Snowy Plover Docent Program
| Industry | Non-Profit |
|---|---|
| Location | Santa Barbara, CA, United States |
| Introduction | In the 1960s, the threatened Western Snowy Plovers abandoned their favorite Santa Barbara nesting site, Coal Oil Point Reserve (COPR), when it became open to the public. The plovers would only return during winter and would leave before spring to nest somewhere else. The reason: too much human disturbance. Observers found that on average, the birds were bothered every half an hour due to runners, surfers, dogs, and horseback riders. The year 2000 marked the start of the Snowy Plover Docent Program (SPDP) to protect and restore the plovers and their habitat. Now, over seven years later, after installing educational signs on the beach, fencing the plover habitat, implementing the program, and restoring the plover roosting area, the birds are nesting again. The main goals for COPR and SPDP are to protect the reserve, educate the public, and take the Western Snowy Plovers off the threatened species list. Over 200 plovers have successfully fledged (hatched and survived) since management efforts began. |