This Land, Your Land

Officials at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge are considering where and how to replace the Fish and Wildlife Service offices that have become too close to the sea as the island erodes, the Outer Banks Sentinel says.

Options include moving to FWS offices 30 minutes away at Manteo, sharing quarters with the National Park Service on Bodie Island or building new quarters on the western side of the island. New quarters could be built "in such a manner that the structure itself becomes a teaching tool," Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Manager Mike Bryant told the newspaper. "There are ways to build that create a minimal footprint, are not a threat to valued habitat and the structures could be a green teaching tool by using innovations such as a windmill for power."

The existing offices, which along with nearby shop, garage and intern residence were slated for replacement next year, wound up perilously close to the sea after Tropical Storm Ida caused severe erosion last month. Refuge staff and volunteers are now working from the living room in the nearby residence that houses interns.

"More than 1 million people drive through the refuge each year," the Sentinel says. "For some it is a destination for recreational activities such as birding, shelling or just enjoying a long walk on the beach. Others take advantage of the available nature programs that range from turtle talks to kayaking."

Visitors to Pea Island have a $145 million direct impact on the region and an indirect impact estimated at $280 million, according to the newspaper.