Dogs To Be Allowed On Harding’s Beach Marsh Trail

CHATHAM – Dog owners who like to walk their pets on beaches have a new option this summer.

 Dogs are prohibited on town beaches between May 1 and Sept. 15 to prevent conflicts with beachgoers and to protect nesting shorebirds. However, the park and recreation commission, which has jurisdiction over town beaches, has approved a pilot program to allow dogs on a section of Harding’s Beach this summer. The select board voted to support the program on May 12.

 Leashed dogs are now allowed on the marsh trail, which begins at the far northern corner of the second parking lot at Harding’s Beach. The trail follows the back side of the barrier beach for approximately three-quarters of a mile and ends near the Stage Harbor lighthouse.

 In order to protect nesting piping plovers, town officials worked with state environmental agencies and Mass Audubon, which monitors shorebird activities under a contract with the town, to identify the area, said Natural Resources Director Greg Berman. He cited a growing demand by dog walkers to access beaches, which must be balanced by the town’s responsibility to protect the threatened piping plover.

 “Even a well-trained dog, if it’s in the right area, can cause a bird to scare” and abandon a nest, he said. While plovers will often nest again, delaying nesting can lead to longer closures of beach areas. Loss of birds or eggs can result in a “take,” which can trigger fines and “potentially more draconian requirements” for beach closures, Berman said.

 “This is one way we’re trying to relieve that pressure without causing damage or the risk of a take,” he said of the pilot program. “We want people to be able to enjoy our natural resources where it doesn’t cause damage or risk.”

 He called on dog owners to adhere to the rules and stick strictly to the trail. If dogs are off leash or in areas where there are nesting shorebirds, “the state’s not going to allow us to continue this,” he said.

 At the end of the season, officials will review any reported incidents of dogs off leash or in prohibited areas to determine if the pilot program was effective. If the town can show state officials that there were no significant incidents, the pilot program can be extended, Berman said.

 There is another exception to the park and recreation commission rules prohibiting dogs on town beaches during the summer: Dogs are allowed at Jackknife Harbor Beach before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. from May 1 to Sept. 15.