Cattails, sawgrass, wild rice and spike rushes are common plants in these ponds. Non-woody plants that are able to tolerate the saturated soils include royal fern, cinnamon fern, lizard s tail and water dock. Sea ox-eye and salt meadow cordgrass grow in the areas furthest from the salt water. Buxton Woods serves as an important resting place for migratory birds in the fall. More that 360 species, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons, have been recorded.
Common mammals are gray fox, mink, river otter and white-tailed deer.
Reptiles and amphibians include eastern box turtles, green anoles, and southern dusky salamanders. Visitors may also take the public ferry from either Cedar Island in Carteret County or Swan Quarter in Hyde County to Ocracoke Island. From Ocracoke, the Hatteras Inlet ferry serves as a link to N.C. 12 on Hatteras Island. The ferry terminal is located 8 miles southwest of the reserve. The reserve can be reached via Old Doctor s Road, Flowers Ridge Road, or Water Association Road, which all run into the forest from N. C. 12.