Piping Plover Program

What is the Piping Plover?

The Piping Plover is an endangered shorebird protected by both State and Federal laws. In the spring and summer months, Wells beaches are home to several pairs of endangered piping plovers.

Wells works closely with partners from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Maine Audubon to protect the plovers on our beaches. Each year, volunteers from Wells and beyond are trained as beach monitors and visit our beaches to educate beach goers about the birds and our ordinances.

Wells has prime Piping Plover habitat. They love to lay their eggs in our soft sand and raise their chicks on our beaches. During the nesting season (roughly April – August), it’s essential that beachgoers know to steer clear of plover nests. That’s where our volunteers come in—learn more about how you can help protect the birds and their habitat this summer.

Background

For more than a decade, the Town of Wells has had a Beach Management Agreement with the Federal, State and Audubon Agencies who are charged with protecting habitat for Piping Plovers and Least Terns. These birds begin to arrive on our beaches in March and their nesting and fledging seasons extends into the summer months. While most often found at Wells Beach, the beaches at Drakes Island and Moody must also be checked.

In the beginning, there was a threat of beach closure to ensure the safety of these species. Instead, Town officials proposed a monitoring program which would keep the beaches open for use while protecting the birds through oversight and education of beach-goers. This program has been very successful. This program is about educating people through conversation rather than enforcement, and to help locate the Plover’s nests so that they can be protected by fencing.

However, to help maintain this success, volunteers are needed to perform the following tasks: walk the beaches on a regular basis, at least once a week from the middle of April through mid-September; identify, locate and count the birds; and help educate and make beach goers aware of the birds and how to protect them.

Volunteers

If you enjoy walking the beaches; appreciate flexible days/hours/time of day; and want to make a difference, volunteering for the Piping Plover Project is for you. Volunteers will be provided with a training, identification, and a parking pass to be used during their volunteer hours. Reporting is a simple and rewarding process. Volunteers are needed from mid-April through September.

We're looking for a regular, weekly commitment, but we also know summer in Maine is precious. You can still volunteer even if you know you will only be able to help periodically or if there are weeks when you are unavailable.

All volunteers must:

Be willing to talk and interact with the public
Attend an annual volunteer training and orientation
Educate beachgoers about plovers and beach rules meant to keep the birds safe
Track volunteer time and observations

Volunteer Application

Easily apply by filling out our Volunteer Application.