Cape Cod ORV Information

hatteras8926 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:50 am

I'm planning to write a paper comparing and contrasting some of the different ORV management plans along the east coast for a coastal geography class I'm taking. Basically, I want to compare and contrast the ORV management plans/techniques of Cape Hatteras, Assateague Island, and Cape Cod to see if there are any components of the Assateague Island and/or Cape Cod plans that could be successfully used in Cape Hatteras.

From having been a member of this site for quite a while, I recalled Cape Cod had an ORV accessible area and was planning to use information about it in my paper. As I've never been there, I figured you guys in the Northeast chapter might be able to help point me in a good direction for gathering information. Right now, I'm still in the preliminary stages of planning the paper, so the only information I have is what I've seen on the NPS websites. Eventually, I plan to contact applicable people in each NPS area. However, I felt that people with experience dealing with the NPS or other interested parties in the local area might be able to provide me with extra insight, such as what organizations would be good for information.

Some questions/areas I would like to explore are:
1. What is the plan in place?
2. How did this plan develop?
3. What were the measures used to determine the particular course of action taken?
4. Brief history of ORV use in the area.
5. Geography of the area.
6. Number of ORV users per year (current and historical).
7. Who was involved in developing the ORV plan?
8. What were/are the overriding principles of the plan?
9. What are any current or future issues regarding ORV use?
10. Is the plan expected to be change significantly in the near future (5-10 yrs.)?

Any help you guys can give me with this is most appreciated.

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:01 pm

Greetings. I love the Cape Cod National Seashore! I've spent a week in the Cape every July since 1996. Here's a link to the NPS website for the Cape Cod National Seashore where I got information about getting my oversand permit.

http://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/permits.htm

If you click the "contact us" link or call the Ranger Station by phone, it puts you in direct contact with an NPS Ranger and they are always very, very helpful and friendly. I'm sure someone there could answer the questions you listed above with little trouble.

I only have experience with the Cape Cod National Seashore and no other ORV management plans. However I can tell you that the NPS at Cape COd has their proverbial sh*t together and they are very thorough, knowledgeable and experienced in managing the seashore. I think you'll find that the Cape Cod National Seashore is one of the nation's first (if I remember correctly) and they've been dealing with the management and protection of the seashore for many years. They have it down to a science. If you'd like to use some of my photos from the Cape ORV route, feel free. Here they are:

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!

hatteras8926 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:35 pm

Prospect:

Thanks for the info. It's good to know that they have their stuff together at the Ranger Station. It sounds like they should be able to help me out immensely in my research. Right now, Cape Hatteras National Seashore doesn't have a plan, which has caused TONS of problems between folks like us, nature conservationists (READ: Sierra Club types), and the local community. So, maybe something can be learned from Cape Cod that will serve enough interests down this way. Thanks again.

VMKJCRD · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:26 am

Thats the smoothest beach i have ever seen, usually the ones i drive on have deep sand ruts from people not airing down.

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:41 am

Yeah the Rangers make you air down in Cape Cod. They're pretty strict about alot of things, but it's all in the name of preservation and nobody ever argues with that.

hatteras8926 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:14 pm

Does anyone happen to know exactly how much of the ORV area will be open this year. I found a map on the NPS website (http://www.nps.gov/caco/upload/ORVMap11_10_2009.JPG, and because there's no scale, I can only assume (I know, I know) that only a small portion will actually be open. I'm trying to figure out what the area that will be open is in comparison to the total ORV area. Thanks again.

Prospect62 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:11 am

The ORV route closes and opens in sections variably throughout the year depending on when and where the endangered bird the "Piping Plover" is nesting. Last year in the middle of July the majority of the route was closed because of the birds, as it is now. They nest in the ORV areas!

Are you looking for a percentage or an area in miles or what? Based on my knowledge of the area, the current "green" section looks to be maybe 10 miles total.

The Rangers at the station should really be your first place of inquiry.

hatteras8926 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:49 pm

Thanks again. I posted before I realized the rangers would be able to give me that info. :oops:

Cape Cod ORV Information

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