locations until such determination can be made.
I believe this completes our response to your initial concerns about the impacts to wetlands and streams on this
property and I look forward to your next response.
Yours truly,
WINDSOR
HOMES,
David B. Michaels
Manager, Land Acquisition and Development
Windsor Homes
5603 New Garden Village Dr.
Greensboro, NC 27410
M: 336-207-8003
0: 336.282.3535 Ext. 239
From: D&D West <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 4, 2022 10:49 AM
To: David Michaels <[e-mail]>
Subject: Survey for Potential Suitable Habitat for Schweinitz's sunflower and small whorled pogonia
CAUTION: EXTERNAL EMAIL
Mr. Michaels,
1

It was good meeting with you on site. Please find attached my field report on the Schweinitz's sunflower and small
whorled pogonia potential suitable habitat survey along with a map approximately depicting the areas of potential
suitable habitat for both species. If you have any questions about this report please give me a call or email. Thanks for
the opportunity to work with you.
Take care,
Jake
Jake and Lori Duncan
Duncan & Duncan Wetland and Endangered Species Training
D&D WEST
814 West Madison Ave.
Charleston, SC 29412
Jake 843-478-1072
Lori 843-270-4857
[e-mail]
www.ddwest.com
Virus -free. www.avast.com
2

DAD
WEtIS.T
Jake and Lori Duncan
814 West Madison Ave.
Charleston, SC 29412-3529
[phone]
[phone]
[e-mail]
www.ddwest.com
Mr. David Michaels
Land Acquisition & Development Services. LLC
P.O. Box 9147
Greensboro, North Carolina 27429
Re: Federally Protected Species Potential Suitable Habitat Survey Report
Approximately 30-acre Tract
Flemingfield Road
McLeansville, Guilford County, North Carolina
Dear Mr. Michaels,
Per your request, D&D WEST conducted a survey on March 27, 2022 for potential suitable habitat
for Schweinitz's sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii), a federally endangered species, and small
whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides), a federally threatened species. The site is a 30-acre tract
located on Flemingfield Road, McLeansville,Guilford County, North Carolina.
Schweinitz's Sunflower Habitat Requirements
Schweinitz's sunflower is a perennial that regularly grows approximately 6.5 feet (ft) tall (though
it can be shorter if young or injured) and can occasionally reach heights of 16 ft. It has thickened
roots that are used by the plant to store starch. The stem is purplish in color, and the upper third
bears secondary branches at 45-degree angles. The leaves are arranged in pairs on the lower part
of the stem but usually occur singly (or alternate) on the upper parts. Leaves are attached to the
stem at right angles, and the tips of the leaves tend to droop. The leaves are thick and stiff, with a
rough upper surface. The upper leaf surfaces have broad spiny hairs that are directed toward the tip
and soft white hairs cover the underside. The plant produces small yellow flowers from late
August until frost. (Buchanan and Finnegan 2010, USFWS 1994, USFWS 2017).

Schweinitz's sunflower occurs in full to partial sun and is found in areas with poor soils, such as
thin clays that vary from wet to dry. Enon fine sandy loam is one of the preferred soil types and it
occurs on the site. It is believed that this species once occurred in natural forest openings or
grasslands. Many of the remaining populations occur along roadsides. (Buchanan and Finnegan
2010, USFWS 1994, USFWS 2017).
Small Whorled Pogonia Habitat Requirements
Small whorled pogonia is a perennial orchid that grows in a variety of woodland habitats, but tends
to favor mid -aged mesic woodland habitats on gently sloping north or northeastern facing slopes
often within small draws (Ware 1991). It usually has a single grayish -green stem that grows about
10 inches tall when in flower and about 14 inches when bearing fruit. The plant is named for the
whorl of five or six leaves near the top of the stem and beneath the flower. The single or paired
greenish -yellow flowers are about 0.5 to 1 inch long and appear in May or June. The fruit, an
upright ellipsoid capsule, appears later in the year.
Site Conditions
The site is predominantly heavily forested and dominated with mixed hardwood and pine. The
forested area on -site has wetland, mesic and dry areas. There are a few dirt and gravel farm roads
on the site, along with an abandoned house site with multiple outbuildings and yard with normal
lawn grasses such as bahia (Paspalum notatum) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) along with
lawn herbs wild geranium (Geranium carolinianum), Dutch clover (Trifolium repens), wood
sorrel (Oxalis stricter), and cudweed (Gnaphalium purpureum). Additionally, there are two former
fields/pastures that have been abandoned and have regenerated into Chinese privet (Ligustrum
sinense) and Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) thickets.
Survey Reults
The majority of the forested area is upland dry forest and is dominated by short -leaf pine (Pinus
echinata), post oak (Quercus stellata), white oak (Q. alba), shag bark hickory (Carya ovata), and
Southern red oak (Q. falcata) with a thick shrub layer of Autumn olive (Eleaegnus umbellata) and
Chinese Privet. Some of these dryer areas exhibit a more open understory, but still very dry. None
of this area was deemed potential suitable habitat for either Schweinitz's sunflower or small
whorled pogonia.
The wetland forests contains willow oak (Q. phellos), red maple (Acer rubrum), sweetgum
(Liquidambar styraciflua), ironw000d (Carpinus caroliniana), and Chinese privet. Two of the
wetland forests that are within the property (WD & WC on attached map) along with being
forested are heavily dominated with small to medium size Chinese privet. Neither of these
wetlands areas would be deemed potential suitable habitat for either small whorled pogonia or
Schweinitz's sunflower. However, the forested wetland along the southern boundary of the site
does not contain a thick understory/shrub layer and is considerably more open forest and though
not north facing it grades gently into a moderately mesic forest prior to becoming dryer. Though
not exactly the preferred habitat, this area marginally meets potential suitable habitat definition for
small whorled pogonia and therefore cannot be ruled out. (See attached map)

The mesic forest contains less of the dry species and has more trees associated with richer mesic
forest such as: red maple, sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Northern red oak (Q. rubra), tulip
poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), redbud (Cercis canadensis), dogwood (Corpus Florida), and
pignut hickory (Carya glabra). Additionally, the ground cover is sparse and open in both of these
areas. This area grades into WC wetland (see attached map). Again, although not exactly the
preferred habitat, this area marginally meets potential suitable habitat for small whorled pogonia
and therefore cannot be ruled out. (See attached map)
The house site with accompanying yard and out buildings have been intensively maintained
throughout the years and offer not potential suitable habitat for either protected species.
Although there are several farm roads a other openings on the site, there are only four small areas
alongside existing farm roads that offer marginal potential suitable habitat for Schweinitz 's
sunflower. These areas are within the mapped Enon soils and are only 10 to 20 feet wide and
mostly less than 50 yards long. (See attached map). Though these 4 areas are small they are
maginally suitable habitat for Schweinitz's sunflower and therefore cannot be ruled out. All of the
other open areas are either too heavily vegetated with shrubs such as Chinese privet, Autumn
olive, and herbs such as broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus), tall red top (Tridens flavus), dog
fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), Vasey grass (Paspalum urvillei), and panic grasses (Panicum
sp.), or routinely plowed, therefore reducing the potential for suitable habitat for Schweinitz's
sunflower.
Conclusion
The vast majority of the site does not contain potential suitable habitat for Schweinitz's sunflower
and/or small whorled pogonia. Marginal potential suitable habitat does occur within the proposed
site for both Schweinitz's sunflower and small whorled pogonia. However, these habitats are
located within specific areas on the site. Please see attached map with approximate potential
suitable habitat for both species. An on -site survey will need to be conducted within these areas
during the appropriate survey window as determined by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
If you have any questions about this report please give me a call or email.
Respectfully submitted,
peek DcsHcaa
Jake Duncan

Literature Cited
Buchanan, M.F. and J.T. Finnegan. 2010. Natural Heritage Program List of the Rare Plant Species
of North Carolina. NC Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh, NC.
USFWS. 1994. Schweinitz's Sunflower Recovery Plan. Atlanta, GA. 28 pp.
USFWS. 2017. Schweinitz's Sunflower (Helianthus schweinitzii) Species Profile Revised on
July 26, 2011, Raleigh Ecological Services Field Office (accessed July 26, 2017).
Ware, D.M.E. 1991. Small whorled pogonia (pp. 95-97). In: Karen Terwilliger, coord. Virginia's
endangered species. Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Virginia Department of Game
and Inland Fisheries. The McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company, Blacksburg, VA. 672
pp.

tl
1.11114
FLAG NUMBERS/INFO
WETLAND FLAGS =
STREAM FLAGS =
DP-2
DP-1 0
4
! WA 1-11
0.029 Ac.
SA
465 LF
WD 1-13
0.234 Ac.
---�--�
WC 21-58
2.653 Ac.
LEGEND
Site Boundary
,•,;;; : c ,� Pond
Intermittent Stream
Perennial Stream
Wetlands
SA1-5 Flag Number/Feature ID
DP-1 Q Data Point
• Culvert
SD3
40 if
THE LOCATIONS OF FEATURES SHOWN ON THIS MAP ARE PRELIMINARY. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN VERIFIED BY THE USACE AND ARE
SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THIS MAP INCLUDES GPS LOCATIONS OF DELINEATED FEATURES.
5D2
20 If
PA
0.174 Ac.
WC 19-20
0.015 At.
sc
340 LF
5D1
118 If
ler
Drawing 5
Aerial Imagery from ESRI
and Pilot Field Notes
Scale: 1" = 200'
Date: 3.31.21
•
PINT`
PILOT EPINjR04 N ENTAL,INi
Wetland Map
Approximate 30-Acre Tract
Flerningfield Road
Md.eansville, Guilford County, NC
Pilot Project 6663.1