More space and protection for Western Snowy Plovers on Federal Land

What's for lunch?

San Francisco Chronicle/Peter Fimrite, 6/19/12.  "Habitat set aside for Western Snowy plover doubles."

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday designated 38 square miles along the West Coast as critical habitat for a federally listed beach and mud-loving bird called the Pacific Coast western snowy plover.  The designation more than doubles the amount of habitat set aside for the threatened pocket-size birds in California, Oregon and Washington. 

It means proposed developments on federal land could come under more scrutiny. It is not clear how the designation would affect the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which did not add new critical habitat, but federal land managers in general would have to consult with the fish and wildlife service before anything could be done that might impact plover habitat."  The area most affected in our region are 618 acres of Napa and Sonoma marshes.  Read Article.

Related -  Pacifica Shorebird Alliance.   Monterey Bay Acquarium article, source of photo.

Posted by Kathy Meeh