Wildlife Refuge

A National Wildlife Refuge is, well just that, a refuge for wild flora and fauna to thrive without the worry of being hassled by "civilization."  The Monomoy NWR is a series of narrow sand islands dripping south from the elbow of Cape Cod.  The refuge extends almost 15 km separating the Atlantic Ocean to the east from Nantucket Sound to the west.  The NWR headquarters sits on Morris Island at the north end of the refuge.  The island is connected to the mainland near the Chatham lighthouse via a causeway.  40 acres of NWR protected beach and scrub forest extend along the southern edge of the island.

During my first visit to the NWR on Morris Island I was impressed with the beauty and the remoteness of the area.  Descending from the headquarters, I walked along a stabilized slope for a few hundred yards and soon was mesmerized by a beautiful mixture of beach and grass extending to the west toward the Sound.  Here I loitered for a long while enjoying the solitude, enveloped by the magical Cape light, listening to the harsh calls of the gulls.  An annoyed hawk rose in front of me and glided away over the quiet slopes of sand.   

 

 

I have since returned to the Morris Island beach numerous times to search for beached birds as a volunteer for SeaNet, an organization that monitors the number of dead birds on beaches from Maine to Florida.  The beach remains beautiful in my mind but seems no longer remote for it is within easy access from the village of Chatham across the causeway and is extremely popular for residents and tourists alike.  The area is truly spectacular and is understandably attractive to the public. 

 

However, this beach hardly seems a refuge for wildlife.  Humans frequent this beach far more often than most other wildlife.  I have met many individuals and numerous groups during my beached bird patrols, including fishermen and clam diggers.  Perhaps the Monomoy Islands to the south are managed more rigorously as a refuge for nonhuman life but here we are encroaching on wilderness to enable humans to have an enjoyable outdoor experience.  Those who search for beached birds also have an effect on wildlife.  I guess we are doing the best we can to balance human needs versus providing refuge for our wild neighbors of the earth, or are we??