ASSATEAGUE — With the long-range future of Assateague Island National Seashore in question, including a rather draconian option of allowing the barrier island to return to its pristine, primitive state, there is little doubt about its economic impact on the area after the results of a study were released late last week.
The National Park Service is currently considering a revised General Management Plan (GMP), which will direct the barrier island’s future for the next 25 years or more, a new report released last week revealed the roughly 2.3 million visitors to the part spent $96.7 million in the local area last week with a cumulative benefit to the local economy of nearly $110 million. That spending supported 1,320 jobs in the local area.
The study results come while the National Park Service in considering a revision of the GMP for the Assateague Island National Seashore. Faced with a frequency and increased intensity of coastal storms, climate change and sea level rise, the NPS is considering a draft GMP which will chart the future of the barrier island. While the alternatives on the table include maintaining the status quo to a rather draconian plan to eventually allow AINS to return to its natural primitive state, its economic impact on the region has been confirmed by the report.
“Assateague Island National Seashore welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Debbie Darden. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experience it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.”
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Basically the tree hugging liberals want to shut the beach down to vehicle traffic because they say it ruins the beach and it's wildlife. But people pay a lot for the ability to drive on the beach in designated areas and the truck and campers are self contained. The real damage is by so called naturalist hikers who walk all over the dunes make camp in areas that the vehicles don't go and make the beach their toilet.
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