Wisconsin Point Piping Plover Habitat Maintenance Work

The St. Louis River Alliance has been actively engaged in Piping Plover efforts in the St. Louis River estuary for over a decade. In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources we help manage and maintain the Piping Plover Bird Sanctuary on Wisconsin Point to help create nesting and foraging habitat for the endangered shorebird.

Throughout the season (March - October), we have been working on site maintenance including removal of woody debris, controlling unwanted vegetation by picking weeds, cutting shrubs and burning. Thank you to Master Naturalist-Head of the Lakes Chapter volunteers, St. Louis River Alliance staff and other community members who have helped make this site a favorable environment for the Piping Plover!

The St. Louis River Estuary historically supported breeding populations of the endangered Piping Plover. Though after decades of development, their habitat slowly dwindled. In an effort to recreate space for these tiny shorebirds, over 87,000 cubic yards of sand was dredged from the Duluth/Superior Harbor and placed on Wisconsin Point to increase the beach habitat to 14 acres.

The Alliance has been an important partner in the restoration and protection of Piping Plover habitat since 2012. The Alliance is working with the Wisconsin DNR, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners to manage the maintenance of this space. This includes weeding, removing woody debris, and introducing cobble to create a favorable environment where Piping Plovers will want to return and nest at. In addition, each spring the Alliance monitors this space for predators, bird activity, and other factors.