PIPING PLOVBR CONSERVATION ON 9.3.1. ' 'by Stephen Flemming 
     
    
   
   
    
     Once again, Prince Edward Island is a hot spot for Piping Plover 
     
     conservation. .There are three programs planned to help conserve this 
     
     endangered species: the Management Program at the P.E.I. National Park, the 
     
     Guardianship Program, and the Research Program. We can think of these as the 
     
     continuing, the new, and the future of Piping Plover conservation in Atlantic 
     
     Canada. . 
     
    

    
     As a consequence of the Piping Plover Management Program at P.E.I. 
     
     ’National Park, a mean of 1.73 chicks per pair have fledged over the past f 
     
     'decade. This rate is three times higher that that achieved in nesting areas 
     
     outside the National Park.. We must continue to support the Park's efforts, 
     
     and applaud the dedication shown by the staff of Parks and People. 
     
    

    
     The Piping Plover Guardianship Program is being implemented in Prince 
     
     Edward Island and Nova Scotia in 1992. This program seeks to reduce human 
     
     disturbance to the birds at sites that currently have no protection. Beach 
     
     activities, camping, motor vehicles, and beach combing can all disrupt the 
     
    

    
     ’normal behaviors of Piping Plovers, and can result in the loss of'nests and 
     
     chicks. Through the volunteer efforts of people-like yourself, the program 
     
     will clearly post Piping Plover nesting areas with information signs, maintain 
     
     the signs in good order, and enhance public awareness of the Piping Plover. 
     
     Guardians will speak with the public while standing at the posted boundary 
     
    

    
     'line of the plover breeding area. People respond very positively to being 
     
     politely asked to stay out of plover breeding areas. After all, plovers only 
     
    

    
     use a very small portion of the beach. surely these is room for both people 
     
     and plovers to share our beaches. If you are interested in becoming a Piping 
     
    

    
     Plover Guardian, we can provide you with a T-shirt, jacket, and ball cap all 
     
    

    
     bearing the Guardianship :logo to help identify you to the public. We can 
     
     also provide training. In P.E.I., this program is being administered by the 
     
    

    
     Island Nature Trust, in cooperation with the Department of Environment. 
     
    

    
     Little is known about the species' habitat requirements or the 
     
    

    
     mechanisms by which it is sensitive to human disturbance. It seems likely 
     
    

    
     that some habitats are more important to plovers than Others. A method is 
     
     needed to rank habitat quality throughout Atlantic Canada so that we can 
     
     secure the protection of the most important sites. Further, it is vital that 
     
     we determine how much or what types of human disturbance can be tolerated by 
     
     plovers. This information is vital if we are to protect the most important 
     
     habitat for Piping Plovers, and if we are to ensure that volunteer initiatives 
     
     like the Guardianship Program are to have a maximum impact.' The Natural 
     
    

    
     History Society is spensoring this research through grants obtained through 
     
    

    
     the Endangered Species Recovery Fund and Environment Week 1992. The Natural 
     
     sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Parks 
     
     service and Canadian Wildlife Service are also supporting this work. 
     
    

    
     .Government, scientists, and most importantly you , the concerned 
     
     citizen, can work together to retrieve the Piping Plover from the brink of 
     
     extinction. Its our heritage and responsibility. The Piping Plover is the 
     
     original beach bum. It needs our help. '