The Home Front
BOHN, WILLIAM E.
THE HOME FRONT By William E. Bohn Preserving Our Seashore Resources My education goes on apace. On September 30, I blew my top in this space about the way we neglect and abuse the beautiful...
...These lonely barrier islands "between broad, shallow sounds and foaming ocean surf" are being developed for recreation, for sport and for interest in history and science...
...I complained that we allow unappreciative heathen to despoil our beaches and objected because no one is giving our seashores the same care and understanding which is lavished on our national parks...
...The state of North Carolina, on the one hand, and the Avalon and Old Dominion foundations, on the other, have shared in supplying funds for the acquisition of lands there...
...Great Beach takes in 30 miles, and we are told that "there is no longer any comparable area in the New England region that exhibits all the outstanding values desirable and suitable for extensive seashore recreation...
...It is good to know that you are interested in what is a special and highly important phase of the park and recreation problem...
...All but one of the others have long since gone into private and commercial developments...
...Among the members of the staff listed in the Parks Service Directory, I see a Park Naturalist...
...If these beauty spots are to be acquired, we—and that moans Congress—must act soon...
...It is up to Congress...
...these studies are now in progress...
...The survey, as summarized in the booklet Our Vanishing Shoreline, shows that there are still some fine islands and stretches of shore available...
...With a climate similar to Florida but somewhat less extreme in summer, there are few places on the Atlantic coast where more days in the year favor being out of doors...
...Now that we have accurate knowledge as to what areas are still available, it behooves us to act quickly...
...The circular describing the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area shows that what is being done down there follows the excellent pattern set in developing our national parks...
...Out of that study developed the Cape Hatteras National Seashore project, which is now approaching completion...
...He was responsible for a study of the American seashores in the early '30s...
...The next extensive shore area available is our own Fire Island...
...Thirty-two miles of this splendid stretch of beach and dune can still be had...
...We cannot depend on private philanthropists in matters like this...
...This Cape Hatteras area is just a trial run...
...But again and again the authors sound a warning note...
...Only one of these was actually taken over...
...A consequence of that project was the donation of funds with which to conduct a study of the entire Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico shore to ascertain what was left that was worth preserving and to try to determine how responsibility for preservation might properly be shared...
...He says: "Preservation of liberal and representative samples of the seashore has been a major concern of our director, Conrad L. Wirth, ever since I first knew him...
...There are, in particular, three very tempting areas...
...Director Wirth is a determined man and a top-notch organizer...
...Perhaps it is impossible under the conditions along the shore to have scientific excursions and informal scientific talks like those which add so much to the attractiveness and educational value of the parks...
...The leaders of the Park Service are all set for new seashore projects all the way from Maine to Texas...
...On September 30, I blew my top in this space about the way we neglect and abuse the beautiful shores of our Atlantic...
...It offers fine dunes, beaches, fresh-water ponds and forests...
...So warm was the response to this report that the same donor has now provided funds for similar studies and reports on the Pacific Coast and the Great Lakes...
...But that Park Naturalist must do something to interest the tourists in the fascinating processes of sea and land...
...This barrier beach is described in such glowing terms that I feel as though I had never adequately appreciated it...
...First comes Cumberland Island in southeast Georgia...
...The places where land and sea join are resources of tremendous value—not only for public recreation and inspiration, but for scientific study...
...Thereupon, I received an illuminating letter from Herbert Evison, Chief of Information of the National Park Service...
...The booklet from which I have been quoting closes with an appendix which runs down the roster of states from Maine to Texas and shows that each of them still has some precious stretch of shore or attractive island which should he taken over by the public...
...The third long stretch of shoreline which has not yet been taken up is on Cape Cod...
...This sea island," we are told, "is thought to contain practically all the desirable features for public enjoyment...
...In a budget which goes far up into the billions, a few million should be available to save for the nation precious treasures which may, in part at least, be actually destroyed...
...When the first survey of the coast was made, in 1935, it was recommended that twelve major strips of shore with 437 miles of beach be acquired...
Vol. 40 • November 1957 • No. 46
