Car found on sand dune prompts warning to Islanders from RCMP, conservation officers - Action News
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PEI

Car found on sand dune prompts warning to Islanders from RCMP, conservation officers

Conservation officers and the RCMP are warning Islanders of the hazards of driving vehicles over sand dunes after they received reports that a car drove on top of a dune near Greenwich, P.E.I.

Car was found on Thursday morning

RCMP says the driver managed to get the car to the top of the dune, by driving it up a walking path. (Submitted by Pamela Stewart)

Conservation officers and the RCMP are warning Islandersof the hazards of driving vehicles over sand dunes, after they received reports thata car drove on top of a dune near Greenwich, P.E.I.

Police saidthey received a call from local residents on Thursday morning about a Honda Civic parked on top of the dune.

Sgt. ChrisGunnof Kings DistrictRCMP saidthe driver managed to get the car to the top of the dune by driving it up a walking path.

Ownersfled

Sgt. Chris Gunn says there were no licence plates on the car at the time, but police have identified the owner of the car and confirmed it was not stolen. (Submitted by Pamela Stewart )

Gunnsaidit looked like the driver attempted to drive up and over the sand dune, and got stuck.

"The owners were not present at the scene.They had departed."

He saidthere were no licence plates on the car at the time, but that police have identified the owner of the car and have confirmed it was not stolen.

"We contacted one of our local tow companies and the RCMPsupervised the safe removal of the car and again, checked to ensure no leakage came from the car that could contaminate the local environment," he said.

'Very sensitive habitat'

Conservation officer Erin Perry says this is an ongoing problem, especially in the summer. (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

Erin Perry, a conservation officer with the Department of Justice and Public Safety said that while the car was removed safely, the tracks left on the dune can still cause damage to the environment.

"Sand dunes are a very sensitive habitat, even footprints can leave quite an impact a vehicle could cause quite significant damage. The marram grass is very easily destroyed and if their root system gets destroyed then they can cause a blow out in the dune."

Perry saiddriving a vehicle on a sand dune violates the Environmental Protection Act. She said penalties start at $200 and go up from there, depending on how bad the damage is.

'Ongoing problem'

Perry says 'sand dunes are a very sensitive habitat, even footprints ... can leave quite an impact.' (Brittany Spencer/CBC)

She saidthis is an ongoing problem, especially in the summer.

"We do get quite a few calls on vehicles unfortunately on the beach and on the dunes and we're trying to be as proactive as we can to try to nip it in the bud."

Perry is asking drivers to respect the dunes and beaches and only park in designated areas.

Gunn said police have contacted the owner of the car and will be interviewing witnesses to find out more about what happened.

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With file from Brittany Spencer