Assateague agencies to update on resilience and restoration projects

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) and the National Park Service, Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) will provide updates on resilience and restoration projects during a public information session Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from 3:00pm-7:00pm in the Herbert H. Bateman Center classroom.

Visitors are welcome and encouraged to attend at any time during the session to learn about the upcoming relocation of the public recreational beach, several wetland restoration projects, and repairs to the Chincoteague Channel Bridge and Sheepshead Creek Bridge.

For many years, CNWR and ASIS staff have been working to implement a priority project to move the eroding public recreational beach area to a more stable, climate-resilient location 2.5 miles north of the existing beach. Staff continue to coordinate with Town of Chincoteague leadership and a contract engineering firm to complete the final design for new beach access facilities (the design will be displayed during the information session). Funding for the project has been received through a 2023 Federal Highways Administration Grant and construction is anticipated from March 2025 to April 2026.

In partnership with Ducks Unlimited, CNWR will be restoring 82 acres of salt marsh at three sites, Assateague Channel, Lighthouse Meadow, and Sow Pond, with an estimated construction timeline of October 2024 through June 2025. The Refuge plans to continue this partnership with Ducks Unlimited from October 2025 through April 2027 by restoring 295 acres of tidal salt marsh north of Beach Road in Swan Cove. Restoration of salt marsh will provide important habitat improvements for several wildlife species of conservation concern, including American black ducks, saltmarsh sparrows, and black rails.

ASIS will also be conducting needed cyclic safety repairs on the Chincoteague Channel Bridge and the Sheepshead Creek Bridge. While the exact timing of this work is not set, it could be as early as Spring of 2025, although Spring of 2026 is more likely. A larger project for complete replacement of Sheepshead Creek bridge will also be undertaken, although this is not likely to happen before 2027.

Implementation of these projects follows through with decisions made in and supports the goals and objectives of the 2015 CNWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, the 2017 ASIS General Management Plan, and a 2018 joint CNWR-ASIS Environmental Assessment.

While these projects will create short-term inconveniences to visitors during construction, it is hoped they will result in long-lasting benefits for wildlife, enhance and continue public access with significant reduction of maintenance costs, and support the viability of the local economy.