This Land, Your Land

We've tried to round up Hurricane Irene damage reports to coastal parks and recreation areas, but reporting is sparse so far.

The biggest problem is the several breaches to N.C. 12, the main highway on Hatteras Island, the largest of which is shown in the DOT photo below. This leaves the island south of Rodanthe, including Cape Hatteras National Seashore, cut off from cars.

At Cape Lookout National Seashore, "The Cape Lookout lighthouse is standing," a National Park Service news release says. "All docks appear impacted with varying amounts of damage and should be considered dangerous. Structures have roof and siding damage. Infrastructures, including the back roads, have also sustained damage."

The Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk remained closed Tuesday morning. Just down the road, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site has the same report.

Several Croatan National Forest day use sites and campgrounds are near New Bern, one of the areas hit hardest by the hurricane, but the Forest Service has not reported damages yet.

At Carolina Beach State Park, the staff was clearing debris and working to reopen trails and camping areas by Tuesday afternoon, the Wilmington Star-News said Monday. Nearby, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area reopened Sunday.

In addition to Carolina Beach, the state Division of Parks and Recreation said Tuesday morning that eight other state parks remained closed to all visitors: Cliffs of the Neuse, Dismal Swamp, Goose Creek, Hammocks Beach, Jockey's Ridge, Merchants Millpond, Pettigrew and Medoc Mountain. In reopened parks, the state said, some trails and facilities may remain closed until assessment and cleanup is complete.

Nineteen state parks were closed in eastern and central North Carolina late last week prior to the storm.

Like other organizations, the state's Coastal Reserves reported the closing of five sites in anticipation of the storm, but have no followup so far.

In case we have to tell you, coastal parks are closed in anticipation of Hurricane Irene, including Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores, the five National Wildlife Refuges, all day use sites and campgrounds in the Croatan National Forest, and campgrounds at the eight state parks in the coastal region.

State parks remained open for day use as of Wednesday (when the news release was, umm, released) but were to close on short notice as conditions warranted.

Here's where to get National Weather Service watches, warnings or advisories for North Carolina.

If you have any thoughts about whether the National Park Service should build a free public boat ramp next to the Coast Guard station at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, you have a month to make them known to those in charge of the project.

The Park Service and the state Wildlife Resources Commission are preparing an Environmental Assessment for the proposed construction of two boat ramps, docks and approximately 40-60 parking spaces, and dredging to provide access into the Hatteras Ferry Channel, a Park Service news release says.

The ramps would be for boats that draw up to five feet of water and fit on trailers.

A 30-day "public scoping period," from June 15 to July 15, is a required part of the process to prepare an Environmental Assessment.

Comment online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha. Click on “Public Boating Access Area at Hatteras” to see the related documents. Or comment by mail to: Superintendent, Outer Banks Group, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, NC 27954. Your comments need to be postmarked by July 15, 2010.