Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Conflict Of Use At Moonstone Beach (R.I.); Nude Bathing At A National Wildlife Refuge, Marielena Scanlon

Theses and Major Papers

Nude bathing in the coastal zone has become a challenging issue for coastal managers. This thesis focuses on the conflicts involving public uses of a beach on a national wildlife refuge. The beach is nesting habitat for the piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a species listed as threatened on the federal Endangered Species List. The beach has also been traditionally used by nude bathers. The study consists of six parts: a brief natural history of the piping plover; management problems of federal refuges; the history and political conflicts relevant to the recreational use of this beach; an analysis of the users …