News

A recent kayaking trip has led to Neuse Riverkeeper Samantha Krop meeting with the attorney for the owners of Busco Beach, an ATV park in Goldsboro.

“In recent monitoring events conducted along the Neuse in Goldsboro, we observed numerous locations along the Busco Beach property line, in which ATV users were seen riding their vehicles within the protected Neuse River buffer and into the Neuse River,” Samantha wrote in an email to the property owner. “We recognize that riding ATVs into the river is explicitly prohibited by Busco Beach. That said, it appears that this rule is not being enforced in at least two miles of Busco’s perimeter along the Neuse River.” 

Samantha said it was clear this was a common occurrence.

“Basically, I was out there paddling recreationally and saw that happening, and it wasn’t the first time it was happening,” she said.

The email led to a meeting with an attorney representing Busco Beach to search for a solution to the problem.

“We talked about the importance of buffers, and why it’s important not to drive through riparian buffers — mainly stream bank erosion, but also the sediment dredged up by tires impacts all of the aquatic life there,” Samantha said.

The conversation led to a potential resolution in the park putting up signs warning drivers that it is a violation of Neuse River legal protections to drive vehicles through the riparian buffer and into the river.

“It’s the first step to what we hope is a resolution to keeping people from driving ORVs (off-road vehicles) into the river,” Samantha said. “When you don’t ride those ORVs into the river, suddenly you can use the river beach for swimming, fishing and relaxing. We’d like to see them continue to work with us toward some solutions where they can educate their patrons and also where they can protect the river.”

Like the work your Riverkeeper is doing to protect your waterways? Support that work by donating today!