THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 12, 1995 TAG: 9510120358
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
DATELINE: BUXTON LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
About 30 Hatteras Island residents attended a state-sponsored meeting Tuesday night to discuss future management plans for Buxton Woods.
Residents asked state leaders to prohibit trash dumping and allow controlled target shooting in the Buxton Woods portion of North Carolina's Coastal Reserve.
Representatives of the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, who led the two-hour hearing, have devised a draft plan of recommendations to protect the rare maritime forest on the east edge of Hatteras Island. Although Buxton Woods came under state protection six years ago, this is the first area management plan that has been proposed for the site.
Richard Shaw, assistant director of the state Division of Coastal Management, said his office hopes to adopt a final management plan by January.
``We are forming a local advisory panel now, and we hope to meet with them in November to go over a second draft of this plan,'' Shaw said Wednesday from his Raleigh office. ``We will continue to solicit and review comments on these plans throughout the fall.''
According to Shaw, who attended Tuesday's meeting at Cape Hatteras School, residents did not seemed concerned with designating certain areas for horseback riding, he said. And they encouraged the state to post signs identifying the boundaries of the state-controlled coastal reserve.
``Traditionally, that forest has been used for shooting practice, with people firing at bottles and trees,'' Shaw said. ``But we also heard from a group who wants to be given the chance to operate a designated target shooting area for practice out there. They want to police themselves. We'll consider adding that use to the plan.''
Copies of the Buxton Woods management plan are available to the public at the Hatteras Library or from the state Division of Coastal Management, (919) 733-2293.
Written comments on the plan will be accepted through Tuesday at the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, Coastal Reserve Program, 7205 Wrightsville Ave., Wilmington, N.C. 28403. COROLLA WHALEHEAD FESTIVAL
Currituck County will host a festival for county residents, Currituck Excursion Days, on Sunday at the Whalehead Club on the Outer Banks.
From 2 to 5 p.m., people who call Currituck home will be able to tour the historic Whalehead Club mansion, view demonstrations by the Currituck High School Hunting Safety Club, hear champion duck caller Brad Privott, listen to the Currituck High School band and enjoy free food at a fish fry put on by the Corolla Fire Department.
For more information, call Currituck County officials at 232-2075 or 453-8555. by CNB