Lake Mattamusket, located within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin, contains one of the largest breeding populations of osprey in North Carolina. Also, the lake is a major winter stopover for thousands of Canada and snow geese, whistling swans and ducks.
Another refuge in the Tar-Pamlico Basin, the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, contains an 18,000-acre bog filled with Atlantic white cedars (juniper) and bald cypress. According to The Nature Conservancy, the Atlantic white cedar ecosystem is a globally endagered ecosystem.
The Swan Quarter and Juniper Bay areas of the eastern part of the basin, near Pamlico Sound, are designated by the state of North Carolina as Outstanding Resource Waters. These waterways are highly regarded due to their excellent water quality and exceptional ecological and recreational significance.
The Tar-Pamlico River Basin has a rich tradition in farming, and contains the state of North Carolina's largest tobacco-producing county (Pitt), and also the No. 1 producer of corn, wheat and sorghum (Beaufort County) in the state.
