Now it appears that Assateague State Park is in the cross hairs of the very same environmentalist groups that were succesful in restricting off road access to certain beaches down in Hatteras. I came across this article in the Delaware Times about off road access to the certain beaches in Maryland
The National Parks Conservation Association, a park advocacy group, said more needs to be done to ensure that trucks aren't hurting plants and migratory birds that nest on Assateague.
Giampaolo laments a similar set of cirmunstances in Maui. Click here for a story about beach restrictions at La Perouse Bay, Maui.
Its ironic too as just last week I was looking into ditching the van for a 4X4. Dont get me wrong, I'm all for protecting our national parks, and doing everything within reason to effect improvements.
But this is starting to rub me the wrong way.
2 comments:
"It's still a national park, and people need to be able to use it."
Unlike Hatteras, you can't walk into the Assateague beach area because a road does not extend parallel to the beach and dunes.
They should keep the off-road capability or pave a road all the way to the VA border so folks could park and cross the dunes.
If the bird and plant(?) advocates get their way, it will no longer be a "park".
Human quality of life needs to be defended at least as strongly as wildlife needs to be protected.
Any 4-wheeling lawyers out there that want to be a hero?
Good point Ken. I hadn't thought of the fact that the road doesn't extend all the way down. As crowded as the parking lots get now with the beachs open to ORV, if they put these restrictions in place, we'll never find a place to park! Wavesailing as we know it in Assateague will cease to exist. I suppose we will have our own "Cove" access issues.
Downwinders from ocean city?
I don't think so, thats 5 miles north!
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