Management Plan Weighs Options For Assateague’s Future As ‘The Island Is Moving Westward’

Management Plan Weighs Options For Assateague’s Future As ‘The Island Is Moving Westward’
Management Plan

ASSATEAGUE — During a year in which the Assateague Island National Seashore is celebrating its 50th anniversary, the future of the barrier island hangs in the balance with a draft General Management Plan (GMP) released last week outlining various alternatives.

Assateague Island National Seashore (AINS) Superintendent Debbie Darden this week presented the recently released General Management Plan (GMP) outlining four alternatives for the future of the barrier island, including one long-term potential alternative that includes simply letting nature run its course and returning the barrier island to its primitive natural state.

“The island is moving westward,” Darden told the Mayor and Council on Tuesday. “How do we as the National Park Service respond to that? After two recent storms, campsites that were perfectly good last year are now under six feet of sand because the island is moving.”

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the state and federal partners who manage Assateague will someday let nature run its course and access to the barrier island could be limited and the man-made structures could be allowed to simply disappear when they are lost or damaged during more frequent and more severe storms.

Of course, AINS officials could maintain the status quo, repairing the damage and replacing structures and facilities lost in storms as they currently do. Likely somewhere in between is an alternative that will adapt the man-made structures to be more sustainable and possibly remove some from the island altogether while continuing to allow limited public access.

All of those alternatives are now on the table with the release late last week of the proposed GMP for Assateague Island National Seashore. The public comment period for the proposed GMP opened last Friday and will remain open for 90 days. AINS officials are encouraging public participation in the decision-making process for the framework of the future of the barrier island.

Under Alternative 1, the NPS would continue to manage resources and visitor uses as it does today. The seashore’s enabling legislation and the existing General Management Plan created in 1982 would continue to guide the barrier island’s management and AINS officials would continue their current practices with no major changes.

Under Alternative 2, most visitors would enjoy traditional beach recreation concentrated within a high-density developed area accessible by private vehicle. Outside the developed area, natural processes and the effects of climate change and sea level rise would be the primary forces influencing the condition and evolution of the natural resources on the island.

Under Alternative 3, which is the NPS preferred alternative, visitor use infrastructure would evolve to more sustainable designs and likely shift to more stable locations both on and off the island. Most recreational uses and activities would continue, while new water-based points of access would provide access to additional low-density visitor use.

Under Alternative 4, or the most draconian alternative, visitors would continue to use existing facilities and infrastructure until such time as they are lost or damaged by natural coastal processes. Lost or damaged facilities would either not be replaced, or would be minimally replaced with sustainable substitutes. Under this alternative, visitor use would become almost entirely limited to day-use activities although some primitive camping would remain available.

“In the distant future, we may have to move off the island as the island continues to move westward,” Darden said. “We’re doing everything we can to have our infrastructure movable and sustainable, but sadly, all of our facilities are in areas impacted by rising floodwaters and they will likely have to be moved to the mainland eventually.”

Ocean City officials are playing close attention to the outcome for each alternative, particularly Alternative 4, which would essentially allow existing man-made structures on the island to eventually just go away naturally. Because the federal government maintains the rock jetty on the south side of the Ocean City Inlet, resort officials would resist any alternative that would let the south jetty fall into disrepair and not be replaced. However, Darden on Tuesday offered some assurances preserving the north end of the island just across the Inlet from Ocean City would likely be a part of any alternative chosen.

“One element common to all of the alternatives is continuing with the north-end restoration project,” she said. “Whatever alternative is selected, that will continue to be important.”

Council President Lloyd Martin commented on the importance of the wild barrier island just to the south of Ocean City for its residents and the countless visitors who enjoy it.

“Assateague Island National Seashore is very important to the Town of Ocean City and that is not going to change,” he said. “We all enjoy it and our visitors also enjoy it as part of their vacation experience. I think it’s great you’re letting people weigh in on the alternatives because Assateague means a lot of people in Ocean City. We know reality is going to strike one day and I think it’s forward thinking to have a plan in place.”

The draft GMP is available for review at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis and public comments are encouraged. There will also be three public open houses at various locations in March including Wor-Wic Community College, the Ocean Pines Library and the Chincoteague Center.