A couple of years ago, during the longest government shutdown in American history, the caretakers of numerous national parks reported an uptick in vandalism and other careless human behavior, with people trampling over restricted areas, killing wildlife, littering, dumping trash and damaging natural habitats. Now, in the midst of a national emergency that has largely brought the country to a halt, more people are rediscovering the great outdoors, taking the time to enjoy visits to natural resources and to get out into nature. All of this is good, as it fosters a deeper connection with the world around us and reminds us that we are all closely linked to the environment. At the same time, it is crucial that, even as we enjoy and embrace the world of which we are an inextricable part, we do not directly or indirectly damage it.

Such is the problem at the Cape Cod National Seashore. A popular destination for decades, the Seashore routinely attracts between 3 million and 4 million visitors every year, and as in past springs, the warmer weather has brought a corresponding rise in the number of people visiting the park.

This spring, however, is proving to be like no spring in recent memory, and Park Service personnel are living with what appears to be one of the unforeseen consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak; that is, a rise in a variety of illegal activities, including dumping and vandalism on the Seashore grounds, as well as the more pedestrian problems of a spike in the number of dogs being walked off leash as well as the number of ATVs, which are banned from the Seashores many trails.

In an interview with Deputy Chief Ranger Ryan White, Cape Cod Times reporter Denise Coffey discovered that although many of these types of incidents are traditional problems for the Seashore, there has been a rise in the number of incidents in recent weeks. White spoke about instances where household trash was dumped at Wellfleets Great Island and construction debris was left at Easthams Doane Rock area.

The problem is not simply one of people leaving a mess for others to clean up, although that is in and of itself bad enough; this carelessness can also negatively affect the endangered wildlife that calls the Seashore home. White pointed specifically to terns and piping plovers, both of which are beginning to nest.

The issue here is not with the vast majority of visitors who come to the National Seashore and use the resources respectfully, follow the rules, and cart out all of the trash they produce. No, the problem is with the few who have decided that because the parks lands are extensive and that all of the public buildings are closed, this somehow grants them license to treat this precious jewel with neglect and selfishness, using it as both their trash can and their personal park.

Compounding the issue is the fact that many people are home with additional time on their hands. White said he believes this may have led to a surge in the number of home remodeling projects, and a consequential increase in the amount of trash produced. Also adding to the problem is the fact that as the number of coronavirus cases continued to grow, some towns temporarily shut down their building waste disposal areas to protect their employees, leaving homeowners and builders with the dilemma of what to do with their construction debris.

Given that the states order closing nonessential services remains in place, and the fact that the number of COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth continues to grow, there is little certainty as to when the Seashore shutdown might be lifted. Even in times without a global pandemic going on, park officials could not hope to fully monitor the more than 43,600 acres that make up the Seashore.

Now, perhaps more than ever before, it is up to all park visitors to help monitor the grounds, keeping an eye out for those who have decided to not follow the rules, and, where appropriate, perhaps reminding them that the Cape Cod National Seashore belongs to everyone. In times where discretion may be more appropriate than confrontation, informing Seashore personnel about a problem will go a long way toward helping preserve this unique treasure.

Read the original post:
Get outside, but respect the natural world - Opinion - Cape Cod Times