STUDY AREA

The 24-county study area is located within the Piedmont physiographic province at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and covers 7.6 million acres. The rolling landscape increases in elevation moving east to west, ranging from 300 feet above sea level near the Coastal Plain to around 3,000 feet approaching the mountains. Historically the region was dominated by oak-hickory-pine forest, much of which was logged and converted to agriculture. The piedmont ranks among the top ten ecoregions in richness of bird and herpetofauna, and in number of endemic herpetofauna, butterflies and mammals.

Economically, market forces have moved the region away from textile and furniture industries towards the finance and education. The region has experienced strong population growth, especially near Charlotte, where many are drawn by the mild climate, strong economy and quality of life.

Counties include Alexander, Anson, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, and Union counties in North Carolina and Chester, Lancaster, and York counties in South Carolina.