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CCJC:Orleans asks towns to collectively address plover issue

PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:47 pm
by Scott Hatch
CCJC:Orleans asks towns to collectively address plover issue

By Rich Eldred
The Cape Codder
Posted Oct 28, 2010 @ 11:22 AM

http://www.wickedlocal.com/brewster/fea ... over-issue

ORLEANS ?

Orleans has decided to rally support from other towns in a push for greater freedom in dealing with beach closures due to nesting piping plovers

Two years ago Orleans considered applying to the state for a Section 10 permit that would have allowed the town to direct vehicles around the plovers, provided they did mitigation such as predator control, but ultimately opted not to proceed due to costs and uncertainty as to the result.

Now they?d like to revive discussions, but this time with other towns involved.

?We?re suggesting a forum with other beach managers where we?d invite state officials to address concerns,? Town Administrator John Kelly said.

?We?ve been doing this for a number of years and have found the federal government (officials) are reasonable people,? observed parks and beaches Superintendent Paul Fulcher. ?The problem is on the state level. It?s a moving target. They make it up for this beach and they make it up for that beach. The town of Orleans can?t take it on by itself. It has to be something that is collectively done. More and more portions of the beach are shut down because of terns and plovers.?

Last year parts of Nauset Beach were closed to off-road vehicle traffic for 69 days. That was up from 61 the year before and 31 a few years before that.

?This year one chick at the south end kept the beach closed an additional 21 days,? Fulcher noted.

As the birds move closer to the main beach more of it could be shut down.

?I?m not looking to throw out the Endangered Species Act but there are reasonable ways of doing this,? Fulcher said.

?Every year we think we have found a small solution and the state steps in and says we can?t pursue that,? agreed Selectman John Fuller. ?We need to have the ability to manage our own beaches ? to let the birds have an area, we understand that, and to people use the beach.?

In 2004, 2571 nonresident over sand permits were sold to vehicles and that has fallen to 698 in 2010. That is crimping town revenues and perhaps sending tourists elsewhere.

?As a small-business owner, writing a letter may be admirable,? resident Steve Simon noted. ?But we?ve lost big revenues Nobody has discussed lost revenues to small busineses. This is affecting the town. We need to act.?

Simon believes that time is now, rather than waiting for other towns to pitch in.

?We need to take the bull by the horns,? he said. ?It?s costing Orleans taxpayers unnecessary funds. Writing a letter is a nice thing but it kicks the can down the road. We need to take charge of our own destiny.?

Another resident thought ORV owners were being demonized unfairly but Bill Henchy, who has litigated similar cases, spoke in favor of the plovers.

?It is an immutable fact that vehicles on the beach coincide and cause much of the population decline,? he said. ?ORVs and birds do not mix at all. They need the beach to exist on this planet. They are an endangered species because of some of the things we have done in the past.?

Selectmen voted 5-0 to pen a letter ?ASAP? to other towns and state officials to try to set up the forum.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:47 pm
by Scott Hatch
BTW Plovers taste like chicken!

PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 12:53 pm
by tammylynn
And they make for good striper bait.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 1:00 pm
by JayZR2
Most of CCJC is at Rausch this weekend.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 5:54 pm
by mrfreakinwhite
x-posted, we have members that use the beaches in their jeeps (or used to!)

PostPosted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 4:28 pm
by BobCCJC
Stupid Plovers....

This has been an issue all over the Cape for years....

I don't see it getting any better...

Anyone want some bait?

PostPosted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:40 am
by Bill H
I haven't bought a Plymouth Beach sticker in 2 years for the same reason. So much of the beach is closed for most of the summer, if you don't get out there by 9am on a weekend you are probably not getting on the beach.
I know a good place to drop off stray cats this spring :twisted: