BUXTON, N.C. (AP) - The Cape Point area of Cape Hatteras National Seashore is being closed to off-road driving to protect breeding activities of piping plover shorebirds.
The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reported (https://bit.ly/1lq4FFC) that park staff set up a 75-foot buffer around the area according to the off-road management plan.
Cape Point in Buxton and near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is one of the most popular fishing areas on Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Beach driving advocates and environmental groups are battling in court and in Congress over beach access. Piping plovers are a threatened species.
A federal report said nine piping plover nests were found on Hatteras Island beaches last year, the lowest number since 2009. Seven of those nests were on Cape Point.
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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, https://pilotonline.com
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