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		The Nature Conservancy in New York New York Home Contact Us Places We Protect   Adirondacks   Central & Western   Eastern   Long Island   New York City News Room Field Trips and Events Young Professionals Internship Program Science Volunteer Ways of Giving

Help Protect New York! Your donation will help us protect areas on Long Island and throughout New York. Donating online is fast, easy, and safe. Dig Deeper Bringing Back the Clam The Nature Conservancy and its partners are working throughout Long Island to make our waters thrive once again. The Nature Conservancy on Long Island On Long Island, we use a variety of approaches and work with many different partners to protect large landscapes, seascapes, and whole functioning ecosystems. Long Island's Last Stand A ten-year action plan to save the most significant remaining open spaces and farmland and to restore and protect our harbors, bays and public parklands. Bird Nesting Area signs help protect habitat for Least terns and Piping plovers.

Every summer we share our beaches with threatened and endangered bird species like the Piping plover and the Least tern. 

In 1986, when plovers were listed as federally threatened, only 106 pairs nested on Long Island. In 2006, thanks to increased monitoring and better protection of their nesting areas, there were over 400 nesting pairs.

But the birds are still at risk. Each year, they lose habitat, suffer losses from predation and experience disturbances from human activities.

Helping Our Feathered Friends

For two decades, we have been successful in finding ways that people can enjoy our beaches and bays while coexisting peacefully with wildlife.  Today, we are working to:

• Partner with other groups and volunteers to fence, post, and monitor plover and tern nesting sites;

• Manage sites and collect data to evaluate the success of our management activities;

• Hire, train, and supervise stewards;

• Institute management programs within town governments;

• Initiate a program with private landowners to allow fencing on their property to protect plovers and terns; and

• Evaluate - and work to prevent - the impacts of predators on plovers and terns.

What You Can Do

But we can't do it alone. Next time you're at the beach, remember to:

• Respect "restricted area" signs - don't drive or linger near birds and nests;

• Leave dogs at home or on a leash, and keep cats indoors;

• Be aware of birds swooping and calling loudly as you walk the beach - they are letting you know that you are too close to their nests and chicks;

• If at all possible, don’t drive on the beach. But, if you must, stay below the high tide mark on hard-packed sand. Maintain low speed;

• Support vehicle-free beach zones during the nesting season; and

• Volunteer to be a steward.

Find out more about how we're working to restore the Great South Bay.

 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © istockphoto/Stephen Muskie (Piping plover); Photo © istockphoto/Stephen Muskie (baby plover); Photo © Mark Godfrey (sign).