• An Assateague wild horse finding shelter in the dunes.

    Assateague Island

    National Seashore MD,VA

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  • Message from the Superintendent

    The planning team is currently in the final stages of drafting the General Managment Plan and beginning the internal review process which includes reviews and revisions. More »

  • Virginia District - Beach Parking Update

    Due to Hurricane Sandy and the March 6 storm, there is limited parking in the Virginia District. As of 4/4/13 parking lot 1 and part of parking lot 2 are open. All parking lots are expected to be open by Memorial Day weekend. More »

  • Hurricane Sandy Photos on flickr

    View images from the Maryland and Virginia districts of Assateague Island National Seashore on our flickr site. More »

Management

General Management Plan
Help shape the park's future! Participate in developing our new General Management Plan. Learn more...
 
Historic Context Study of Waterfowl Hunting Camps and Related Properties within Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia (PDF file, 373kb)
Assateague Island National Seashore possesses numerous cultural resources. Among them are eleven identified standing “waterfowl hunting camps.” To help determine the significance of these resources, and as part of a larger Determination of Eligibility Study, Eshelman & Associates was contracted to complete a Historic Context Study. A four-phase plan was undertaken to complete this project: a) research, b) field work, c) preliminary draft and review and, d) revision and submission of final historic context study.
 
OSV & Backcountry Users Survey (PDF file, 3.6 MB)
This report describes the results of Assateague Island National Seashore’s Oversand Vehicle (OSV) and Backcountry visitor telephone survey conducted from November 2007 to January 2008. Surveys were administered to a total of 43 OSV users and Backcountry area users. The goals of this study were to (1) gather information about user attitudes regarding current management practices of the OSV zone and backcountry camping areas and (2) provide data for a more in-depth written survey to be administered following completion of this report.
 

National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service target invasive plant infestations on Assateague Island (PDF file, 24kb)
August 4, 2008 - Superintendent Scott J. Bentley today announced plans for controlling Phragmites australis (common reed) infestations on Assateague Island. Phragmites has dramatically increased in abundance on Assateague Island during recent years, displacing native plant communities and reducing habitat values. The variety of Phragmites that occurs on the island is non-native and highly invasive.

 
Feral Horse Management at Assateague Island National Seashore (PDF file, 385 kb)
Assateague Island National Seashore proposes to develop and assess the environmental consequences of several alternatives for long-term management of the Assateague feral horses.
 

Assateague Island National Seashore Administrative History (PDF file, 810kb)
Initial chapter traces events leading to seashore establishment; subsequent topical chapters address land acquisition, planning, relations with other agencies, physical development, resources management, and public use. Appendix includes legislation, personnel roster, visitation statistics.

  • Assateague Island Administrative History Assateague Island Administrative History

    Assateague Island National Seashore - An Administrative History (PDF file, 810kb) Read More

  • General Management Plan (GMP) General Management Plan (GMP)

    Share your vision of the park's future! Participate in developing our GMP. Read More

Did You Know?

Sea pork are orange, blob-like critters related to sea squirts. 5 kb

Animal, vegetable or mineral? These orange, blob-like critters are a colony of animals related to sea squirts. Their name, sea pork is thought to be derived from their close appearance to salt pork. When they are babies they have a notochord just like human embryos!