economic realities and effective resource management realities often
conflict...and politicians are the worst managers of each. i personally
think the pendulum has swung wildly to policies of personal greed and
consumption in most of the southern coastal states. the outer banks and
barrier islands of virginia and the carolinas are unique and precious
resources that need protection from human over-development and
over-consumption. in north carolina, we have limited and managed vehicle
use on our beaches. i'm all for the appropriate management and
limitation of vehicular traffic on beaches. unmanaged, the fools ruin
the beaches for everyone, including those who responsibly travel on the
sand, and for the wildlife. they four-wheel over dunes and sea oats.
they drive over nesting sites. they disrupt and irreparably damage an
already fragile eco-system. that said...weather and sea always have the
final say. i am a proponent of no vehicles on fragile beaches and
barrier islands. hell, i'm a proponent of no vehicles on any beach.
that said...there are some areas and beaches that seem to tolerate the
use. most of nc's core banks...a national seashore including cape
lookout...has a long history of managed beach vehicle use.

....and tom...how about getting the virginia fat cats focused on the
destructive commercial menhaden fishing up there! g

jeff

On 11/29/2011 9:24 PM, DaveS wrote:
On Nov 29, 2:32 pm, Tom wrote:
Here's the situation:
Current Refuge manager has a track record of severely restricting access
by other than foot or boat to offshore refuges. However, several
influential types and a lot of semi-influential types frequent
Assateague's beaches. They have attacked the issue in several ways.
First, an influence war behind the scenes. Several administration
officials fish the beach, so that helps. Second, the town of
Chincoteague and the Accomack County officials have demanded access to
ALL planning documents. Review of those should take 2 or 3 years, and
then, step 3, a lawsuit to block the action as a violation of the
original intent of Accomack County in ceding the land to the Feds.
In other words, nothing changes for at least 3 or 4 years, minimum.
By that time, I would guess you might have different refuge management
in place, so all remains as it has since they made the National Seashore
into a National Refuge(about 20 years ago).
Tom

So I guess that means that the beach keeps disappearing due to
"climate change" and the rest of the parking lot disappears in the
next storm? . . . meanwhile the "influential types" keep using their
"influence" to maintain their vehicular fishing access, instead of
being leaders in facing up to the facts of "climate change?"

Dave
Beaches come and go even with or without "climate change," leaving
less and less sand in which to bury ones head. The only constant is
the ability of "influentials" to intimidate bureaucrats charged with
protecting the broader national interest in the face of unpleasant
realities.