UNC-W to study 4WD vehicle use and its effects on rare species at Fort Fisher St

WILMINGTON – Researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington have begun work on a comprehensive study of four-wheel-drive vehicle use and its effects on rare species at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. The current study began on Aug. 15 and will conclude with a final report to be submitted Dec. 31.
As part of this effort, the university will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 11 at UNCW’s Center for Marine Science to describe the proposed scope of the study to the community and to solicit comments from the public. Those comments will be analyzed for the final study draft to be presented to the N.C. Environmental Review Commission in February 2005.
Comments from the public regarding aspects of the study will be accepted at the meeting and for a 30-day period following. Written comments may be sent to Fort Fisher SRA Study, c/o NC Division of Parks and Recreation; 1615 MSC; Raleigh, NC, 27699-1615.
The Center for Marine Science is off NC 132 (College Road), about 4.5 miles south of the UNCW campus. Turn left onto Mohican Trail; turn right onto Masonboro Loop Road; and turn left onto Marvin K. Moss Lane.
The N.C. General Assembly authorized the study in its 2004 session following debate about restrictions on nighttime, four-wheel-drive access implemented at the coastal recreation area by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
“The university is pleased that members of the local legislative delegation asked UNCW to apply the intellectual capital of our skilled professors to a significant regional environmental and human issue,” said Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, chancellor of UNCW. “Such outreach to our region is a hallmark of this institution. We look forward to reporting the study results to the legislators to help them make a decision on how to manage this popular recreation area based on good science and predicted economic impact.”
At the direction of the General Assembly, the state parks system commissioned UNCW to conduct the study, funded with $25,000 earmarked for education, conservation and enforcement activities at Fort Fisher.
In February, the park began restricting four-wheel-drive access along the four miles of shoreline at Fort Fisher that had historically been open to vehicles 24 hours a day. The policy was based on concerns about visitor safety during periods when rangers are not on hand as well as protection of valuable natural resources. The recreation area and the adjacent Bald Head Island State Natural Area are home to 16 species listed as endangered, threatened or significantly rare species, including nesting shore birds and loggerhead sea turtles.
The active nesting season for many of these species is from April to September. The current park policy requires a permit for four-wheel-drive access and restricts nighttime driving on the shoreline from March 15 through Sept. 15. The beach is available to foot traffic 24 hours a day.
“We look forward to this comprehensive study as a way to help further refine our management policies at Fort Fisher, based on good science and economic analysis,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “Our goal is to strike a proper balance between recreation and the protection of a fragile coastal environment.”
The General Assembly directed that the study include analysis of five factors: the impact of vehicle access on sea turtles and nesting birds; the extent of sea turtle and shorebird nesting activity at the park compared with that at nearby coastal areas; the demand for vehicle access; the economic impact of restricting access; and, public comment.
Faculty in four university departments will be involved in conducting the study: Dr. William D. Webster, biological sciences; Dr. Chris Dumas, economics and finance; Dr. Jim Herstine, health and applied human sciences: and Drs. Robert Buerger and Jeffery Hill, environmental studies.
Webster is a vertebrate zoologist who has performed multi-year studies of nesting sea turtles at Masonboro Island and the Bald Head Island complex and has assisted with monitoring of local nesting waterbird populations. Dumas is an economist who has completed various economic impact studies relating to environmental and natural resource issues. Buerger, Herstine and Hill have expertise in human dimensions of natural resource management, including long-term studies of visitor use impacts on Masonboro Island and Zeke’s Island.

UNC-W to study 4WD vehicle use and its effects on rare species at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area

WILMINGTON – Researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington have begun work on a comprehensive study of four-wheel-drive vehicle use and its effects on rare species at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. The current study began on Aug. 15 and will conclude with a final report to be submitted Dec. 31.
As part of this effort, the university will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 11 at UNCW’s Center for Marine Science to describe the proposed scope of the study to the community and to solicit comments from the public. Those comments will be analyzed for the final study draft to be presented to the N.C. Environmental Review Commission in February 2005.
Comments from the public regarding aspects of the study will be accepted at the meeting and for a 30-day period following. Written comments may be sent to Fort Fisher SRA Study, c/o NC Division of Parks and Recreation; 1615 MSC; Raleigh, NC, 27699-1615.
The Center for Marine Science is off NC 132 (College Road), about 4.5 miles south of the UNCW campus. Turn left onto Mohican Trail; turn right onto Masonboro Loop Road; and turn left onto Marvin K. Moss Lane.
The N.C. General Assembly authorized the study in its 2004 session following debate about restrictions on nighttime, four-wheel-drive access implemented at the coastal recreation area by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
“The university is pleased that members of the local legislative delegation asked UNCW to apply the intellectual capital of our skilled professors to a significant regional environmental and human issue,” said Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, chancellor of UNCW. “Such outreach to our region is a hallmark of this institution. We look forward to reporting the study results to the legislators to help them make a decision on how to manage this popular recreation area based on good science and predicted economic impact.”
At the direction of the General Assembly, the state parks system commissioned UNCW to conduct the study, funded with $25,000 earmarked for education, conservation and enforcement activities at Fort Fisher.
In February, the park began restricting four-wheel-drive access along the four miles of shoreline at Fort Fisher that had historically been open to vehicles 24 hours a day. The policy was based on concerns about visitor safety during periods when rangers are not on hand as well as protection of valuable natural resources. The recreation area and the adjacent Bald Head Island State Natural Area are home to 16 species listed as endangered, threatened or significantly rare species, including nesting shore birds and loggerhead sea turtles.
The active nesting season for many of these species is from April to September. The current park policy requires a permit for four-wheel-drive access and restricts nighttime driving on the shoreline from March 15 through Sept. 15. The beach is available to foot traffic 24 hours a day.
“We look forward to this comprehensive study as a way to help further refine our management policies at Fort Fisher, based on good science and economic analysis,” said Lewis Ledford, director of the state parks system. “Our goal is to strike a proper balance between recreation and the protection of a fragile coastal environment.”
The General Assembly directed that the study include analysis of five factors: the impact of vehicle access on sea turtles and nesting birds; the extent of sea turtle and shorebird nesting activity at the park compared with that at nearby coastal areas; the demand for vehicle access; the economic impact of restricting access; and, public comment.
Faculty in four university departments will be involved in conducting the study: Dr. William D. Webster, biological sciences; Dr. Chris Dumas, economics and finance; Dr. Jim Herstine, health and applied human sciences: and Drs. Robert Buerger and Jeffery Hill, environmental studies.
Webster is a vertebrate zoologist who has performed multi-year studies of nesting sea turtles at Masonboro Island and the Bald Head Island complex and has assisted with monitoring of local nesting waterbird populations. Dumas is an economist who has completed various economic impact studies relating to environmental and natural resource issues. Buerger, Herstine and Hill have expertise in human dimensions of natural resource management, including long-term studies of visitor use impacts on Masonboro Island and Zeke’s Island.