Jennifer Erickson Memorial Piping Plover Conservation Fund
For over a decade, the St. Louis River Alliance has conducted seasonal monitoring and habitat maintenance for the endangered Piping Plover on Minnesota and Wisconsin Point. In 2025, state and federal project funding has ended, however we plan to continue this important work through the Jennifer Erickson Memorial Conservation Fund (read Jenny's story below).
This donation based fund will help fuel our passion for plovers and ensure that the St. Louis River Alliance can maintain the site. This memorial fund was made possible with a $3,500 donation and the hope is to match that donation and raise a total of $10,000 in order to hire 2-3 seasonal staff for summer monitoring and maintenance in 2025. SLRA will coordinate volunteer monitoring and habitat maintenance efforts April-August until funds are raised to hire staff. If you are interested in getting involved, please email Mikayla Erickson at watertrail@stlouisriver.org.
You can donate online here, or mail a check to:
St. Louis River Alliance
c/o Jennifer Erickson Memorial Fund
394 Lake Ave S, Suite 604 Duluth MN 55802
About the Memorial Fund: Jenny’s Story
Jennifer ‘Jenny’ Erickson (left) and sister Mikayla Erickson (right).
For the last 12 years the St. Louis River Alliance (SLRA) has been committed to protecting Piping Plover at the Wisconsin Point Bird Sanctuary, a designated Piping Plover site in Superior, Wisconsin. Our Project Lead, Mikayla Erickson has been a dedicated advocate of this critically endangered shorebird for the last six years, monitoring the beaches and managing the habitat maintenance on the protected site. On May 12, 2023 Mikayla received a phone call that her sister Jennifer had passed. In a heartbeat, her whole world collapsed.
The next morning on May 13, an endangered Piping Plover arrived on Wisconsin Point and was observed by St. Louis River Alliance staff. With a glimpse of hope, Mikayla felt her sister was telling her to not give up on the return of these special beloved birds. This year state and federal project funding has ended, however we plan to continue this important work through the Jennifer Erickson Memorial Conservation Fund. Mikayla’s hope is that we can work together as a community to continue to provide a safe and suitable place for shorebirds to forage and nest at that improved site.
These funds will help SLRA maintain a suitable habitat for nesting and vulnerable shorebirds, and honor Jennifer’s memory. Your donations will go directly towards the management of this condensed project during the nesting season, including habitat maintenance, data collection, and monitoring for the endangered piping plover.
The St. Louis River Alliance wishes to thank those who are moved to help us honor Jennifer’s memory and keep Mikayla’s dream alive. If you are interested in getting involved, please email Mikayla Erickson at watertrail@stlouisriver.org.
