On the heels of the best mating year since their coastal habitat was protected, the Western snowy plover will begin nesting on Oregon, Washington and California shorelines again this month, prompting state and federal land management agencies to cordon off sections of "key beaches" from human disturbance.

While this small bird settles into its reproductive stage, some coastal residents and officials from different agencies remain at bitter odds over how the habitat restoration project effects recreation and tourism-related activities.

According to a press release from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Coos Bay District, ropes and posts will be placed next Tuesday, affecting about 18 miles of relatively isolated beach at known nesting areas, the same nine South Coast spots that were cordoned off last year. Access is restricted to dry sand areas for pedestrians, vehicles and horseback riders.

The restrictions will be in effect near Florence at Sutton Beach, Siltcoos Estuary and Oregon Dunes Overlook and in Coos County at Tenmile Estuary, Bandon Beach State Natural Area, New River area beaches and at the North Spit, where researchers say the plover had particular mating success. Only wet sand areas will be accessible in the sections of those beaches because the plover nests above the high-tide line.

In all, 107 fledglings in the state survived 2004 long enough to learn how to fly and live independently from their parents. That's three times the average produced annually since monitoring began in 1990. It's a record, according to the BLM release, and nearly double that of a previous record in 2003 - 60.

"The last couple of years have looked pretty good," said John Zapell, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Forest Service's South Zone of the Siuslaw National Forest. "It looks like we've got an upward trend, but its hard to say."

The Western snowy plover was listed as a threatened species in 1993 under the Endangered Species Act and officials attribute its success since then to several factors including a mild spring and summer and increased public awareness, but most notably the more recent practice of predator management. The bird's eggs are preyed upon by animals including skunks, crows, ravens, feral cats and the invasive red foxes. Among other methods, pesticide-laced chicken eggs were placed around the nesting sites to poison and kill those animals.

Though great strides have been made to protect the sand habitat, the process isn't without discord, according to officials.

"One of the biggest problems is vandalism - people just ignoring or trying to disturb the area that's being protected. Of course, most folks aren't into that," said Alan Hoffmeister, public affairs officer for the Coos Bay District BLM office. "Also people have dogs that run loose. We'd like to see dogs controlled or on a leash."

While that's reasonable enough for some, Coos County Commissioner John Griffith contends the beach restrictions are an unnecessary deterrent for beachgoers, especially those who want to drive vehicles on the sand.

"I don't think people should drive on every beach in Oregon, but fishermen and surfers don't want to drag their gear for miles," Griffith said. "If the politically correct people want to do that, that's fine, but they should leave the rest of us alone. We're not doing any harm."

The Coos County Board of Commissioners sued the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2002, charging the federal body did an inadequate job of identifying the bird's "critical habitat" under its economic analysis study. Griffith also has worked with the Lompoc, Calif.-based Surf Ocean Beach Commission and the city of Morro Bay, Calif., in additional legal action aimed at de-listing the bird.

Griffith contends the so-called Pacific Coast population of snowy plovers is not endangered because, contrary to the federal designation, they are genetically identical to inland plover species. He cited an Oregon State University master's degree study in his argument.

"It's absolutely not endangered," Griffith said. "It's the same species of all the way to the Gulf of Mexico."

Land management officials maintain the protected habitats do not significantly detract from beach recreation and are the only thing keeping the state's population of 140 Western snowy plovers afloat.

"It's a cooperative effort between the public and the agencies that I think that is leading to the success we've had in the last couple of years," Zapell said. "It would be good if that cooperation can continue."

Beach restrictions are scheduled to end Sept. 15.

For more information, those interested can contact the Forest Service at (541) 902-8562 or the BLM at 756-0100.