Sea level rise and coastal hazards are putting human and natural communities along the coasts at greater risk than ever.
Pipping Plovers
A suite of species depends on the dynamic nature of barrier island beaches, including beach-nesting species such as the piping plover. The piping plover is a small North American shorebird which breeds on coastal beaches from Newfoundland to North Carolina, wintering along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina south, along the Gulf coast, and in the Caribbean. The Atlantic coast piping plover population is designated as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act, and is considered endangered under New York State Environmental Conservation Law. Piping plovers also receive protected status under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well as several local ordinances.
Sea level rise puts this endangered species at risk by threatening its primary habitat: barrier island beaches. As a ground-nesting species, piping plovers require minimally disturbed nesting habitat of sufficient width to be reproductively successful. Piping plover nesting activity occurs above the high tide line on coastal beaches, sandflats at the end of sand spits and barrier islands, gently sloping foredunes, blowout areas behind primary dunes, and washover areas. Nesting usually occurs in early successional habitat consisting of wide, open, sparsely vegetated, sandy beach. Sea level rise has the potential to reduce available nesting habitat between the high tide line and the vegetated dune and result in increased incidence of nests being washed out. More information about risks to barrier island habitats can be found here.
Piping plover habitat suitability can be mapped in the mapping tool.
