HELPING WITH AN OYSTER PROJECT as part of their summer duties with the NPS Youth Conservation Corps are, from left, Samantha Robinson, Frankie Powers, Ashley Smith, Ian Miller, Miles Howard and Carly Creef.

  YCC CREW members (from left(, Josh Budde,James Wooten, Stacey Hodnett (group leader), Ian Miller and Miles Howard, handle oysters as part of their summer duties with the National Park Service.

Youth help with oyster restoration

  National Park Service’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) recently participated in an oyster restoration project by assisting staff from Jockey’s Ridge State Park, The Nature Conservancy, N.C. Coastal Federation and Division of Marine Fisheries.

  This is one of  many ongoing local efforts to not only restore healthy and productive oyster beds to local waters, but also aid in marsh enhancement and shoreline stabilization. The installation of bagged oyster shells creates a sill and is the second phase of the project. Later this fall, native marsh grasses will be planted to assist in natural stabilization of the shoreline.

  Superintendent Mike Murray said, ”YCC Group Leader Stacey Hodnett has found a way to contribute to a worthwhile local effort as well as infuse that youthful energy and drive into many projects for her crew this summer. The oyster sill restoration project proved to be a productive morning for everyone. Their work provides a valuable service to the community.”

  The east side of Cape Point has been reopened to ORVs effective immediately, according to Mike Murray, superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

  The area is now open to ORV traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The night-time proohibition on beach driving is still in effect on all national seashore beaches from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

  The prenesting closure of the area west of Cape Point remains in effect and is posted as closed to vehicles pedestrians and pets. (From NPS)

  Cape Hatteras National Seashore Resource Management Field Summary for July 1-7 is reported as follows:

  Piping Plover (PIPL) observations: Oregon Inlet, 2; Cape Point, 20; South Beach, 16; S. Ocracoke, 12; S. Ocracoke, 33.

  PIPL Breeding Summary: total nests, 16; active nests, 2; total nests hatched, 10; total nests lost, 4; total eggs hatched, 30; unfledged chicks, 0; lost chicks, 15; fledged chicks, 15.

  WIPL Update: WIPLs have been observed on a regular basis.

  American Oystercatchers (AMOY)

  Green Island: total nests to date, 3; nests hatched, 2; nests lost, 1; total chicks hatched, 6; unfledged chicks, 5; chicks lost, 1.

Bodie District, total nests, 2; active nests, 0; nests hatched 1; nests lost, 1; total chicks hatched, 1; chicks lost, 1.

Bodie/Hatteras District – total nests, 5; nests hatched, 4; nests lost, 1; total chicks hatched, 10; unfledged chicks, 1; chicks lost, 5; fledged chicks, 4.

  Hatteras District – total nests, 12; nests hatched, 9; nests lost, 3; total chicks hatched, 22; unfledged chicks, 2; chicks lost, 4; fledged chicks, 15.

 Ocracoke District – total nests, 6; active nests, 1; nests hatched, 4; nests lost, 1; chicks hatched, 8; unfledged chicks, 1; chicks lost, 6; fledged chicks, 1.

 CAHA totals – total nests, 28; active nests, 1; nests hatched, 20; nests lost, 7; chicks hatched, 47; unfledged chicks, 10; chicks lost, 17; fledged chicks, 20.

Colonial Waterbirds (CWB): Scrapes, nests, chicks and fledglings active south of Ramp 4, south end of Green Island, near Ramp 23, 27, 38, 45, Salt Pond Road and north of Ramp 59.

  Loggerhead sea turtle nests located near Ramp 34, 38, 45, 55, 4.2 mi. n. Ramp 67, 2.4 mi. s. Ramp 59, 1.9 mi. n. Ramp 67. False crawls were found near Ramps 38, 43, 44, and 67. New nests this week: 10; total nests to date, 66; new false crawls, 6; total false crawls to date, 43.  No sea turtle strandings were discovered this week.

    Closure intrusions – Bodie District: ATV tracks ran through a closure, passing directly over a nest but no damage to the eggs was apparent; two signs were removed and one broken near Ramp 23 and footprints were found near Ramp 23. Hatteras District: Staff discovered one broken sign and ”Eggs”’ (with an arrow pointing towards the nest) 1.3 mi. S. Ramp 34; two pedestrians and a dog entered a closure 1 mi. S. Ramp 38; Pedestrian tracks were seen in the sea turtle nest closure at Ramp 49; dog tracks seen near Ramps 55, near Frisco Pier, south of Ramp 44; pedestrian tracks seen in near Ramp 44; sunbather seen near Ramp 45; pedestrian tracks seen near Ramp 55. Ocracoke District: Child seen in South Point Closure, boat with 10 people found within the South Point closure, two pedestrians were seen within the North Ocracoke closure.

  Cape Point is open to pedestrians on the east side, according to Mike Murray, National Park service superintendent.

  Access is via a pedestrian access corridor that begins about 100 meters south of Ramp 44. Although the remaining piping plover chicks in the Cape Point area had fledged by last week, access to the Point has remained closed due to a closure for the unfledged American oystercatcher chicks south of Ramp 44. The AMOY chicks, which are provided a 200 meter buffer under the conssent decree, have now fledged, and the access corridor has reopened to pedestrian access.  Pets are not allowed in the pedestrian corridor. Young AMOY fledglings are relatively large birds and weak flyers and are less capable of getting out of the way of moving vehicles or pets off leash.

  There is a two-week waiting period after AMOY chicks fledge before an area is reopened to ORVs or pets. It is expected that the access corridor to the Point will reopen to ORV access and pets in about two weeks, provided no new resource closures occur in the area. (From the NPS)

  Young at Heart Rate class at The Dare County Center will become a fun game of Exercise Bingo Friday, July 16.

  You can still expect the same great workout and enjoy a little Bingo, too.

  This event will be held in the multipurpose Room at 9;45 a.m. For information, contact Allison at 475-9272.

  A meatloaf dinner fundraiser for The Dare County Center will take place Tuesday, July 13, 5-6:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per plate.

  Dinner will include meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and beverage, eat-in or take out.

  Stop by the center to purchase your tickets between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

  Hudson Williams will teach a wood carving class at The Dare County Center Tuesdays, July 6, 13, 20, 27 and Aug. 3 and 10.

  All supplies will be included in the $100 fee. Space is limited, so register early by calling 475-9270 to register. The fee is due at class time.

  Donations for the food pantry are being accepted at The Dare County Center in Manteo. Items needed are canned goods, pastas, dry boxed goods, etc.

  Please drop off your items Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The box is located in the front lobby. You can’t miss the sign. The staff will make sure the items get delivered to the food pantry.

  A trip to see the Dallas/Redskin game is being planned by the Fessenden Center through Great Atlantic Bus Tours.

  This overnight package costs $349 for upper level seating, $409 for lower level. The bus will depart Buxton at 8 a.m.

  Call Jaki Gray at 475-5647 for more details and pick-up.

   An investigation by National Park Service rangers of the fifth deliberate vandalism act of the 2010 season to resource protections areas within Cape Hatteras National Seashore has resulted in the apprehension of two suspects,Daniel Hunt, 28, from Maryland, and local resident Brian Tillett, 32 of Rodanthe. Charges have been issued to the two men for multiple violations.

  The incident occurred about 2 a.m. on the morning of July 1 on the beach near Sea Oats Drive, north of the Rodanthe Pier. Evidence of two separate sets of ATV tire tracks were observed driving south on the beach for about two miles. The vehicle entered a sea turtle protection area, performed multiple swerves, ”donuts” and jumping maneuvers.

  One set of tracks led to a cottage occupied by Hunt who confessed and identified the second driver. Hunt was charged with unsafe operation, operating an ORV in a seasonal closure, entering a resource protection area in the national seashore, giving false information, disturbing wildlife and being intoxicated in the park. His ATV was seized as evidence. Tillett was charged with unsafe operation and operating an ORV in a seasonal ORV closure and driving on a suspended license.

  If anyone has information about this or other resource protection violations that occur in the park, please call Dare Community Crime Line at 252-473-3111. Destruction of government property and entering a resource slosure are federal criminal violations, each subject up to a $5,000 fine and up to six months imprisonment.