A group of "citizen scientists" will educate the public on the plight of the Piping Plover this summer, with assistance from Bruce Power.
The small shoreline birds are an endangered species that have returned to Lake Huron and Georgian Bay after a 30-year absence.
Stewardship Grey Bruce is gearing up for a six-part "Beach Talk" series, and Bruce Power's $10,000 donation keeps the series free to the public.
It also contributes to a Piping Plover Sister School project, which will see Amabel Sauble Public School students twin with an elementary school in Florida, so they can each learn about the summer and winter lifecycles of the Piping Plovers.
The "Beach Talk" series ill give the public greater context as to why the Piping Plover is an endangered species. It opens Monday, June 19 at the Huron Feathers Presbyterian Centre in Sauble Beach, starting at 6:30pm. There will be five other guest speakers brought in over the summer.
"Our volunteer citizen scientists and beach monitors ensure the Plovers can safely nest on our beaches, separate from human interference. With continued vigilance and education, we hope to see the bird recover to sustainable levels," says Norah Toth, chair of Stewardship Grey Bruce.
Stewardship Grey Bruce is an organization of agencies and individuals that support projects to restore, protect and enhance habitats of wildlife and fisheries, as well as plants and animals found in Grey and Bruce counties.
Plover Lovers are volunteer monitors who help ensure the birds’ recovery in our area. You can learn more about the Plover Lovers and the Beach Talk series at www.ploverlovers.com.