The 735-acre Sandy Run Swamp Savanna contains 19 species of rare plants including Cooley's meadowrue, golden sedge and Carolina grass-of-Parnassus. It also contains a small cluster of the endangered eastern diamondback rattlesnake amidst the site's natural longleaf pine savanna. In January 2000, The Nature Conservancy purchased this significant site, located in Onslow County, North Carolina, from the Hancock Timber Resource Group. In addition to the biologically rich longleaf pine savanna habitat, Sandy Run contains loblolly pine plantations. The Nature Conservancy staff plans to restore the preserve to its original condition by planting additional native longleaf pine. This will give the plant and animal species of Sandy Run an opportunity to flourish, as well as provide a critical link to a corridor of natural areas in the Onslow Bay area.