“Through the years, military members, especially those far from home in times of conflict, have found inspiration and rejuvenation in America’s wild landscapes. Their dedication enables all Americans to enjoy these special places in safety and security,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “This new pass gives us a way to thank members of the Armed Forces and their families for their service and their sacrifices.”

Active duty members of the U.S. Military and their dependents can pick up their pass at the entrance fee booths at the refuge. They must show a current, valid military identification card to obtain their pass. More information is available at http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html.

Currently, 35 units of the National Wildlife Refuge System charge entrance fees. This military version of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass also permits free entrance all of them, as well as to sites managed by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Service that charge entrance fees. The pass is also available through these Federal agencies.

“We’re proud to open our refuge to the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families,” said Refuge Manager Lou Hinds.   “Refuges across the nation offer outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities, and we hope they’ll be able to relax and have fun with their families on this or any of our other outstanding refuges.”

The Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System and the military have strong ties. More than 200,000 acres of the Refuge System are former military lands, and nearly 50 of the 556 units in the Refuge System include lands transferred from the military to the Service. Following World War I and all subsequent conflicts in our nation’s history, returning veterans took advantage of hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational opportunities on refuge lands – and thousands continue to enjoy these activities. Today, the Service employs some 1,400 veterans in full-time and temporary positions, equal to nearly 20 percent of the agency’s workforce.

May 11-20: Captain Steve’s Flounder Tournament (www.stevesbaitandtackle.com).

May 17: Third Thursday Theater presents play readings at Sundial Books.  Call 757-336-5825 for time.

May 17: Mar-Va Theater presents “An Evening With David Ogden Stiers” (M*A*S*H). VIP Reception at 6 p.m.  Show begins at 7 p.m.  Call 410-957-4230 for tickets.

May 18: May Fest at Chincoteague Elementary School–5-8 p.m.  Open to the public.  Rain or shine. 

May 19: US Fish & Wildlife Service begins issuing annual passes offering FREE entrance for active duty military members and their dependents to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, all units of the Refuge System, National Parks, and other public lands. 

May 26: Acoustic Music Concert Series presents Big Wide Grin In Concert-7:30 p.m.-at the Senior Center on Church St.  Sponsored by Chincoteague Cultural Alliance  www.ChincoteagueculturalAlliance.org 

May 28: Memorial Day Observed to remember the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

June 1-12: OpSail 2012–12 days of International Ship Visits, Events, Celebration and More!  Commemorate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the Star Spangled Banner. Onancock Tall Ship Visit June 1-3, Cape Charles Tall Ship Visit June 8-12.  Visit www.OpSail2012virginia.com for full details.

June 9: Historic Eastville “A Star Spangled Day” Commemorating the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the writing of our Star Spangled Banner– 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  www.eastville.esva.net 

What’s Up With You?????? 

Send brief news about your business to chincochamber@verizon.net

Girl’s Day Out Boutique invite you to “Girl’s Night Out” Friday May 18, 6-9 p.m. as a “Thank You” for your support in 2011.  Great Specials!!!

Capt. Bob’s Marina 2012 Flounder King Tournament May 11-20.  Click here for details & registration!  Visit www.captbobsmarina.net

Captain Steve’s Flounder Tournament May 11-20. Visit www.stevesbaitandtackle.com to register!  Pig Roast May 17.

PAINT-UP, FIX-UP, CLEAN-UP WEEK: May 12-18.   Call Town  Office at 336-6519 to schedule your  bulk items, scrap  metal or minor  (bagged) yard debris by Thursday, May17.

Chincoteague Elementary School PTA May Fest-Friday  May 18–5-8 p.m.  Open to the public. Rain or shine. Great evening of  fun for elementary school-aged children and their families.  Games, face  painting, crafts, rock wall, super slide, obstacle course, food, baked  goods, ice cream, snow cones……Tickets $0.25/wrist bands $5. cespta@verizon.net)

Carodan Farm Wool Shop Workshop–Making Your Knits Fit–on May 19.  For more information contact Caroline at 757-336-0536 or see full write-up on our website: www.carodanfarm.com under classes.

Safe Boating Week–May 19-25 

Hurricane Preparedness Wk-May 27-June 2

Print & Ship in Princess Anne celebrates 2 years in business!  Join them at Oscar’s

June 3, 3-7 p.m. for Wine Tasting, Exhibits, Live music.                

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By Robert Boswell

Publisher, Wild Pony Tales

Few of the rescues made by Debbie Ober who runs Chincoteague Pony Rescue have been easy. But the latest one has tested her organizational skills, stretched already thin finances and torn her heart out.

On April 28 she sent her husband, Tom, and two friends nearly 500 miles to Bristol, Tenn. pulling their rescue trailer only to discover a situation that Debbie admits may be too much for them to handle. It was the Ober’s 10th rescue mission since 2008 and the only one where conditions forced them to leave ponies in need of rescue behind.

To Debbie each foal is as precious as any newborn baby. Older ponies they have brought in from abusive situations get the tender loving care they need to return to good health.

“We have rescued 11 since September,” said Debbie, and now five have been adopted.  Five of the rescues came from the auction/slaughter pens in Pennsylvania and Ohio.”

The latest rescue event began a month ago when Debbie got a telephone call from a nurse in Indiana. The nurse was trying to assist a patient in finding homes for her nine ponies, two with foals due anytime, on a property south of Bristol, Tennessee that were in trouble. The woman had encountered both health and financial setbacks and her home was in foreclosure. The owner survived five tornados this time last year, flood damage and had her truck repossessed. Her horse trailer was totaled in the tornados and recently sold for scrap which is how she has been feeding the ponies.

According to the nurse, who had met the owner when she sought medical care after a run-in with her lead stallion, had been turned down by 10 other horse rescues.

It took three weeks and many phone calls to get written permission to start rescue efforts of the herd and start the ownership transfer to the Ober rescue. Debbie was constantly on the phone, working online, trying to get it all lined up, and all along feeding and caring for the 21 ponies in her stable.

In addition, Debbie was posting on Facebook and the Chincoteague Pony Rescue site trying to raise money for the trip. Some donations came in to help with the $500 cost of the trip, but they do not have enough for a return trip, vet care and feed they will later need. The ponies, including a foal, left behind are keeping Debbie awake at night, driving her to spend every possible moment trying to raise the money and send Tom back to Tennessee.

To get the first trip under way, Debbie’s diligence finally paid off. Once the Obers had medical records, checked out registration and received transfers of ownership Debbie packed up the rescue trailer, making sure water, halters, bedding, lead ropes, insulated blankets, tranquilizers, Banamine for colic and heavy cotton ropes were all on board.

“In the time it took to take care of all the details,” said Tom, “two of the mares had foals, one a colt and one a filly.” Tom said this presented a new challenge, having to transport newborns on a 485 mile trip. So he built petitions in the trailer to keep the mares and their little ones separated. As with any rescue mission, said Tom, we needed to be prepared for the unknown.” And this time there were plenty of unknowns awaiting him.

Around 9 p.m. Saturday, April 28, Tom, with volunteers Wayne Morris and Vinnie Bianco, left for what would be a 10 hour trip. They arrived at the Tennessee location before light that Sunday morning. After a nap, awaiting daybreak, they began to check out the situation.

“The terrain of the area was very hilly and we had to park about 50 feet from the front gate of the pasture,” said Tom. “We found all the ponies together which included two stallions, one of which was very dominate and aggressive. There was no herd management in keeping the stallion separated from the mares and foals.”

Meanwhile, Debbie had spent a near sleepless night and is hearing just how bad it all was. There was no shelter, a very rocky pasture and a lot of hazards lying around such as pieces of barbed wire, broken glass, pieces of jagged metal and broken boards. “There was no sign of any hay or grain and the only water source was a small creek that ran through the pasture,” said Tom.

“Our main concern was the newborn which we named Bristol, just 24 hours old, lying in mud next to its mother, Shadow.” Tom continued, “The mare was in very poor condition and feeding a newborn, our concern was whether the foal was getting the nutrition it needed. The foal was very weak and could barely stand on its own.”

Tom said he lifted the first foal and put her on the trailer with its mother following.  “She walked right on board without any problems at all. The other ponies appeared to be in good health, but I wanted to get the other foal and its mother on board.

“That foal was full of energy and was running around with the rest of the herd. After a little rodeo wrangling, I was able to catch the foal and load him on the trailer.”

Tom said he hoped his mother would follow but that was not about to happen.  “The dominate stallion prevented our efforts in catching the mare. After four hours with no means of separating or containing the herd, we determined it was not worth the risk of injury to us or the ponies. It was my belief, that if the mare had been caught, that the stallion would have jumped the page wire fence, creating another problem.”

He was in constant touch with Debbie who was in agony. She was already worn out from worry and lack of sleep. “I can’t sleep with him on the road,” she said. Now she was confronted with wrenching decisions.

To understand the drama taking place, you have to know that for Debbie taking care of the 21 ponies on the Ober farm, some rescues, some her own, is what she lives for. She spends hours feeding them, driving to get hay and grain, and trying to find the money to keep them going.

So Tom once again called Debbie, this time with news she did not want to hear. But Debbie agreed that the stallion would have to be removed before any further attempt in removing the rest of the herd.

Tom got the owner to go for feed for the rest of the herd and he soon left for home, pulling the trailer out of a difficult incline. But the trip home took a little longer than the one coming.

“We had the worst of the ponies on board which was our biggest concern,” said Tom.

Said Tom, “We headed home around noon Sunday, stopping every hour to check on Bristol and Shadow. Every time we stopped, Bristol was already standing up nursing. By the time we finished giving water to Shadow, Bristol was lying down and ready to ride.”

The three very tired travelers and their cargo arrived back at the rescue Sunday night at 10:30. “Shadow was led to her new stall as I carried Bristol off the trailer.” said Tom. Debbie had everything ready, a clean stall, water, just the right amount of hay and grain and all the love and attention they could handle.

Shadow’s condition upon arrival was poor.  She was hundreds of pounds under weight and dehydrated trying to nurse her new filly.  “With her white color, she looked like a skeleton,” said Debbie. “ Her long winter coat was stuck to her with mud from her pasture and could not come out on its own.  I have been picking it off in clumps since her arrival.”

The ponies had no shelter in Tennessee.  Said Debbie, “Her manure was like a cow pie, and she really didn’t pass much manure for 12 hours after she arrived, indicating lack of food and hay for who knows how long.”  Shadow’s sire was born on Assateague Island and purchased at the 1989 Pony Auction.  Shadow’s dam was also born on Assateague, but the year is unknown. Shadow is now 16 years old and has had an extensive show record as well as several foals. 

“Debbie and I want to thank everyone who helped support this mission with donations needed for the transport,” said Tom.  Shadow will need a lot of care to bring her back to a healthy condition. Vet care and feeding costs will continue. A special thanks to Wayne and Vinnie who volunteered to help on this mission.”

Since their arrival late on April 29, Shadow and Bristol are starting to thrive.  “We had to start Shadow’s feeding program very slowly as to not cause her to colic from her starved state.  The phrase “you can kill them with kindness” is just as it says.  She now has a belly, but her return to good health will take another six months or more.” Continued Debbie, “Bristol is filling out and getting taller by the day.  She runs and bucks in her stall enjoying every minute.  She is a “one pony rodeo” and keeps me laughing constantly with her every discovery and her antics.  She is 12 days old today, May 10.” 

Debbie has been around horses since birth, as her mother was an avid horsewoman.  She was active in 4-H and has been a horse owner nearly all her life, riding them in shows in her earlier years, and it would be a challenge to find anyone more suiting for managing a rescue than Debbie, and Tom who has also been around horses for years.

While feeling good about what they accomplished Debbie’s heart is really at the Tennessee farm. She is trying to find a way to remove the stallion from the pasture so they can load some of the remaining herd.

“Leaving the mare, Rainy, and her colt are eating at me the most,” says Debbie. “Shadow was the worst of the lot, so getting her was a priority.  The others were in good condition.  After talking to several other rescues, we are basically on our own.  They will only act if the ponies all look like Shadow.  It is sad that they have to suffer before getting any help from bigger rescues.  What a crappy world we live in at times.”

Honestly said Debbie, I couldn’t afford to feed them all if they got back here at one time, but I would give it my best shot to try.  I am going to continue to raise funds so that we can make another trip.

Had we not been called about the Tennessee ponies they would have been heading to auction or worse.  It is a huge expense to bring them to Maryland, but it would have been a much higher price to have to purchase them from the kill/meat buyers.

The Obers have rescued 12 other ponies, nine of them sold at the Chincoteague Pony Auction.  Four of the auction ponies are placed in forever homes and a total of seven are available for adoption.

Inquiries about donations or adoptions can be made by going to the Rescue website atwww.chincoteagueponyrescue.org or by emailing Debbie at hawkeye@goeaston.net. Her cell is 410-829-3026 and messages may be left on her Facebook page. The mailing address is P.O. Box 125, Ridgely, MD 21660.

 

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There is no more interesting time of the year than early spring to take a ride out to the Atlantic Ocean, passing through the greenery of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

There is so much to see.

On this day at the end of March, there are the mating rituals of the various birds that either hang around or just past through on the Atlantic Flyway. One could sit and look at the flirting egrets for hours.

A closer look will discover box and snapping turtles, just hatched, trying out their surroundings for the first time.

There are some early beach goers trying to rush the season, not yet finding it warm enough to take off jackets.

There is the golden sun that lights up the waterways and the meadows as far as you can see.

And on this day a well known stallion, Prince, is making his way through the trees with his band of mares. Their usual diet of cord grass is especially green at this time of the year. We meet people who were happy to learn more about Prince, one family on a day trip from Williamsburg where they were vacationing for the week and another from northern Virginia.

From us they learned that Prince was sold to the Buyback Babes in 2007 at the Chincoteague Pony Auction. The group paid $17,500, the most every paid for a pony at the annual auction. As a buyback, Prince will remain on the Assateague, his forever home.

The sire of Prince is Tornado, one of the most famous stallions to ever live on Assateague. He is now 23 years old and after being seriously injured, probably in a fight with another stallion, was nursed back to sound health from his injuries by Debbie Ober who now runs Chincoteague Pony Rescue in Ridgely, Maryland.

Prince is in the southern herd of Chincoteague ponies, sometimes seen in the big meadow on the right side of Beach Road. A much larger herd lives on the northern part of Assateague and cannot be easily seen by visitors. Only those who can go out on one of the tourist boats, their own boat, a tour bus or hike can see them. The wildlife tour bus, operated by the Chincoteague Natural History Association is not expensive and runs a regular schedule.

For current information regarding wildlife tours, or to purchase tickets, inquire at the refuge visitor center or call the association office at (757) 336-3696 .

                                                     — Robert Boswell

May

• Mother Earth Day Festival
• 2nd Saturday Art Stroll
• Big Wide Grin:IN CONCERT

Coming in June

• Chamber Music Concert: Calidore String Quartet
• CCA Summer Cinema Series
• Music at the Dock

For additional information, please visit info@chincoteagueculturalalliance.org 

The hours of operation have also changed for the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center, which is now open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. 

“Whether you are a repeat guest or visiting for the first time, we encourage you to help facilitate harmony between wildlife, habitat, and people by taking time out from your daily routine to go outside,” said Michael Dixon, visitor services manager.

For more information about Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, call 757-336-6122 or visit www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco. 

The documentary shares the highlights of Leopold’s shares highlights from his extraordinary career, explaining how he shaped conservation and the modern environmental movement.

 The film illustrates how Leopold’s vision of a community that cares about both people and land  continues to inform and inspire people across the country and around the world, highlighting modern projects that put Leopold’s land ethic in action in a multitude of ways. 

The program is free and open to the public. Refuge admission is free for program attendees. Light refreshments will be served. 

The screening sponsored by the Chincoteague Natural History Association in partnership with the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

By Wild Pony Tales

Originally posted August 2007

It was a steamy morning on Chincoteague Island, the weatherman calling for a 93 degree day. A big crowd had gathered early this late July 2007 morning , excited about the yearly Chincoteague Pony Auction which would soon begin. Those planning to bid and those coming to watch had gotten there early to claim their seats.

Also getting up early had been members of the Chincoteague Fire Company who had a lot of work to do, setting up the auction site, preparing to keep records of the sales and most importantly, getting the bucking, excited ponies safely into and out of the auction ring.

In the early morning as the bidders got into their seats no one knew auction history would be made this day. As the auction moved along, a pony that many had been waiting for was brought into the ring. He was a white stallion. The bidding began.

Up to $5,000 it went, then on to $10,000 and the crowd grew quiet except for some gasping as the price edged upward. No matter how high the bidding went a higher bid was called out by a group of women sitting to the right of the auctioneer. The women, known as the Buyback-Babes, had their hearts set on this white stallion pony and they were not to be outbid. When they called out their last bid, $17,500, the auctioneer said “sold,” and a sales record had been reached. The previous record for a pony at the auction was $10, 500 in 2001.

The three-month-old foal was to be named Prince, and the Buyback Babes had purchased another foal to be returned to the herd.

Anyone who has attended the auction knows of this group of women who try to purchase a pony every year to be released back into the wild. These women are from all across the nation. They pool their money together for one lucky pony. This was Prince’s lucky year.

Prince enjoys the warm sun on the southern range of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. This photo was taken March 29, 2012 by Robert Boswell. His band of mares was grazing nearby.

Dr. Charles Cameron, from Eastern Shore Animal Hospital, the official pony veterinarian, gave Prince and the others a clean bill of health so he could be released back into the wild after the April roundup. Dr. Cameron and his staff have been giving inoculations to the wild ponies of Chincoteague for 18 years. The ponies are treated for the diseases encephalitis, West Nile, rabies, and equine infectious anemia. They are also treated for worms and given a tetanus shot.

Before Dr. Cameron can treat the ponies they have to be rounded up from both the southern and northern ranges. These ponies are on the Virginia side of Assateague, not to be confused with the Maryland ponies.

This year’s spring roundup began Friday afternoon (April 18) when the Saltwater Cowboys rounded up the southern herd, riding out on the range and shooing them along into a holding area off Woodland Trail. From there they are moved along to the big corral on Beach Road where they spend the night dining on hay and drinking fresh water from tubs.

Once in the corral, bands of ponies that belong to the stallions get mixed together and this often leads to conflict with the stallions who give off various signals of displeasure, with a little biting and kicking to make their points.

After a busy late afternoon on Friday, the cowboys had to be back on the job at 7 a.m., reporting to the much larger northern range for a full morning of riding.

Dr. Cameron’s morning started early too, with breakfast with his medical team and the wildponytales staff at Bill’s Restaurant. After breakfast, everyone headed for the corral where the southern heard was waiting. As Dr. Cameron backed his truck in and got set up, ponies were being separated into groups, by fire department officials.

When he was ready, fire officials ran the ponies into a chute, one by one. It was not a quiet scene. The ponies were kicking and whinnying, making an incredible array of noises. The ponies could not move around much once in the chute, giving Dr. Cameron’s helpers a chance to pry open their jaws. In a quick action, Dr. Cameron then gives each one a squirt of medication through a long tube connected to a pump, a contraption called a drench.

While all this is going on, seven miles away the northern herd was on their way into their corral, awaiting their own fate with Dr. Cameron. It took a huge effort by the cowboys as they worked to get every pony in the corral. At midday Dr. Cameron arrived and he and his assistants went through the same steps over and over until over 100 ponies had been treated.

But it was Prince that got the most attention, Jean Bonde, a member of the Buy-Backs said. “His Misty coloring made him stand out.”

The Buy-Backs knew they wanted to keep a colt when the Pony Association decided to keep males. They settled on Prince. The Buy-Backs only get to see their ponies at the three yearly roundups, but sometimes along Beach Road and from the tour bus run by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.

Prince was not released back into the wild until April 18, 2008. According to Bonde, Prince was kept over the winter at the carnival grounds along with several other foals. The fire department takes care of these foals during the winter months because they need time to grow stronger before released to the owners or back into the wild. Prince has now reached the age of about 15 months old and is living his life on Assateague Island.

International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.  Created in 1993, the event is now hosted at over 500 sites throughout the Western Hemisphere, reaching thousands of youths and adults.  As part of the 20th anniversary, this year’s annual bird theme Connecting People to Bird Conservation will focus on 20 ways people may help preserve birds every day.

“Kelly’s drawing of a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is the perfect logo for this year’s conservation theme” stated Refuge Manager Lou Hinds.   “Getting the word out about the wonder of birds and how we can help them is what IMBD is all about.”

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will host its 18th Annual International Migratory Bird Celebration on Saturday May 12.   The event will again coincide with the Mother Earth Day Celebration at the Robert Reed Park that is being held on the same day.  Come out between 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and check out the great activities the staff and volunteers at the refuge will have to offer.

Adults and kids can enjoy creating bird houses and hummingbird feeders; learn some basic birding skills on a guided bird walk or bird banding demonstration; and enjoy an entertaining and educational program that features live, non–releasable wild animals with the staff at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.   Wildlife artists, refreshments, bird crafts, and soap carving sponsored by the Ward Museum, live critters and exhibits with the staff at the Salisbury Zoo and Delmarva Discovery Center will all be featured inside the Herbert H. Bateman Educational Administrative Center.   Outdoor and Nature Photographer Irene Hinke-Sacilotto will share her photographic experiences and love of nature with everyone at 11:00 AM in the auditorium followed by the Children’s Art Contest Award Ceremony at 12:30 PM sponsored by the Historic Main Street Merchants Association.

Come join us on Saturday, May 12th and get involved in bird conservation.  It’s easy to get involved, and like anything, some of your most helpful actions begin at home.  Imagine how many birds you can help finish their migratory journey, have a successful nesting season, raise young, and survive the winter, if you help preserve birds every day.

Susan Fair

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

PO Box 62

8231 Beach Road

Phone: 757-336-6122 x300

Fax: 757-336-5273

susan_fair@fws.gov

President’s Message

By Evan Hirsche, President 

It isn’t often that a plan to move a parking lot sparks a major controversy worthy of a Congressional hearing. Surprisingly, this is exactly what transpired in a coastal community over a proposed plan to move the beach parking lot at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia.

Further south, a different controversy has been brewing for more than a decade in North Carolina’s Outer Banks concerning a deteriorating bridge connecting Nags Head to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Herbert C. Bonner Bridge connects popular beachfront barrier islands that are traversed by a road riddled by washouts and mounting maintenance costs.

In both cases, the mix of sea level rise as a result of climate change, desire for vehicular access and the realities of ever-shifting barrier islands have combined to form a toxic cocktail of vitriol in these coastal communities.

At Chincoteague, a parking lot adjacent to a popular beach visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year is frequently washed out by storms. Most recently, Hurricane Irene destroyed the parking lot just before the busy Labor Day weekend and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) predicts that it will cost $40 million over the next 15-years to continue maintaining the parking lot in its current location.

An aerial view of the new inlet severing NC-12 at Pea Island NWR in NC as a result of Hurricane Irene in August 2011. | Tom Mackenzie/ FWS

At Pea Island NWR the situation is even worse. Hurricane Irene cut a new inlet, severing NC-12, the main road on the Outer Banks, and cut off transportation to areas further south on the barrier island. A makeshift bridge traversing the newly-created inlet has cost $10 million. Maintaining the 10-mile-road over the 20 years preceding Irene has been upwards of $25 million. And these mounting costs are all at the taxpayer’s expense.

The FWS has proposed long term solutions for both of these problems. A new parking lot on higher ground at Chincoteague would be less prone to washouts and require fewer maintenance costs in the long term. However, this plan, which would include a tram option shuttling beach-goers from town, has pitted the agency in a battle against many in the nearby town of Chincoteague who believe that anything short of a park and walk to the beach arrangement will serve as a death knell to the local economy.

In North Carolina, the FWS proposed a bridge route for NC-12 that would bypass the shifting sands of Pea Island Refuge altogether. This plan was rejected by the state of North Carolina because of the cost of the project, despite lower maintenance costs in the long term. It is projected now that construction costs of the smaller bridge segments required as a result of the Irene-caused inlets will rival the price of the FWS proposed bridge without including on-going road maintenance costs.

National wildlife refuges have been an integral part of coastal communities for more than a century, beginning with the creation of Pelican Island NWR in 1903. As we are witnessing first hand, climate change is accelerating natural processes and causing disruptive weather events that are quickly and permanently changing the face of many ecologically important wildlife havens, while also raising the specter of dramatic changes for coastal communities. In the immediate, there is the question of whether taxpayers should pay exorbitant sums for short-term solutions of dubious practicality, which also undermine wildlife conservation objectives on our national wildlife refuges.

In the long term, with climate change an underlying and pervasive catalyst for change, these questions are only going to become more difficult and widespread, particularly in connection with the hundreds of coastal and tidal national wildlife refuges. As taxpayers, can we continue to afford footing the bill for pricey short-term solutions that will quickly be undone by the disruptive forces of nature, and how do we begin making smart but hard decisions that look forward 25, 50 and 100 years?

Onward and upward!