Superintendent Mike Murray announced today the reopening of two popular off-road vehicle (ORV) areas as the shorebird nesting season comes to a close in Cape Hatteras National Seashore. On Bodie Island Spit, the shoreline access corridor south of Ramp 4 to Oregon Inlet reopened to ORV and pedestrian access on Monday, Aug. 23, 2010. Under the terms of the consent decree, the prenesting area adjacent to the access corridor will remain in place until two weeks after the last chick in the area fledged. Also on Aug. 23, the area on Hatteras Island between Ramp 23 and the southern boundary of Salvo has reopened to ORV and pedestrian use. ORV access is allowed from Ramp 23 north to the village boundary. As a reminder, the nighttime restriction on beach driving is still in effect on all national seashore beaches from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
A number of resource protection areas remain in place for sea turtle nests on Seashore beaches. To date, a record number of 147 turtle nests have been laid and nesting activity continues. Both bird and sea turtle protection areas are posted with signs and symbolic fencing and are closed to vehicle and pedestrian access and to all pets. Destruction of government property and entering a resource closure are federal criminal violations, each subject up to a $5,000.00 fine and up to six months imprisonment.
For up-to-date information on currently open or closed areas, check the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Google Earth maps at:
https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/googleearthmap.htm
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
