Record #:

21735

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

Almost 300 years ago Colonel William Byrd II described the Great Dismal Swamp as \"a great and dreary swamp not fit for man or beast.\" Today the swamp's 126,000 acres straddle the border of Virginia/North Carolina. It is a National Wildlife Refuge on the Virginia side and a state park on the North Carolina side in 2007. The swamp has become a place of enjoyment and education. In 2013 over 80,000 visitors came to the state park.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 78 Issue 2, Mar/Apr 2014, p30-35, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Great Dismal Swamp (N.C. and Va.)

Record #:

17765

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

For 200 years, Merchants Millpond in the northeast corner of North Carolina has enchanted visitors with giant cypress trees and unique wildlife. This man-made body of water is also a relic of a bygone age of machinery-operated hydropower.

Source:

Our State (NoCar F 251 S77), Vol. 80 Issue 4, Sept 2012, p178-180, 182, f Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Merchants Millpond State Park (Gatesville)

Record #:

15307

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

Wind is the second-largest source of renewable energy in the nation. In May 2011 the North Carolina Utilities Commission approved the Desert Wind Energy Project. If approved by other agencies (state, local, and federal) 150, 400-foot tall wind turbines will go up near Elizabeth City. This will produce enough electricity for up to 70,000 homes. Manuel discusses how this project could impact wildlife.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 75 Issue 8, Sept/Oct 2011, p14-17, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Renewable energy sources

Record #:

12503

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

North Carolina's chlorophyll a standard measures the concentration of algae in water. The water in Jordan Lake exceeds that standard, and the lake water is considered officially polluted. To improve the lake, the state has passed a set of rules to reduce the flow of nutrients into it. A similar set of rules will affect the Falls Lake watershed. Manuel discusses what it will cost to implement the rules and how the rules will affect life in the Piedmont.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 74 Issue 8, Aug 2010, p10-15, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Water quality management--Jordan Lake; Water--Jordan Lake--Pollution--Laws and legislation

Record #:

11165

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

In 2008, President George Bush lifted the executive moratorium on drilling for oil and gas off the East Coast. The Outer Banks are a treasure to vacationers, its marshes are breeding grounds for many species and homes for others, and it is a home for migrating seasonal waterfowl. There are potential benefits in allowing companies to drill, but at the same time, North Carolina's shoreline could face significant risks to its ecology and its economy.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 73 Issue 6, June 2009, p14-19, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Oil well drilling, Offshore; Environmental protection--Outer Banks

Record #:

9699

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

The water quality in many of the state's waterways has been marred by rapid growth, developments, timbering, and agricultural activities. Restoring streams to good health is a vital concern to the state and its citizens. In this first section of a three-part series, Manuel examines restoration projects in the state's mountain areas.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 72 Issue 2, Feb 2008, p26-30, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Stream conservation--North Carolina, Western

Record #:

18835

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

North Carolina economy shifted from manufacturing to service based and created a gap in the workforce. Vacancies in such jobs as allied health, nursing, pharmaceuticals, and laboratory technicians were not being filled adequately with skilled workers. The author proposes five changes to the community college system to be enacted both by the General Assembly and State Board of Education to facilitate community college's offering degrees to fill theses openings. Some of these proposed changes included differentiated funding for certain community college programs and establishing licensure track degrees exclusively through the community college system.

Source:

North Carolina Insight (NoCar JK 4101 N3x), Vol. 22/23 Issue 4/1, May 2008, p136-182, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Community colleges--Curricula; Education, Higher--Developments

Record #:

9164

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

Legislation passed by the 1996 General Assembly provides for the establishment of charter schools, or schools run by private, non-profit organizations. It is an experiment to see if removing state regulations will improve student performance. Manuel profiles four of these schools: Gaston College Preparatory, Northampton County; Quest Academy, North Raleigh; Children's Community School, Davidson; and Carolina International School, Cabarrus County.

Source:

North Carolina Insight (NoCar JK 4101 N3x), Vol. 22 Issue 2-3, May 2007, p29-32 Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Charter schools

Record #:

9165

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research first evaluated charter schools in 2002. The conclusion then was that the state should continue the experiment and wait for five more years of data before deciding whether or not to expand the program and remove the cap which limited the number of schools to one hundred. Manuel discusses what the new data tells about academic performance, racial balance, transfers of innovations in charter schools to public schools, and management and financial compliance.

Source:

North Carolina Insight (NoCar JK 4101 N3x), Vol. 22 Issue 2-3, May 2007, p2-28, 32-37, 44-71, il, f Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Charter schools--Research

Record #:

18889

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

The state authorized charter schools in 1996 and since then 138 schools have been, at one point, operational. In 2007, 100 of these charter schools were functioning throughout the state. An assessment of these schools based on student learning, facilities, management, and financing demonstrates that charter schools often have lower scores in these areas when compared with public schools. Using information from the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research, the author makes suggestions for improving charter school performance and how to create a better educational environment for charter school students.

Source:

North Carolina Insight (NoCar JK 4101 N3x), Vol. 22 Issue 2-3, May 2007, p2-37, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Charter schools--Research

Record #:

7660

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

In 2006, northern glaciers melt faster; sea levels rise; and warmer ocean waters expand. Global warming, driven by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, is affecting life on the planet. Manuel reviews scientific information to project how these changes will affect plants, animals, and humans in North Carolina by the year 2100. In August 2005, North Carolina joined nearly forty other states in taking the initiative on global warming with the passage of the N.C. Global Warming Act. Among the act's requirements are the creation of a thirty-four member commission that will consider impacts on the state from rising temperatures and evaluate recommendations to reduce pollution.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 70 Issue 2, Feb 2006, p20-25, il, map Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Global warming--Environmental aspects

Record #:

7881

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

In 1996, the General Assembly created the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund to deal with water pollution. The fund was the brainchild of State Senator Marc Basnight. The fund provides grants to groups for such projects as the restoration of degraded lands and building of riparian buffers. Not only has the fund protected water resources, it has facilitated significant increases in state game lands and other areas designated for outdoor recreation. One of the largest fund recipients has been the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, which has received almost $77 million for forty-nine projects statewide. The fund is helping the state reach its goal of preserving one million acres of additional open space (the One Million Acre Initiative) by the year 2009.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 70 Issue 6, June 2006, p10-16, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Water quality management; Water--Pollution; Nature conservation; Game reserves

Record #:

7197

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

The approximately 160,000 acres of the Croatan National Forest lie in parts of Carteret, Craven, and Jones Counties. The forest has a rich variety of wildlife and plant species that can be observed from trails such as the Neusiok or the Pine Cliffs along the Neuse River. As part of the Croatan Game Land, hunters will find wild turkeys, deer, and black bears. Some of the best blackwater fishing in North Carolina is found in the waterways. Camping facilities ranges from primitive sites to those with electricity.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 69 Issue 5, May 2005, p24-29, il, map Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Croatan National Forest

Record #:

6970

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

North Carolina is slowly restoring animals that were largely or entirely extirpated during the last century. Reintroductions include the otter, beaver, elk, wild turkey, and red wolf. The Horizon 2100 plan calls for the reintroduction of the Eastern cougar. This animal is what is called an “apex predator,” or an animal that sits at the top of the food chain. Manuel discusses whether large predators should be brought back into North Carolina and whether they can possibly coexist with people in the twenty-first century.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 68 Issue 6, June 2004, p9-12, il, map Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Wildlife reintroduction; Puma

Record #:

5848

Author(s):

Manual, John

Abstract:

Hundreds of millponds, some dating to the 1700s, dot the state's Piedmont and Coastal Plain. No longer needed to power mills, these ponds provide areas for fishermen and vital habitats for wildlife. Manuel discusses the historical development of millponds and describes Bennett's Millpond in Chowan County and Tulls Millpond in Lenoir County.

Source:

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 67 Issue 6, June 2003, p12-17, il Periodical Website

Subject(s):

Ponds