The Virginian-Pilot
©
HATTERAS ISLAND
In the first vandalism of the shorebird breeding season, resource protection signs and posts were broken and pulled out of the ground at a protected closure on the beach south of Avon, according to the National Park Service Outer Banks Group.
Tire tracks and footprints were discovered on April 22 at the north end of the closure located 0.8 miles south of Ramp 38, and tracks continued through the closure, according to a news release issued by the Park Service on Friday.
The buffer, established on Tuesday to protect a pair of breeding American Oystercatchers, was expanded by 50 meters on the north side of the existing closure, as mandated in a court-sanctioned consent decree, the statement said.
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call Dare County Community Crime Line at 252-473-3111.
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Violation Control
Last year I had submitted a plan for possibly catching the violators. A meeting was arranged with the local enforcment ranger, through the main office of enforcement. Because of budget constaints, I offered to pay for the initial trial to see if the idea was feasible (because of rules they can not solicite funds that is why I offered to donate the initial material). To my knowledge this was passed back up the line, but I have heard nothing. To me this is the most frustrating part as I have no knowledge of the "Protectors of the animals" making this type of offer!
I wish I could believe that, but
It sure looks like an inside job with the park staff complicit.
There just doesn't seem to be any real effort to catch the guilty parties, and it would not be that hard. You can buy motion activated infrared cameras made for photographing deer at night for about $100. There aren't that many access points. It would not be hard to monitor those few openings and know who was out there at the time of the damage.
Seeing that the park staff could easily catch the guilty and yet make no effort to do so tells me that they simply prefer to allow it to go on and close the beaches to vehicles. Most likely they know who is doing it and don't want to catch them.
The current plan is a disaster, allowing the environmental zealots to get their way by breaking the law and giving those who want beach access no way to prevent it.
Not the environmentalists
I am willing to bet it is a few ignorant individuals that cannot obey the law or think they are above the law and by their actions make everyone else suffer for their stupidity.
one bad apple...
...don't spoil the whole bunch. It would be better for everyone to focus on apprehending the perpetrator(s), whether they be Park Service (highly speculative and unlikely, but seems to be the #1 suspect by others posting here) or others. There are countless thousands more law-abiding, nature-respecting park users out there.
eco-terrorism
It seems like a win-win for the environmentalists -- if they vandalize the area, the perimeter will get bigger.
totally agree
Its always damaged signs and tire tracks but the nests are never touched.Definitely an inside job.Amazing that these birds and people survived each other all these years without any outside help.
At it again
These breaches are not islanders, we know better. We also think it is the Park Service themselves doing it. Perhaps we should take the the video cameras and do 24 hour survaliance to catch them.
I don't want to give up, but it seems fruitless when it comes to the lobbying power of the Enviromental Movement.
perhaps you should, it's a win-win
That is an excellent idea. That way you'll be able to either prove your theory or catch the criminals.