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my 2 cents
Many good points made by people here. And some of you may already know my point of view on this from previous threads on the subject. I believe that vehicular traffic is a minor endangerment to birds compared to predation by foxes, coyotes, skunks, racoons, gulls, crows, and feral animals (cats and dogs). It is will known that many predatory animals have, over the years, learned that the exclosures (designed to protect the plover chicks) actually attract predators who have learned to associate those structures with an easy meal. However, no one wants to deal with the "real" threats (which might include population control of these predators) and it is an easy and politcally correct solution to ban human access. It is a simple and minimally effective form of "managment" (a term I use loosely here).
Regrettably, we live in a world where a certain political segment of the population want to blame humans for all the environmental challenges we face. While humans have created much of the problem, the limited breeding territory available to these birds is NOT solely due to the use of the Cape Cod National Seashore by vehicles. One must look at development and destruction of habitat from a wide range of more permanent sources.
The "Catch 22" that we'll all be facing soon is that if the Piping Plover population does recover in larger numbers, that will mean more nests, more chicks, and more beach closures. I predict that over the next few years, the success of programs designed to improve plover breeding success will highten (not lesson) restrictions.
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