Attachment-H_Sample_Plan_Part1.pdf

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

39 Exhibits (001–005, 008, 013–016, 017A, 017B, 017C, 020–031, 040–044, 050–051, 053–054, 057–058, 070–074)

Final Wayside Exhibit Plan

Attachment H, Sample Plan, April 2024

36 X 20 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 001

Island on the Move

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

The dense development of Ocean City is a striking contrast to the pristine character of Assateague Island. A hurricane in 1933 breached the land mass, forming the Ocean City inlet.

Fast moving tidal flow at the inlet now separates the national

In 1933, a powerful storm breached the island and created an inlet to the bay.

seashore from the bustling resort to the north. Today man-made jetties keep the Ocean City inlet open but disrupt the normal southward flow of sand to the Assateague shore. This accelerates the natural westward migration of Assateague Island.

36 X 20 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 002

Almost Developed

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Big plans were underway in the late 1950s to develop Assateague Island into an Ocean City-like resort. The design called for thousands of building lots. Advertisements promoted the appeal of beachfront living.

Roads stretched behind the dunes and houses began to dot the landscape.

In 1958, the prospect of constructing a bridge across the bay was of prime interest to island property owners.

All that changed with the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962.

Storm damage decimated the budding residential community of Ocean Beach. The devastation dampened enthusiasm for the development project but strengthened interest in preserving the island. It was the catalyst for the establishment of the national seashore.

36 X 20 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | AUGUST 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 003

Going Natural

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Filling mosquito ditches restored proper tidal and groundwater flow. This allowed native saltmarsh grass to reestablish these areas.

Asphalt is vulnerable to storm damage. Using natural materials is an environmentally friendly alternative.

Mosquito ditches dug in the 1930s and 1940s did not reduce the pests. Instead they caused more erosion and disrupted marsh hydrology.

Revegetated cordgrass blends into the landscape. This natural resiliency restored proper tidal, surface, and groundwater flow across the island.

Parking areas are now surfaced with shell rather than asphalt. Parking lots are located in more stable areas away from shorelines to minimize storm damage.

Assateague is one of the largest surviving undeveloped Mid-Atlantic barrier islands. It is now a place where natural processes occur with little or no human intervention. The varied aquatic and terrestrial species here are dependent on a naturally resilient ecosystem.

Man-made enhancements like roads and structures interfere with natural processes. They impact island dynamics and disturb vegetation and habitat. By allowing natural coastal processes to take their course, the island can remain resilient as sea levels rise and the climate changes.

36 X 20 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 004

Doing Our Part

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Sea turtles and other animals are attracted to colorful balloons and plastic bags floating in the water.

There is a fascinating and fragile world in the coastal bays.

Schools of tiny fish shimmer in the sunlight. Crabs scurry by, jellyfish flow with the tides, and verdant eel grasses sway in the current. The shallow coastal bays of Assateague are connected to the local watershed and are sensitive to human impact.

A growing nearby resort population and intensive recreational use has an impact on the bay. Pollution from agriculture and industry is always a concern, though environmentally aware management practices contribute to the clean waters of the coastal bays.

DC

MD

PA

NJ

DE

VA

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

Chesap eake B ay

D elaw are Bay

CHINCOTEAGUE

WATERSHED

The watershed surrounding Assateague is tiny compared to the vast Chesapeake Bay.

Sea nettle Silversides

Loggerhead turtle

Hermit crab

Blue crab

Spot

Schools of baitfish attract larger predators like gulls and dolphins.

Enjoy and respect this treasured resource.

Tiny phytoplankton photosynthesize like plants.

They absorb carbon from the atmosphere and produce oxygen.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 005

The Ocean Around Us

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

An amazing array of life thrives beneath the waves that sculpt shorelines around the globe. The ocean is essential for life on earth and is a source of food for humans and animals. Tiny phytoplankton form the base of the food chain. These microscopic organisms are a food source to other animals that may feed some of the largest creatures on earth. These same organisms also produce about 70% of the oxygen on the planet. Whether you are on the beach or standing on a mountain top, you benefit from the ocean.

How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.

Arthur C. Clarke

36 X 48 INCHES | 28% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 008_009_010_011_012

Keep Them Wild

Keep Them Safe Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Horses have been present on Assateague since the 1600s. Free ranging bands graze in the marshes, saunter along the beach, and drink at freshwater ponds. They wander on trails and roads.

They are accustomed to human activity but they are not tame.

To keep them wild, keep your distance.

• Horses bite and kick in response to crowding or competition for food. Stay 40 feet away.

• Visitors can be knocked down and stepped on if horses spook or react suddenly.

• Horses are large animals, making it dangerous for anyone, especially children, to get too close.

Dangers of Being Too Close

During your visit to Assateague you will most likely encounter at least a few of the island’s most popular residents.

Both petting and feeding horses causes harmful behavior. They become unafraid of humans. This is not the same as being “tame”! Horses begin approaching cars and visitors, becoming more aggressive over time.

Horses are attracted to roads, increasing the risk of being injured or killed by a vehicle.

For your safety and the safety of the horses, please obey park regulations and do not approach, touch, or feed the Assateague horses.

Food Safety Tips

Secure coolers with nylon straps.

Store unattended food in your vehicle.

Keep beach bags and soft coolers zipped up.

Use built-in food storage cabinet under picnic table.

Use sturdy, hard-sided, latched containers.

Avoid bags that do not close.

A swirling mass of tree swallows fill the sky over the dunes. The coastal shoreline guides birds, animals, and insects during their seasonal migration.

A variety of birds create a blur of activity on the beach. Bills and foraging strategies are unique to each species.

Bottlenose dolphins are mammals that travel in pods. Members of the pod work together to hunt schools of fish.

Loggerhead turtles dig nests in the sand to lay eggs. They are vulnerable to human disturbance and animal predators.

Great blue herons wade along the water’s edge.

They catch fish, amphibians, and other prey with dagger-like bills

Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles.

It takes several generations to complete the journey to their breeding grounds.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 013

On The Move

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Each day is different. The animal population is always on the move. Resident species travel for food, shelter, and reproduction. Migrating species stop over and rest here during spring and fall journeys. Many of the nearly three hundred bird species observed in the national seashore are temporary residents.

Whales and dolphins are sometimes seen hunting just offshore. Loggerhead turtles and horseshoe crabs lay eggs on the beach, then return to the ocean. Take the time to look around. Look up in the sky, along the shore, and out in the ocean. You just might encounter a creature that traveled farther than you to get here.

The prospect of constructing a bridge was headline news in 1957. This aerial view shows the wide area where the bridge and causeway would connect to Assateague Island.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 014

A Bridge to Nowhere

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Can you imagine a bridge here? The developers of Atlantic Ocean Estates and Ocean Beach did in the late 1950s.

This rectangular peninsula was the planned terminus of a bridge spanning the bay. It was an essential element of their marketing plan to create a resort town on the island.

This bridge was never constructed and the vision of developers was thwarted by natural forces. The Verrazano Bridge opened in 1964. The following year Assateague Island National Seashore was established, protecting the barrier island from commercial development.

The repetition of growth, decay, and rebirth is the foundation of the nutrient cycle of the marshes.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 015_055_059

Marshes Fuel the Bay

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Bayside marshes play an important role. They are the engine that fuels the ecosystem. In summer, the vegetation thrives in the nutrient rich mudflats. The grasses provide food and shelter for animals. The saltmarsh filters pollutants from the water. It also provides storm protection for adjacent uplands.

The marshes are working even in winter when the vegetation dies back and decays. The nutrient rich organic material or detritus, is transported by the tides between the marsh, mudflats and bay. This nutrient cycle is the foundation of the food chain of the bay.

Fiddler crab

Male bufflehead

Snow geese

Clam

Great blue heronWillet

Great egret

The ferries could only transport a few vehicles at a time across the bay.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 016

Big Plans, Small Boat

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

How can you transport residents and vehicles for 9,000 homes across the bay? That was the dilemma faced by developers in the 1950s. Initially, a small ferry brought vehicles to the island at this site. However, in the early stages of building Ocean Beach, it became obvious that the ferry wouldn’t meet the needs of the growing development.

Pressure mounted to build a bridge. The state of Maryland constructed a highway bridge spanning the bay, providing a gateway to the island.

The opening of the Verrazano Bridge in 1964 made the ferry obsolete.

It also fostered greater visitation to the park.

Responsible Harvesting

Male, “Jimmy” Blue claws & narrow apron

Immature Female, “Sally” Red tip claws & V shaped apron

Mature Female, “Sook” Red tip claws & wide apron

Female with Eggs “Sponge Crab”

36 X 36 INCHES | 28% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 017A

Crabs, Clams, and Mussels Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Blue crabs are crustaceans that molt their hard shell as they grow. They spawn in high salinity water and may live in lower salinity brackish waters. Submerged aquatic vegetation provides cover as they hunt and scavenge for food.

Clams and mussels are bivalves. They have two shells that completely protect the animal inside They feed by filtering food particles from the water. Look for clams in sand and mud flats. Mussels prefer the edge of saltmarshes.

• Take only what you will consume.

• Crabs, clams, and mussels will not survive in a bucket of water.

• Store and transport crabs, clams, and mussels in a cool, dry container.

• Never eat or cook dead crabs, clams, or mussels.

• Prepare for changing tides, weather, and insect conditions.

• Respect physically posted commercial leased sites in the bay.

Blue Crabs

Atlantic Ribbed Mussels Northern Quahog Clams

• No license is required for recreational crabbing.

• Hand lines and collapsible traps are permitted.

• Crabbing equipment must be attended at all times.

• All lines and collapsible traps must be removed after crabbing.

• Regulations change frequently. Check at visitor centers.

• No license is required for recreational mussel gathering.

• Mussels should be removed one at a time by hand.

• Mussels should be collected at high tide when submerged.

• Regulations change frequently.

Check at visitor centers.

• No license is required for recreational clamming.

• Clam rakes are permitted.

• Stay out of underwater grass beds.

• Regulations change frequently.

Check at visitor centers.

Mussels attach to the marsh bank with strong filaments. They filter water to feed and close up when the tide recedes.

The mudflats at low tide are the best places to find clams.

Crabbing is a fun family activity. Watch out for the pinching claws!

Know Your Crab

36 X 12 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 017B

Regulations for Harvesting

Males: 5 inches Mature females: no size limits Mature females with eggs: prohibited Season open from April 1 - December 31 Limit: one bushel per person per day

Minimum size limit: none, but use the “rule of thumb” Season: year round Limit: none

Atlantic Ribbed MusselsBlue Crabs Minimum size limits—Maryland Coastal Bays: Minimum size limit:

at least 1” wide at the hinge Season: year round Limit: 250 per person per day

Northern Quahog Clams at least 1” at the hingeat least five inches from point to point of top shell at least as long as your thumb

5”

36 X 48 INCHES | 28% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 017C

Assateague Island Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Activities

Pets

Kayaking

Ranger Programs

Waterfowl hunting

Bird watching

Fishing

Crabbing

Swimming

Canoeing

Picnicking

Camping

Boating

Biking

The national seashore offers a wealth of opportunities for nature-based recreation, education, and solitude. It is a place where natural processes occur with little or no human intervention. The beaches, bays, dunes, and marshes provide a wide range of environments for year round enjoyment.

Bateman Center/ Refuge Visitor Center U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Toms Cove Visitor Center National Park Service

Assateague Island Visitor Center

National Park Service

BUS

POCOMOKE RIVER

STATE PARK

A ss at ea gu e

Is la nd N at io na l

Se as ho re

B ou nd ar y

A T L A N T I C

O C E A N

A T L A N T I C

O C E A N

Green Run Bay

TOMS

COVE

Snow Goose Pool

Swan Cove Pool

N E W P O R T

B A Y

Wildcat Marsh

SI

N

EP

U

X

EN

T

B A

Y

Po co m ok e R iv er

Pope Bay

C H

I N C

O

T E

A G

U E

B

A Y

CHIN

CO

TEAGUE I

NLE

T

Bayside Dr

Verrazano Bridge

Bayberry Dr

Maddox Blvd

(C lo se d to v eh icl es

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

The 50-mile distance between the north and south ends of Assateague Island takes about 1¼ hours to drive. We recommend the highlighted route shown on this map.

R ec o m m en d ed t ra ve l r ou te

Re co m m en de d tr av el r ou te

(permit required;

closed March 15–August 31)

(vehicles permitted 3 pm to dusk)

(permit required)

State Park Campground and Registration Office

State Park Entrance Station

OCEAN

CITYBERLIN

SNOW

HILL

CHINCOTEAGUE

North Ocean Beach Oceanside

Old Ferry Landing

Bayside

South Ocean Beach

National Seashore Entrance Station and Campground Office

Nature Center

WALLOPS

ISLAND

NATIONAL

WILDLIFE

REFUGE

NASA WALLOPS FLIGHT

FACILITY / WALLOPS ISLAND

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

NASA

WALLOPS

FLIGHT

FACILITY

Fishing Point

Stockton

Horntown

Public Landing

Girdletree

TOMS

HOOK

COVE

Former U.S. Coast Guard Station

Assateague Lighthouse

Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone

Wildlife Loop

Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone

South Point

Shad Landing

Milburn Landing

Pony swim

NASA

Visitor Center

A S

S A

T E

A G

U E

I

S L

A N

D

Wild beach (10mi/16km) can be reached on foot only.

To Salisbury, Bay Bridge, Baltimore, and Washington

To Bay Bridge, Baltimore, and Washington

State Line

Pope Bay

Green Run

Pine Tree

Tingles

Little Levels

Woodland Trail

Recommended travel route

Walking / biking trail (paved)

Walking trail

Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone

National Wildlife Refuge

National Park Service

State Park

Refuge area closed to public March 15 through August 31

Public campground

Campsite:

backpack or paddle in

Boat launch

Unpaved road

North

0 4 Miles

0 4 Kilometers

You Are Here

Assateague Island National Seashore

• Monitor weather forecast.

• Stay on established trails.

• Leave plants and natural objects where found.

• Leave No Trace.

• Watch for poison ivy.

• Check for ticks.

Safety Tips

Ticks—Inspect yourself periodically to avoid tick bites, which may cause diseases.

Poison ivy—All parts of the three-leafed plant can cause an itchy rash.

Wash skin with warm soapy water and apply cool cloths.

National Seashore— Pets are permitted on the beach and frontcountry campgrounds. Pets must be kept on a 6-foot leash and in control at all times! Please pick up after your pet. National Wildlife Refuge— Pets are prohibited in the Virginia portion of Assateague Island.

For Assateague State Park pet regulations call 410-629-2120.

This boathouse is the only surviving structure on Assateague Island associated with the Life-Saving Service. It was moved here from its original location at nearby Pope’s Island. This photo shows the USLS crew in 1910.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | AUGUST 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 020

Saving Lives

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

The surfmen of the US Life-Saving Service were real heroes. Come hurricane or nor’easter, they scanned the horizon for ships in distress. They bravely risked their lives to rescue shipwrecked mariners and passengers, conducting both beach and sea rescues.

The endless days of repetitive drills and maintenance paid off. During 40 years of service, from 1875 to 1915, four life-Saving Stations operated on Assateague Island. They responded to more than 250 incidents. Only two resulted in the loss of life.

Sinepuxent Bay

To Bayberry Drive

To Bayside Campground Entrance

Boardwalk trail

Parking

Overlook

North

0 200 Feet

0 50 Meters

You Are Here

Bayside D rive

36 X 48 INCHES | 28% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | GETT | Wayside Exhibit 021

Life of the Marsh Trail Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Discover the beauty and diversity of this seldom explored area.

An elevated boardwalk trail winds above wetlands and mudflats.

It provides views of the saltmarsh and bay. Horses sometimes graze on the grasses nearby.

Watch for birds in the air and wading along the shore. Look closely in the shallow water for crabs and small fish. Learn why this ecosystem is vital to marine life. It is a valuable indicator of a healthy watershed.

• Pets are not allowed on trails.

• Stay on established trails.

• Leave plants and natural objects where found.

• Leave No Trace.

• Watch for poison ivy.

• Check for ticks.

Trail Tips

Ticks—Inspect yourself periodically to avoid tick bites, which may cause diseases.

Poison ivy—All parts of the three-leafed plant can cause an itchy rash.

Wash skin with warm soapy water and apply cool cloths.

Snowy egrets and great egrets are among the many birds seen along water’s edge and shallow pools.

They hunt fishes and other small animals.

Diamondback terrapins live in brackish to high salinity salt marshes and coastal bays. Female terrapins need sandy bayside beaches to lay their eggs.

The great blue heron is a stealthy hunter. It uses its dagger-like bill to catch small fish, amphibians, and other prey.

A tricolor heron is a wading bird that preys on small fish. They watchfully stalk and actively chase after fish with flapping wings.

Assateague's wild horses graze on marsh grass.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 022_059

Wonderland Not Wasteland

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Take time to observe the complexity and inner workings of the salt marsh. The pungent smell of decay is the sign of a healthy ecosystem. Marsh grasses are among the most important of all wild plants. They provide food and shelter for a wide range of insects, birds, and other animals.

As old growth decays, important nutrients support new growth. Tidal fluctuations refresh the bay and wetlands, distributing nutrients and removing waste. Crabs glide and small fish streak through the shallow waters.

Mosquito larvae are a food source for fish and birds.

Mud snails on dead crab

Shore shrimp are a major food source for larger predators.

Striped bass (juvenile)

Greenhead flies are biting pests to humans and other animals, but are an important food source for many birds.

Clapper rail

Mummichogs

Ribbed mussels cling to the intertidal marsh edge with strong byssal threads.

Marshes are now appreciated as ecologically important areas. They are wonderlands, not wastelands.

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 023_052

Misunderstood Marsh

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

The shallow bays between Assateague and the mainland host an amazing array of life. The brackish mix of fresh and salt waters creates a spawning ground for countless species. Juvenile fish abound in the warm, sheltered environment. Those that avoid predation from birds and bigger fish grow and migrate to the open sea.

Underwater eel grass provides habitat for small animals and juveniles of many species, including seahorses, crabs, and shrimp. Abundant algae and microscopic plankton are the foundation of the food chain. Aquatic plants stabilize the bottom, capture sediments, and produce oxygen. Beneath these waters is a complex ecosystem that sustains life.

Lined seahorse

Sandbar shark

Forster’s tern

Summer flounder

Bluefish

Northern pipefish

Silversides

Horseshoe crab

Mullet

Southern stingray

Blue crab

Moon jellyfish

American eel

Inching Up

24 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 024

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

If you could slice a cross-section of the marsh, it would look like a long stretched-out staircase. The area of land between the bay and the forest is actually a series of zones. Each step of elevation has overlapping but slightly different characteristics.

Areas closer to the bay are subject to tidal fluctuations and have higher levels of salinity. Areas closer to the forest have richer soil.

Although the height varies only a small bit, it has a dramatic impact on what grows here. Small changes in elevation determine which plants grow.

Loblolly pine This fast-growing evergreen is found on higher ground along the edges of tidal rivers and wetlands. They can reach 100-feet in height.

Groundsel

This deciduous shrub tolerates salt spray and can grow to 12 feet in height.

Groundsel provides cover and nesting habitat for birds and nectar for bees, butterflies, and moths.

Black needlerush Less tolerance of salt, it grows in the higher marsh. Its height increases as salinity decreases. Needlerush provides cover for birds and small animals.

Saltmarsh cordgrass This important producer grows in the lowest areas of the marsh. It adds a high volume of organic material as it stabilizes and expands shorelines.

Saltmeadow hay The distinctive “cowlick” appearance of this grass indicates higher elevations.

Many marsh species find food and shelter here.

Look, Listen, Smell

24 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | NOVEMBER 2019 | ASIS | Wayside Exhibit 025

Assateague Island National Seashore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Can you smell the marsh mud, mussels, and seaweed?

Can you smell the salt in the air; can you taste it?

Can you hear the birds calling and waves crashing?