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Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge cycle paths have been completely closed to protect nesting piping plovers, reservations administrators announced on their Facebook page on Tuesday.
The map shows trail closures. – Reservations administrators
East Beach and Leland Beach remain open to pedestrians, with parking available at Dike Bridge and Wasque Reservation, according to the announcement. Approximately 1.5 miles of beach remain open at Norton Point. Directors have canceled their lighthouse tours for the time being.
Speaking to the Gazette by phone on Tuesday, Trustees Islands manager Sam Hart said there were 26 pairs of plovers nesting on Chappaquiddick this year.
“We’re having a banner year,†Hart said, noting the presence of breeding plovers in Wasque, Leland Beach and Cape Pogue. Two pairs nest right next to the Dike Bridge, he said, forcing the need for a complete trail closure due to the location of the nests. The birds are expected to hatch in a day or two, Mr Hart also said, which means trails could be partially reopened soon depending on where the birds decide to feed. “We will wait and see where they go,” he said.
The Facebook post said:
“While the timing for the July 4th weekend is unfortunate, state guidelines for shorebird management require us to implement a complete beach closure due to the outbreak of protected shorebirds. This is similar to the closure at Norton Point in 2019, when the location of the shorebird nests was in general proximity to the OSV access entrance, thus closing off vehicle access to the entire beach corridor.
“We continue to have a large number of shorebirds nesting on Trustees Vineyard properties. The Ecology and Stewardship staff of the Trustees regularly monitor the movements of shorebirds and our goal is to provide access to OSV trails as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience and understanding and realize that this restriction of the OSV corridor will have an impact on the planned recreational and sporting activities. “
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