Draft: Keeping the Piping Plover in New Jersey's Future: A Synopsis of Population Status and a Framework for Piping Plover Recovery in New Jersey

This proposal suggests the following framework and specific actions to reverse current trends and begin recovery of piping plover populations in New Jersey: Increase the focus of protection and management on state and federal beaches including state parks and natural areas, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. Develop and execute written management agreements with municipalities that provide for a progressive shift of some management responsibilities to local governments and which reduce detrimental activities such as beach raking. Increase efforts to reduce predation of nests and chicks through predator trapping and shooting programs in addition to current methods (e.g. predator exclosures). Seek and implement opportunities to maintain a full range of natural coastal formation processes, including overwash. Increase the involvement and participation of non-governmental conservation organizations.This document was created for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Endangered and Nongame Species Program