This Land, Your Land

North Carolina's National Forests have adopted proposals announced in February that limit geocaching and use of metal detectors on forest lands as a means to protect special areas and historical artifacts from damage.

Friday's news release announcing the decision says there's a list of areas affected by the new ban on the National Forests in North Carolina Web site - http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/ - but we could only find a geocaching brochure that has no such list.

Geocaches, hidden containers that game participants try to find by using GPS coordinates or other navigational techniques, are prohibited in wildernesses, experimental forests (such as the Bent Creek Experimental Forest near Asheville) or Wild and Scenic River corridors, the release says. "Virtual caches," which refer to existing features such as waterfalls and scenic vistas, are still allowed.

The second rule limits possession or use of metal detectors to approved areas, primarily swimming beaches like those at Lake Powhatan in the Pisgah National Forest, Jackrabbit Mountain in the Nantahala, Flanners Beach in the Croatan, and Kings Mountain Point in the Uwharrie. Forest visitors can still get permission to use metal detectors to find lost personal property in other areas.

The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge last week debuted an open-air tram equipped with a speaker system (below) it will use to take visitors on interpreted tours. A news release says tourists on the maiden voyage Saturday caught glimpses of a bear (below, right), a Northern Harrier eating a meal it had just caught, and several freshwater turtles - mostly yellow-bellied sliders.

The refuge will offer the tours this summer from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. each Thursday, the release says. They will usually begin at Creef Cut Wildlife Trail and follow along the Wildlife Drive, making one of several possible loops. The new tram will also be used for regularly scheduled Bear Necessities programs, which run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each Wednesday during the summer.

"The general interpretive message for the tour includes all the basics (message of the USFWS, message of the NWRS, goals and objectives of the refuge, things to see and do on the refuge, etc.), plus an assortment of hands-on activities ranging from using telemetry to track red wolves to hunting for deer, bear and raccoon tracks, to finding the wet trails where bears crossed the road!," the release says. "We examine water control structures and learn how they work, identify some trees, birds and turtles, and talk about fire and how we use it on the refuge to make habitats better."

Other times of the year, at least one monthly Saturday tour will be conducted. During the Wings Over Water wildlife festival in November, there will be many special tram tours offered at Alligator River and a couple at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore has set five public hearings for consideration of the draft environmental impact statement/Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan for the seashore. "The Plan/EIS will guide the management of ORV use at America’s first national seashore for the next 10 to 15 years," a news release says. The National Park Service is also developing an ORV regulation for the seashore.

The hearing schedule includes dates in Ocracoke, Buxton, Kill Devil Hill, Raleigh and Hampton, Virginia, April 26 - 29. The meetings will follow a hearing-style format, which includes a brief presentation, with time allotted for public comments.