The Pacific coast population of the Western Snowy Plover, a beautiful and beloved shorebird found only on the coasts of Washington through Baja California, faces an uncertain future. The 4000 or so individuals in this federally listed population persist amid an array of threats stemming from ever-increasing human use of beaches. Yet, there are signs of hope that the population is stabilizing in some areas.

This year, Audubon California’s grants to chapters for “Share the Shore with Snowy Plovers” involved school kids and their parents in direct, on-the-ground conservation, raising awareness of the species among participants and beachgoers while providing tangible direct benefits to significant numbers of nesting and resting birds.

A suite of factors has led to the plover’s decline: disturbance by dogs and people leading to trampling and abandonment of nests and nest sites; beach grooming and enrichment; increases in native and non-native predators such as crows, foxes and skunks; and the spread of invasive plants and grasses. The conditions plovers need to thrive – quiet beaches dotted by driftwood and wrack – are getting harder to find as development and use of beaches grows.

In response, Audubon California secured a grant from Pennies for the Planet and a small family foundation, then, chose to re-grant 100% of the funds to the San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura and Redwood Region Audubon chapters for the Share the Shore program. Audubon California also donated time administering the program.

The project was a huge success, connecting over 1400 children and 3000 adults with plovers in the classroom and at the shore, plus the highlight of a children’s art celebration and contest around the theme of “Share the Shore with Snowy Plovers.” It was gratifying for the organizers to see the childrens’ drawings incorporate subtle elements of ecology such as kelp, sand fleas, beach wood and beach topography, all of which were emphasized in the classroom and field trips.

Any program that raises awareness in so many coastal residents, in such a cost-effective and engaging way, would be a victory in itself - yet the project also has direct conservation impact. One piece of children’s art from each of the four areas was chosen for printing and posting at nearby plover beach habitat; across all four areas, 250 signs were posted. Studies have shown that signs designed by children are far less likely to be vandalized than official agency designs.

Staff of San Diego Audubon installing permanent sign designed by a local student

"The success of this program exceeded our expectations - six chapters along the coast have now run this program - reaching thousands of children in the classroom and beachgoers in a more effective way than traditional posting and ropes can,” says Andrea Jones, Audubon California’s Important Bird Area Director. “The kids are now great ambassadors of the Snowy Plover and beach conservation.”

San Diego Audubon adds: “USFWS told us that 20 official signs had been vandalized at Tijuana Slough. We installed 15 Share the Shore signs in their place, and they are still intact. As we were installing the signs, several members of the public asked us about the signs and we noticed others admiring them on their own up and down the shoreline.”

Links to children’s art, and media articles on the program:

http://losangelesaudubon.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=624

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/24/saving-birds-aim-of-stude...

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jul/21/kids-art-aims-to-protect-...

http://picasaweb.google.com/sdaudubon/WSPSignageInstallationKids?feat=di...