BEACH closures serving as havens for nesting shorebirds vandalized

Written by The Virginian-Pilot

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Catherine Kozak

Two beach closures that protect nesting shorebirds from off-road vehicle and pedestrian traffic were vandalized over the weekend, the National Park Service Outer Banks Group said Monday .

Under the terms of a court-sanctioned agreement, buffers around the enclosures on the beach near Ramp 23 and Ramp 27 were automatically expanded 50 meters, according to a news release. At Ramp 23, just south of Salvo, a barricade closing the ramp to ORVs was broken and tossed aside, and further down the ramp, a sign was damaged. On the beach at Ramp 27, near Avon, a vehicle ran through fencing, broke signs and entered two different resource protection areas.

No chicks or nests were destroyed , the statement said .

Anyone with information, contact Dare Community Crime Line at (252) 473-3111.

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