By Bill Stegemann and Joe Zysman
With the help of Sierrans, a remarkable wilderness area was established just 60 miles from Times Square but now, 30 years later, the wild oasis on Fire Island again needs our attention.
Most New York Sierrans are familiar with the resorts and facilities in the Fire Island National Seashore (FINS), an hour's drive from New York City. But they are less likely to know that the state’s only federal wilderness area is within the boundaries of the Seashore.
This is the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness (OPW), designated by Congress in 1980, after a five-year campaign involving the Atlantic Chapter, particularly the New York City and Long Island Groups. The area is characterized by pristine beaches and high ocean-front dunes. It provides habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna, as well as valuable recreational opportunities for hiking, bird-watching, and camping. Only 1,400 acres, it’s the smallest wilderness area managed by the National Park Service (NPS).
A wilderness plan -- promise and problems
In 2006 the NPS began to revise its general management plan for the Seashore as a whole, along with a stewardship plan for the OPW. That process is nearing completion, and sometime in the next few months a draft plan will be released for public comment. In more than 30 years, the OPW has generally been well managed by FINS, but recently that has changed, and there is reason to be concerned.
The administration of wilderness areas is governed by provisions of the Wilderness Act, one of the most important pieces of environmental legislation ever enacted. In the course of the planning process, FINS issued several "preliminary alternatives" for the OPW. One of them calls for increasing the number of overnight campers permitted at any time, and another would establish fixed campsites instead of allowing campers to choose their own sites, as they do now. However a key provision of the Act requires that wilderness areas afford “outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation.” These proposals are inconsistent with both components of this provision.
The planning process is also subject to the National Environmental Policy Act, one intent of which is to provide for public knowledge about actions affecting the environment. However, in the past few years FINS has initiated new policies while circumventing this intent. One of these is allowing camping on the beach adjacent to the OPW, and another is the removal of invasive species in the area. While these policies have merit, some aspects of them are controversial, and they should have been subjected to public scrutiny before. NEPA regulations also require that once a formal planning process has been commenced, changes in policy should take place only after they can be addressed in the plan itself. The implementation of these policies is premature.
A celebration—but can you get there?
2014 will mark the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Wilderness Act, and the Club is planning to celebrate this at the national level. Because the establishment of the Adirondack Preserve served as a model for the Wilderness Act, New York will receive special attention in local events; as the only area in the state designated by the Act, the OPW will be a focal point. But getting to see it may be difficult.
The original wilderness plan contained assumptions that have not stood the test of time. One was that the main hiking trail would be maintained solely by the boots of hikers. This worked well for many years, but due to the prevalence of ticks, and rapid vegetative growth due to climate change, usage has decreased, and passage on the trail has become increasingly difficult. Conversely, the plan stated that spur trails in the area would be allowed to overgrow, yet they have remained for many years because they lead to unique vistas sought by visitors. But today few are willing to brave the increasingly dense vegetation.
FINS management has yet to respond with active maintenance that would restore these trails to normal standards. In order for a meaningful celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, as well as for public enjoyment of the area beyond that, FINS’ policies for the trails will need to change.
Stay Tuned
The OPW remains wild and wonderful. That an area like this exists today, within 60 miles of Times Square, is remarkable. If it is to remain that way, Sierrans will need to respond forcefully when the draft wilderness stewardship plan is released. We will keep you informed of future developments; stay tuned.