the fork farm and stables

7/30/2019 The Fork Farm and Stables

1/57

T H E F O R K

A P l a n t a t i o n F e a s i b i l i t y S t u d y


2/57

1999 Field Sport Concepts, Ltd. All rights reserved.

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express written consent of both Field Sport Concepts, Ltd. and the Client.


3/57

The Fork, A Plantation Feasibility Study 3

CONTENTS

3 CONTENTS

4 THE INTRODUCTION

5 THE VISIONReestablishing a gentlemans farm

6 THE PROPERTYThe lay of the land

7THE REGIONNatural resources create attractivedestinations for sportmen anda variety of other recreationalactivities

8 THE HISTORYRediscovering lost treasures ofthe past

11 SITE ANALYSISNatural features determine landuse suitability

19 PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONSActivities and their relationship to the land

43 LAND USE CONCEPTSExploring opportunities suitable for creatingsuccessful program interrelationships

49 SUMMARYA distillation offindings and recommendations

51 TABLES


4/57

4 The Fork, A Plantation Feasibility Study

Field Sport Concepts, Ltd. is proud to provide you the following analysis of, and feasibilitystudy for, The Fork. It is a unique and wonderful property with an interesting history uponwhich one could build a premier equestrian and hunting plantation. With very few

exceptions, the land, as a resource, lends itself well to a functional and pleasing incorporation of allthe program elements you envision.

As a team we have collectively and independently evaluated the subject property in light of theprogram vision. This report is intended as a record of our initial observations, inventories, analysesand recommendations. While it is not a design document, it is our intent that the initial land useconcepts contained herein, along with our research and recommendations, serve to assist you inyour decision regarding purchase of the property.

Should you decide to purchase The Fork, and we are fortunate enough to be involved in

subsequent efforts, we would recommend securing more detailed base information on the propertyand refining and expanding on the overall project program at that time. Armed with improvedand more comprehensive data, we would propose to undertake a more aggressive analysis anddesign effort. In these subsequent phases the design process would be highly integrated, involvingpartnering sessions across platforms to achieve a consolidated and well orchestrated plan for theproperty.

We hope you find that this report meets your needs and expectations. Looking to the future, weexpect that any effort to develop your vision at The Fork will evolve into a very rewarding andexciting endeavor for everyone involved. For Field Sport Concepts, Ltd., we thank you for allowingus the opportunity to be a part of the team.

INTRODUCTION


5/57


The idea is to re-establish the historical context of a gentlemans farm upon whichagricultural and a variety of rural recreational pursuits can be realized. In the end, theproperty should serve as an example of how land can be used in an environmentally

sensitive and culturally sympathetic way. Although portions of the site will be maintained asa commercial farming operation, the entire property will be managed in a manner founded onstewardship for the land as well as its cultural and natural resources. True to the character ofa plantation, the property will be developed and operated as a working farm. The goal is tocreate a largely sustainable, environmentally sensitive farm by combining the best of currenttechnology with good old-fashioned common sense.

Maintaining the agricultural heritage of the property is paramount to the success of the visionas well as the individual programs elemental to it. Some land will have to be removed from cropproduction to make room for the diversity of activities envisioned. Also, certain agricultural

practices will be modified to be more sensitive and beneficial to the land and wildlife. Theobjective is to take conscientious steps away from the singular focusof clean, mono-culture farming by absentee managers back towarda highly diverse agricultural state where, historically, the landownerresides on the property and oversees the myriad day to day activitiesof the farm.

From an environmental perspective, by taking an historic ratherthan conventional approach to agriculture, it is hoped that wellorchestrated use-diversity will create critical habitat-diversity,thereby making the land capable of sustaining a wide variety ofhealthy wildlife populations.

The central charge of this study was to determine if the subject sitelends itself to the well orchestrated establishment of the envisionedprograms, and to identify any site conditions which positively ornegatively affect each individual program and their relationship toone another. Beyond agricultural production, those elements andactivities which are envisioned for the property include: a mainresidence and guest quarters, a lodge or replica of a historic tavernto serve as a retreat, stables, barns, paddocks and trails associatedwith horse breeding and equestrian sports such as cross-countryracing, show jumping and dressage, wildlife husbandry efforts fordeer, dove, duck, quail and turkey, pheasant and mallard release programs, and sporting claysvenues.

Most, if not all, of the property will be placed in a conservation easement. This move is

consistent with the vision for the property and the stewardship philosophy of the prospectiveowner. Encumbering the property in this manner, while dramatically affecting its value, willensure that the integrity of the land will remain intact long into the future.

In the end, the property should serve as an example of how land can be used in an environmentally sensitive and culturally sympathetic

way.

THEVISION


6/57


The Fork property is located just south of the town of Norwood, in Stanly County, North Carolina. Its roughly 1,100 acres resemble a diamondshape; the bottom two sides delineated by the confluence of the Rocky and Pee Dee Rivers, hence the name of the property, as well as the generalarea of the county surrounding the property. Both rivers are robust, scenic and support a variety of wildlife. Access to the property is via paved

State Route 1766 otherwise known as Fork Road which enters the tract from the northern point in a southerly direction. State maintenance of the roadends just inside the property limits, and not far beyond that the pavement ends and the road changes to a farm lane. A gate, just inside the property, limitsaccess. In a woodlot adjacent to the gate, a modest brick ranch home oversees the comings and goings on-site. The house and its immediate grounds areleased on an oral month-to-month arrangement. Beyond the gate, the alignment of the privately-owned main road in its continues through the property ina southeasterly direction, terminating at the flood plain of the Rocky River three-fourths () of a mile upstream of the confluence. Once inside the site,numerous other farm lanes spur off of the main road providing access to crop fields and long-abandoned home and barn sites. Given clement weatherconditions, all precincts of the property can be reasonably accessed by vehicle.

Physically, the property displays a wide variety of topographic conditions and elevation change. The high ground consists of a central north-south ridgeoccupied by the main road. On either side, broad open ridges used as agricultural fields extend east, south and west. Each field is punctuated by wooded

ravines that eventually lead to and through vast open floodplain which lies alongside both rivers.

Over half of the property is wooded. A variety of stands exist, from predominantly young cut-over volunteers to small samplings of mature oak/hickorylots. Evergreen and deciduous species are typically intermixed, and no economically significant pine stands are present. Hedgerows, most of which followproperty lines and natural physical features, serve to create, in some instances, smaller, sheltered agricultural plots and visually reinforce topographic, roadand riparian edges. Roughly 400 acres of the tract is actively farmed in seasonal crops. Of the 400 acres, nearly200 acres are classified as floodplain. A local family of farmers has been leasing the agricultural fields for sometime. The fields are currently planted in corn, with a winter cover crop of predominantly wheat using a no-tillprogram.

Upstream from the site, the Pee Dee river has been dammed creating Lake Tillery. The dam has afforded acertain level offlood control for the area as well as a variety of recreational opportunities and real estate valueenhancement. Flows vary, and for the most part releases from the impoundment areregular except during periods of drought. At times of high water, the rivers have beenknown to inundate the floodplain for short periods of time. Rather than breaching theirbanks and scouring the fields, most of the flooding occurs as water backs onto the sitethrough low points in the sites topography near the convergence of the two rivers. Duringthese times fishing boats have been seen patrolling the flooded fields.

Given its size, location, history and physical attributes, the propertyis locally recognized as a valuable natural resource. It is currentlyowned by Uwharrie Heritage, LLC, a group interested in preservingits integrity. The owners are working with a third party who sharesthis philosophy to develop a scenario in which a conservation-baseduse of the property could financially support a private ownershiparrangement.

THE PROPERTY


7/57


PEE

DEE

RIVER

SITE

ROCK

Y

RIVER

LAKE

TILLERY

TONORWOODStanly County is located in south central North Carolina where the winters aremild, the summers typically hot and dry, and the time between very pleasant.The town of Albemarle serves as the county seat. Most of the major civic

buildings and government functions are located there. It is the commercial hub inthe region and is supported by New London and Richfield to the north, Norwoodto the south, and Locust to the southwest. US Route 52 is the main north-southcorridor through the county. State Routes 24, 27 and 73 are key roads that traversethe county in an east-west direction. All primary roadways pass through Albemarle.Charlotte is the nearest metropolitan area and is located roughly 40 miles due west.To the east about the same distance are the renowned golf communities of Pinehurstand Southern Pines.

The subject site is located in the southeastern-most extreme of Stanley County. In

this area the Rocky River separates Stanley County from Anson County, while bothMontgomery and Richmond Counties lie across the Pee Dee River. Old CountyLine Road, the remnants of which leads from the propertys high ground down toand across the mid-section of the floodplain along the Pee Dee River, serves as thedividing line between Montgomery and Richmond Counties in its historic courseeast of the river. 4.5 miles upstream from the confluence, the Pee Dee River istraversed by Norwood Dam creating Lake Tillery. The result is a pleasant freshwaterimpoundment that provides water-based recreation and hydroelectric power. Thecounty also enjoys similarbenefits provided byBadin Lake whichstraddlesthe

boundarybetween Stanly and MontgomeryCounty northeast of Albemarle. Badin Lakeand Lake Tillery are both impoundments of the sameriver, however, from a point just below Badin Dam,near Morrow Mountain State Park, and to the north, it is known as the Yadkin River.From that point south the river is known as the Pee Dee. Just below Lake Tillery athird impoundment, Blewett Falls Lake, marks the last time the Pee Dee is delayed asit winds its way through South Carolina to the Atlantic Ocean near Georgetown.

The region is rich in natural resources which makes it an attractive destination forsportsmen and those seeking a variety of recreational pursuits. It is also an area ofhistoric significance. This area of North Carolina has been the site of noteworthy

Civil War, Revolutionary War and prehistoric events. Uwharrie National Forest isan immense natural reservation covering the majority of Montgomery County andparts of Randolph and Davidson Counties. Just south of the national forest is TownCreek Indian Mound. Just downstream from the subject property, on the south bankof the Pee Dee River, lies the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge. The Fork propertyitself was the site of a noteworthy Revolutionary War skirmish. Details of this event,and other site-specific cultural matters are discussed later.

Agriculture is the main industry in the area. Both seasonal crops such as corn andsoybeans, as well as timber, have long been mainstays of the local economy. Inrecent years cotton has made a resurgence and now constitutes a significant portionof the seasonal agribusiness in the area. Other industry such as textiles have, forgenerations, employed those not working the land. In general, the populationrepresents a highly entrepreneurial citizenship, typical of rural areas.

THE REGION


8/57


he juncture of two navigable rivers has always been an attractive location for humanactivity. Whether for settlement, commerce or military purposes, these strategic positions,on what historically were the worlds primary thoroughfares, have always been consideredprime real estate. Not surprisingly, these same areas typically play a large role in history.

As many Native American nations made the transition from nomadic ways to an agrarian culturethey looked for places to settle where game-rich lands and tillable soils adjoined rivers whichprovided both fish and a means of transportation. The confluence of two navigable rivers was anatural place for various tribes to gather for trade, ceremony and battle preparation. Pre-historicartifacts, such as arrowheads, that witness habitation of the area by Native Americans have beenfound on The Fork property.

Archeologists note that North Carolina was first settled by three main Indian nations, the

Algonquian, the Siouan and the Cherokee. The Siouan-speaking tribes resided in the Piedmontregion while the Cherokee where centered in the mountains to the west, and the Algonquiansoccupied the coastal zone. Within the Siouan Nation it is thought that members of the Cherawtribe were the first humans to occupy the area around The Fork.

Although inhabited for several thousand years, the major Indian occupation in the area of TheFork was during the 15th and 16th centuries A.D. It was during that time that Town Creek IndianMound complex was developed. Located just east of The Fork on Little River in MontgomeryCounty, this facility is now a National Historic Site. The location served as a major ceremonialcenter of the Pee Dee culture. It is thought that these peoples were Muskogean-speakers whomoved north into the Pee Dee River valley from South Carolina, replacing the previous Siouanculture. The ceremonial center occupation was relatively short-lived, however, lasting only about100 years.

The features at Town Creek included an earthen mound and temple, a priests house and a mortuary house. Several smaller sites have been recorded in thegeneral vicinity of Town Creek and may have been associated farmsteads and communities. It is believed that the inhabitants of these outlying settlementscame to Town Creek for important religious, political and social occasions. More detailed information is available by contacting Dr. Linda Carnes-McNaughton at [email protected].

Later, as European settlers pushed west they also recognized the value of these riverine locations as well. Pittsburgh, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga are but afew of the places easily recognized as thriving cities which played an important role in American history. Such is the case of The Fork property, albeit on amuch smaller scale.

It wasnt until 1748 that the section now referred to as The Fork was settled by Europeans. According to records in Raleigh, the Colson family becamethe first landowners in the area around The Fork. The Colsons lived in what is now Anson and Stanly Counties; both of which were, at the time, part ofBladen County. John Colson came to own considerable land in the area of The Fork and was quick to take advantage of its prime location. Two roadsintersected on the ridge between the confluence of the two rivers; the Old Stage Road connecting Cheraw with Salisbury which crossed the Rocky River,

and County Line road which traversed the Pee Dee. Old court records in Salisbury state, There is a certain Kings Highway, leading from the town of Salisbury, inthe Parish of St. Luke within the County of Rowan, from the County of Anson, used for all the Liege Subjects of our said lord, the king, with their horses, carts and carriages, etc. Stanly County Library Archives. This presumably refers to the Old Stage Road, currently known as Fork Road.

In 1771 the court of Anson County issued a permit to John Colson to operate an ordinary. In addition, the court set the rates he could charge for theensuing year; Lodging in a good feather bed and clean sheets 6 pence. Every dinner not less than 2 dishes, good meat 1 shilling and 4 pence. Madeira or port wine per qt. 6shillings and 8 pence. Toddy with West India Rum and loaf sugar per qt. 6 shillings and 8 pence. Other drinks with prices that varied were grogg , beer crab cyder, seedling cyder,brandy and whiskey. Pasturing for every horse, stabling with hay and fodder for 24 hours, Indian corn, rough barley, barley and rye, per quart were all priced by the court. StanlyCounty Library Archives. The ordinary was primarily for the convenience of the stage coach passengers. As a stage came within bugle range of the ordinary,it would sound one blast for every passenger present. This allowed the proprietor an opportunity to prepare, in advance, the dining room for the propernumber of guests.

In 1791, while preparing for a journey through the southland, George Washington wrote in his diary that he would not incommode private families by takingup quarters with them during the journey. Later he wrote, Free hospitality is a universal custom in the Carolinas and Virginia. Stanly County Library Archives. He

also recorded lodging and dining at plantation homes between Charlotte, Salisbury and Salem on the regular stage coach roads. One might speculate thatWashington availed himself of the ordinaries of this area during his travels; whether for sustenance or accommodation, and there exists a possibility thatWashington himself paid a visit to Colsons Ordinary.

THE HISTORYT


9/57


The Colson Ordinary has been described as a two-story log structure in two parts, betweenwhich an aisle existed through which a driveway could have passed. It could be surmised thatthe stage coach would pull between the kitchen and dining rooms to be under roof, providingcover for disembarking passengers. It is said that Colson maintained a fresh team of horsesat the ordinary for use by the stage line. The stabling for the horses may have been under theordinary. History has it that the ordinary hosted other activities as well. Those that have beenmentioned in records include horse racing, chicken fighting, wrestling matches and militia drills.At some point in time the ordinary also served as a community meeting place.

Although the location of the ordinary has yet to be exactly determined, it may have beensituated at or near the intersection of the two roadways on The Fork property. From thisvantage point, not only would the business benefit from traffic on both roads, but one could

also look down the largely straight sections of the two roads toward the two ferries that were eventually constructed to see if there were travelers

awaiting passage.

Land records show that William Colson, son of John, owned half interest in a 200 acre property on the south side of the Rocky River upon which amill was operated. It is possible that this was what has been referred to as Colsons Mill. James Parker of Richmond County has offered the followingregarding Colsons Mill. -feel sure that the mill referred to wasfirst built just above the mill owned by my father, John Parker, and was washed away by a great freshet. Thenext mill was known as the Swaringen Mill, bought by my father, and known today as Parkers Mill. Stanly County Library Archives. It is said that as late as 1980 theoriginal mill rocks could be seen in the bed of the river where they sank after the mill house floated down stream. James Parkers son says he has seenthem numerous times while swimming in the river. Given the above, it appears the mill and the ordinary were two distinct properties on separate sidesof the Rocky River, although no documented reports currently in hand discuss them as such. Further research and archeological investigation couldshed important light on this matter.

Mills were important installations to the growing agricultural communities of colonial times. Their importance grew further during times of war, whenexceedingly large numbers of troops would garrison in a rather small rural community, requiring quantities of milled grain well beyond the normalproduction standard. Colsons Mill may have provided such a service as many a detachment of both the British and American Armies traveled through,and even bivouacked on, The Fork property.

Directly across the Pee Dee River is the site of Fort Hill, a once pallisaded supply and ordnance depot maintained by the Americans. Many such cacheswere established up and down the Pee Dee and Yadkin Rivers by the revolutionaries to support their numerous military sorties. It was on one suchforay that The Fork property made history.

In July of 1780, Colonel Bryan and Major McArthur, both British officers, were leading largeparties of men, mostly Tories who were loyalists, on foraging and recruiting expeditions in thevicinity. Bryans men had set up camp adjacent to Colsons Mill on their way to join with McArthur,then at nearby Cheraw Hill in northern South Carolina. The Americans got wind of thesedetachments and General Rutherford divided his army, then located in Salisbury, into two groups.Both divisions marched south along the Yadkin/Pee Dee River; Rutherford on the east bank andColonel Davidson on the west. After two days marching Davidson came across a group of Tories

on the Colson farm on one of their foraging missions. In the process of dividing and forming upto attack, Davidsons men were discovered and the Tories commenced firing upon them. Althoughthey were outnumbered by more than two to one, Davidsons squad carried the day, killing andinjuring a handful of the enemy before they retreated post-haste across the rivers to the adjacentcountryside. John Colson, having been a loyalist, fled with them. In the melee Davidson was struck by a bullet in the abdomen. He required twomonths to recover, at which time he returned to service under the rank of Brigadier General, a promotion awarded for his valor. A marker has beenplaced along Highway 52 near the bridge over the Rocky River to commemorate this significant historic event in Stanly County history.

Another item of historic significance is still evident on the property; that being the Wall-Almond family cemetery. Although documented well in localrecords, the cemetery is not designated on any available mapping for the area. In the course of on-site activities the cemetery was discovered. Part ofthat investigation uncovered an on-site archive recently prepared by Pierre Watkins. This led to more thorough research of local documentation.

The site of the cemetery is located southeast of the brick ranch home adjacent to the farm gate. Traveling south, behind the house, along the treelineon an earthen levee, an abandoned farm lane leads east, through the woods, toward an old clearing. Just prior to the clearing on the north side of

the lane is a nearly overgrown grave yard which appears to have been established around 1830 at the death of Jane Wall. She was the wife of SenatorWilliam Wall who, as the elder statesman of the clan, was born April 22, 1776 and died October 15, 1854. He rests beside his beloved wife.

The cemetery is filled with nearly 40 identifiable graves from numerous families. Among them are the final resting places of Thomas Kirby Colsonand Ann Eliza Robinson Colson, as well as James Swaringen, likely related to the family who built and operated a mill after Colsons Mill was taken outby a flood. Aside from the formal graves, there are as many as thirty unidentifiable graves marked only with fieldstone. It is uncertain who occupiesthese locations, or whether they may pre-date 1830. However, because they are concentrated in a sector of the cemetery, it is possible that these are thegraves of earlier inhabitants, poorer families or slaves. Regardless, the cemeterys presence only adds to the flavor and history of the property and itshould be viewed as a significant historic landmark.


10/57



11/57


Slope

Elevation

Soils

Vegetation

Hydrology

Environment

SITEANALYSIS


12/57


For analysis purposes, site slopes fall into one of four distinctgradient ranges; 0 5% slope, 5 15% slope, 15 25% slopeand greater than 25% slope. The vast majority of the open land

is in 0 5% and 5 15% slopes. There are a few wooded areas wherethese modest slopes are found, but they consist of small pockets of acouple acres here and there on upland knobs and low boggy areas in thecenter of one or more ravines. While some areas within the woodedravines have rather gentle slopes, typically they display grades in the 15 25% range. For a property of this size a very low percentage of theterrain is in critical slopes of 25% or greater. These steep slopes occurmainly at the toe of hillsides adjacent to floodplain and creek bottoms.

Roughly 45% of the sites 1,100 acres is in slopes of 0 5%. Another

27%, plus or minus, supports slopes of 5 15%. 21% of the propertyhas slopes in the 15 25% range and only 7% is in 25% or greaterslopes. A small portion of the critical slopes are man-made; created as aby-product of roadway construction performed centuries ago. With theexception of the farm lanes the site remains in its natural topographicstate.

Slope plays a considerable role in determining land use. In terms of theenvisioned programming for the plantation, agricultural fields, equestrianareas and reconstructed wetlands require gently sloped areas whilehousing, shooting venues and wildlife set asides may best be situated onsteeper zones.

SLOPE

0-5%

5-15%

15-25%

25%


13/57


The property divides itself into three distinct landforms; riverinefloodplain, steep transitional slopes and gently rolling upland.Of the 1,100 acres comprising The Fork, roughly 200 acres lie

within the floodplain of the two rivers. This land is not exceedinglyflat,but rather low-lying open land with gentle modulations in grade withina 20 elevation range. The two rivers have mean surface elevations ofaround 200 AMSL. From there, the riverbanks extend vertically from10 near the confluence, to more than 20 in other areas upstream in bothdirections. In those areas of higher riverbank conditions the adjacentfields give the appearance of lying lower than the top of the bank.In these cases, the main riverbank constitutes a levee of sorts. Thefloodplain extends inland to the base of the steeply sloped transitionalareas which begin around elevation 230. At this point the smooth,

undulating relief of the floodplain gives way to a configuration of steeplyrising headlands penetrated by deeply incised ravines. A few areas ofsomewhat level ground are scattered about within this zone, but largelythis steep condition prevails up to elevation 300. From here the landlevels out once again with contours typical of an upland meadow. This isthe area where the vast majority of man-made improvements have beenintroduced. The high point of the property, with an elevation of justover 350, is located within a large field near the center of the property,from which views of nearly 360 degrees can be appreciated.

ELEVATION

300 60" --- Slight

(Ch)

Congaree Frequent Brief Nov - Apr >60" --- Slight

(Co)

Georgeville None --- --- >60" --- Moderate

(GfB2)

Goldston None --- --- 10" - 20" Soft Moderate

(GoF)

Tatum None --- --- 40" - 60" Soft Slight

(TcD2)

Flooding Bedrock

Soil

Name Grain Grasses Wild Hardwood Coniferous Wetland Shallow Openland Woodland Wetland

and Seed and Herbaceous Trees Plants Plants Water Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife

Crops Legumes Plants Areas

Badin Very Poor Good Good Good Very Very Poor Good Very

(BaF) Poor Poor Poor Poor

Chewacla Poor Fair Fair Good Good Poor Very Fair Good Very (Ch) Poor Poor

Congaree Good Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Fair

(Co)

Georgeville Good Good Good Good Good Very Very Good Good Very

(GfB2) Poor Poor Poor

Goldston Very Very Fair Poor Poor Very Very Poor Poor Very

(GoF) Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor

Tatum Fair Good Good Good Good Very Very Good Good Very

(TcD2) Poor Poor Poor

Potential for Habitat Elements Potential as Habitat for

Table 1: General Soil Parametrics

Table 2: Soil Suitability for Wildlife Habitat

TABLES


53/57


*Animal-unit-month (AUM): The amount of forage or feed required to feed one animal unit (one cow, one horse, one mule, five sheep, or five goats) for 30 days.

Soil Soybeans Corn Wheat Barley Sorghum Legume Hay Pasture

Name Bu Bu Bu Bu Tons Tons AUM*

Badwin --- --- --- --- --- 3.9 6.5

(BaF)

Chewacla 35 130 --- --- --- 6.6 11.0

(Ch)

Congaree 40 140 --- --- --- --- ---

(Co)

Georgeville --- 90 --- --- --- 4.5 7.5

(GfB2)

Goldston --- --- --- --- --- 1.8 3.0

(GoF)

Tatum 30 85 45 --- --- 4.5 ---

(TcD2)

Soil Dwellings Local Roads Septic tank Pond Embankments, Paths

Name with and Absorption Reservoir Dikes, and and

Basements Streets Fields Areas Levees Trails

Badin Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe:

(BaF) slope low strength, depth to rock, slope thin layer slope

slope slope

Chewacla Severe: Severe: Severe: Moderate: Severe: Severe:

(Ch) flooding, low strength, flooding, seepage piping, wetness

wetness wetness, wetness hard to pack,

flooding wetness

Congaree Severe: Severe: Severe: Moderate: Severe: Moderate:

(Co) flooding flooding flooding, seepage piping flooding

wetness

Georgeville Slight Severe: Moderate: Moderate: Severe: Severe:

(GfB2) low strength percs slowly slope, hard to pack erodes easily

seepage

Goldston Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe: Severe:

(GoF) depth to rock, slope depth to rock, depth to rock, piping slope

slope slope slope

Tatum Moderate: Severe: Moderate: Severe: Severe: Slight

(TcD2) shrink-swell, low strength depth to rock, slope piping,

slope percs slowly, hard to pack

slope

Table 4: Physical Limitations of Soil

Table 3: Agricultural Yields per Acre of Crops/Pasture


54/57


(F) Food (C) Cover (N) Nesting(1) Shrub form only(2) Browntop and Japaneses varieties only

Crop Deer Dove Duck Pheasant Quail Turkey Horses

Name

Alfalfa F F/N F

Barley F F F F F F F

Chufa F F F

Clover F F F F

Corn F F F F/C F F F

Lespedeza F F/C/N1

F F

Millet F F2

F F

Oats F F F F/C F F F

Rye F F/C F F

Sorghum F F F F F F

Soybeans F F/C F/C F/C F/C F/C

Sunflowers F F F

Wheat F F F F/C F F

WSG's F/C/N F/C/N F/C F

TABLESTable 5: Utilization of Agricultural Crops


55/57


1) At stations where only one trap location is warrented such as quail or woodcock, use of wobble trap would add appropriate element of unpredictability.2) Consider adding (phasing in) a variety of shooting positions at each station for variety and to minimize predictability.3) Be creative employing trees as shooting stops, build real butts and usingflat-bottom boats as shooting venues at duck station, etc.4) Build respecting the existing environment, maximizing its inherent assests and embellishing same whenever possible.5) Dove, quail, partridge, woodcock and wood duck could be designated as an early-season course and the remainder as late-season venues.6) Consider buildingfive stations (50 targets) initially and expanding to ten stations (100 targets) ultimately.7) Consider auxiliary uses for sporting clays facilities such as flyfishing instruction on ponds and streams, exercise on trails connecting stations, etc.8) Include set-asides for eventing and management space in plan.9) Institute safety standards sanctioned by NSCA and NSSA.

Table 6: Sporting Clays Course Design Considerations


56/57



57/57

During the preparation of this study we have had the privilege of working with a consortium of respectedprofessionals who have contributed in great measure to this undertaking. At this time, we would like totake this opportunity to recognize all of those who have made a contribution. We hope that we are able to

continue our relationship with them as the project progresses.

Field Sport Concepts, Ltd.

North Carolina State UniversityNC Wildlife Resources Commission

SC Waterfowl AssociationGeoscience Group

Clegg Mabry, Attorney at LawThe Sikes Family

Robert McKeeMark Keller

Steven Edwards

Steven DriverRaymond Woolfe

Robert GreenDr. Peter BromleyKen KnightMike SeamsterJay LogsdonBill SullivanTom HassettClegg MabryJoe SikesCecil Sikes, Jr.Bobby Sikes

Principal-in-ChargeProject MangementLandscape ArchitectureProduction CoordinatorLand PlanningCivil EngineeringEquestrian Sports Programming

Agriculture ProgrammingWildlife Habitat ProgrammingWildlife Habitat ProgrammingWildlife Habitat ProgrammingMallard Release ProgrammingEnvironmental and GeotechnicalEnvironmental and GeotechnicalHistory and Logistical SupportAgriculture ProgrammingAgriculture ProgrammingAgriculture Programming

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

the fork farm and stables

Documents