BLM release – Bastendorff Beach will become a day use site starting on May 1, 2018. The Bureau of Land Management’s Coos Bay District invites visitors to enjoy the public lands in the area from dawn to dusk each day. Since 2016, there has been a 24-hour stay limit at Bastendoff Beach. The safety of visitors to public lands is a priority for the BLM, as is being a good neighbor in the communities we serve. The agency continued to hear concerns from the local community about long-term camping issues at Bastendorff Beach, in terms of trash, resource damage and personal safety after the 24-hour stay limit was put in place. “After implementing the 24-hour rule for almost two years, issues associated with people staying for a long time at the beach improved, but the BLM wants to further enhance visitor safety and decrease trash dumping,” said Kathy Westenskow-Davis, Coos Bay District Manager. The day use regulation will apply to the 107 acres of BLM-managed land on the shore and headland of Bastendorff Beach. The 2016 Coastal and Southwestern Oregon Resource Management Plan allows BLM the flexibility to designate Bastendorff Beach as a day use site. The BLM also already has a day use rule in place that published in 2010 in the Federal Register that allows the agency to begin enforcing the regulation at Bastendorff immediately. The BLM also looks forward to continuing to work with the community on future options and improvements for the public lands at the beach. The BLM will provide notice to those camping at Bastendorff Beach to give them adequate time to relocate before the day use regulation goes in to place. For additional information on Bastendorff Beach, please visit https://www.blm.gov/visit/bastendorff-beach
