Assateague celebrates golden anniversary with “State of the Park” address

Assateague Island is turning fifty this year. To celebrate, they’re holding programs every month to honor the exceptional significance of the national seashore.

Officials with the Assateague Island National Seashore are pleased to report that after 50 years the park is in good shape.   

Debbie Darden, the superintendent of Assateague Island says, “The island changes every day. Sometimes it changes a little bit. Sometimes it changes a lot after a storm. A lot of what we’re doing now is trying to understand the future of the island.”

Darden gave the “State of the Park” address Saturday. She says the island is slowly moving westward. This change is partly because of the rising sea levels, but a lot of it is due to natural causes presented to barrier islands.

Darden goes on, “Our facilities also need to move to the west.”

Moving the facilities will protect the park’s resources and wild life. This needs to be done to keep the park’s $2.2 million annual visitors coming back.

Sam Oates says, “I like going swimming and I like to see all the horses.”

However, to continue to have benefits for visitors, a major point was stressed in the address. That point was behavioral modification.  

Mark Hendricks, a wild life photographer says, “We have thousands of people on the beach every day. I see people with cigarettes and they just flick it into the beach. It’s like you’re obviously here because you like it.”

Officials say treat the island well so it can be here for another strong 50 years and remain a gem of the Chesapeake.

The Assateague Island Alliance group will be holding a program to celebrate the park’s fiftieth anniversary every month until September. For more information call 443-614-3547.