Date: May 5, 2008
Contact: Outer Banks Group, (252) 473-2111 ext 148
The following temporary closures
of popular areas are being installed today in accordance with the
requirements of the consent decree signed by U.S. District Court Judge
Terrence W. Boyle.
1) Bodie Island Spit – A 150 m
buffer is required for an American oystercatcher breeding area located
approximately 50 meters from the ocean in a narrow section of beach
north of the spit. The buffer will preclude ORV and pedestrian access
along the ocean shoreline. NPS is evaluating an option for a pedestrian
by-pass, outside the buffer, through the interior of the spit to reach
sections of the spit/shoreline that are otherwise open to recreational
use, but currently an appropriate option does not exist due to flooded
conditions. NPS will continue to work on the pedestrian by-pass option.
Ramp 4 north to Ramp 2 is open for 2 miles to ORV and pedestrian access
until May 15 when the seasonal closure in front of Coquina Beach goes
into effect.
2) Cape Point – A 100 m buffer is
required for a least tern breeding area that is occurring approximately
80-90 m from the ocean near the eastern edge of the Cape Point
prenesting area, adjacent to the ORV corridor on the northeast side of
the Point. The 100 m buffer will preclude access along the shoreline.
There currently is not an alternative access option around the buffer;
however, NPS will continue to evaluate the situation daily.
3) South Ocracoke – A 50 m buffer is
required for breeding adult piping plover (PIPL) that are foraging on
the northeast side of the prenesting area. A PIPL nest has been
established nearby (within the prenesting area). Adult piping plover
are repeatedly foraging on the adjacent shoreline in the 100 ft. ORV
corridor. There currently is not an alternate route option available;
however, NPS will continue to evaluate the situation daily. Ramp 72
north to Ramp 70 is open for approximately 1.8 miles to ORV and
pedestrian access.
Other sections of the Seashore were
opened over the weekend to ORV and pedestrian access. An ORV safety
closure, approximately 1.6 mile in length, was lifted along the Avon
beachfront from 0.1 mile north of Avon Fishing Pier to Ramp 38. There
is temporarily through-access from Ramp 34 to Ramp 38 until the
seasonal village closures go into effect on May 15, 2008.
Temporary stabilization work on Ramp
44 was completed last weekend to attempt to alleviate flooded
conditions. The ramp was reopened late Saturday afternoon. Park
maintenance crews have further plans to remedy the flooded ramp
condition by raising the roadbed with appropriate materials and thus
reducing closures of the ramp in the future due to flooding.
For more information on beach
access, the Beach Access Report is distributed weekly on Thursdays. For
more resource management information, the Resource Management Field
Summary is distributed weekly.
As many already know - there has been a battle going on in the court system over ORV access. Just last week, there was a settlement but many felt the ramifications would not be in effect until sometime this summer. Guess again. Here is the latest announcement from the National Park Service.
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