Closures at Jordan and Beech Cliffs are Rescinded

Date: July 23, 2008
Contact: Bruce Connery, 207-288-8726

The closure orders to protect nesting peregrine falcons on Jordan Cliffs and Beech Cliff within Acadia National Park are being rescinded and the trails will be opened on Thursday, July 24, 2008. The trails and cliff at the Precipice (i.e., Precipice Trail) and Valley Cove will remain closed to allow the recently fledged chicks at these cliffs to become stronger and prepared for their departure this fall. The East Face Trail remains closed because of unsafe trail and cliff conditions caused by the earthquakes during the late fall of 2006.

Based on many hours of observation by volunteers and other park staff over the last few weeks, the park biologist has determined that the nesting at Beech Cliff and post-fledging activities at Jordan Cliff by the falcons in these areas has failed for the 2008 nesting season. Biologists in Region 5 of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which includes Acadia National Park, who are working on the recovery of the falcons in the Northeast, follow standardized guidelines regarding the opening of nesting areas for protected, or closed area, cliffs. These guidelines also recommend that territorial adults be given adequate time for re-nesting attempts in the event that the first nesting attempt fails. These guidelines and the field observations were used in making the decision to rescind the closure orders and open the trails and cliffs at Beech and Jordan Cliffs. The biologist expects the adults will remain in the proximity of the nesting territories throughout the remainder of the summer and into the fall.

Additional information about the peregrine recovery program and cliff or trail closures is available at the park’s visitor center and headquarters.