The wetlands site, home to a heron rookery, was purchased by The Land Trust for Central North Carolina. Both sites are located within the East-West Corridor of the County Wildlife Regions. Very flat upland area mostly surrounded by fields. Most of the site is dry hardwood forest, but several acres have shallow depressions. Upland Depression Swamp Forest.
Fields surround much of the site on the east and south.
A pine plantation borders the northern half of the site on the west. A young scrubby hardwood forest borders the southern half of the site on the west side. Protection Priority is low. Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge is owned by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department. Duck Cove is managed by Duke Energy.