Management Issues at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, N.C.

John Welsh

Cape Lookout

Jockey’s RidgeCape Hatteras

Location of the Park Nags Head

Outer Banks, N.C.

Park Facts

•Medano – large hill of shifting sand that lacks vegetation

•Park contains 10.3 million yd3 of sand

•Park covers 414 acres

•Dune height varies from 110-140 feet

•Important tourist attraction: hosts more than 900,000 tourists each year

•Tourist activities: Hang Gliding, Kite Flying, Hiking, etc.

Jockey’s Ridge is on the Move•Wind has caused the park to migrate•Direction of wind shifts throughout year

•Summer: wind from the SW•Winter and Fall: from the NE

Predominant direction of Migration: Park is moving to the SW

Management Issues

•Development – North of the park has cut off the source of new sand

•Migration of the dune field outside the limits of the Park:Entrepreneurs hauling away sand for commercial useEncroachment onto Neighbors’ property

•Human impacts: Recreational activities

Management Solutions

•Do Nothing – not really a solution

•Haul sand away on a regular basis – 50,000 yd3 could be moved every five years from the S-end and put on the N-end

•Vegetate the Dune:Entire dune fieldSouthern end of the Park

•Sand Fences

Problems with Management Options

•Hauling Sand away is expensive and would have to be done on a regular basis

•Vegetating the dune field would stabilize the system but would defeat the purpose of having an active dune

•Sand fences and old Christmas trees emplaced along S-end ofpark have been covered with migrating sand

Wright Brothers Memorial in nearby KillDevil Hills once had a migratingdune.

The End