APRIL 2023 - "THE PIPING PLOVERS OF NEW YORK CITY, A TINY ENDANGERED SHOREBIRD INSPIRES A MOVEMENT"

Speaker: Chris Allieri

Date: April 11, 2023

Program Description: This is the story of a tiny, intrepid endangered shorebird nesting along the busiest beaches of our biggest city, and how an army of volunteers have come together to protect them. From sea-level rise and strong storms, to human-commensal predation and nest vandalism, the odds are stacked against Piping Plovers in Queens, New York City. With that, NYC Plover Project keeps going, just like the Plovers.

Listen to why the Piping Plovers of the Rockaways may be a tale of hope, resilience, and strength amidst the challenging backdrop for urban wildlife. From the halls of Congress to wintering grounds in the Bahamas, photos and stories will be shared of the Piping Plovers and all that is being done to protect them. 

Speaker Bio:Chris Allieri is the founder of NYC Plover Project, a non-profit organization he began in March 2021 upon seeing a need to protect endangered Piping Plovers in New York City who were otherwise left to fend for themselves. In two years, the organization has grown to a force nearly 200 volunteers who have performed more than 10,000 volunteer hours protecting nesting plovers and their chicks on the busiest beaches in the city.

NYC Plover Project was awarded the 2021 Hartzog Award as the non-profit volunteer group of the year for the entire National Park Service, with whom they have a partnership. Chris is also founder of Mulberry & Astor, a communications firm focused on climate tech startups. A long-time resident of NYC, Chris grew up on the beaches of southern New Jersey where he first saw a Piping Plover at a young age with his late father, Carl.