Piping plover (PIPL) productivity in virginia- which is part of the southern recovery unit (SRU)- has been declining since 2016 and a clear cause has not been identified

Land managers in the SRU came together for a series of meetings and workshops in 2022 and 2023 to review data- discuss potential causes of the decline- and identify management actions. The data show that current fledge rates in virginia are extremely low (0.30 fledged chicks pair in 2022 and 0.31 fledged chicks pair in 2023). Since 1997- PIPL breeding activity has been confined to the barrier islands located on the seaward fringe of virginias eastern shore. While potential causes and management responses vary by island- access to foraging habitat has been identified as a contributing factor to low productivity on some islands. Cedar sandbar is an area located on the north end of cedar island that is owned by the commonwealth of virginia. IT has a series of backside mudflats where PIPL broods were previously known to forage- however- access paths have become vegetated to the point where PIPL broods can no longer reach these foraging areas. Pairs continue to nest on the beach- but productivity continues to decline. Multiple corridors will be cleared of vegetation to provide an opportunity for piping plovers to access these foraging areas. Monitoring of piping plovers and their use of these corridors will provide important information on the success of the project- help determine if increasing access to backside foraging areas increases fledging success and provide detailed information on PIPL brood behavior and movement patterns on cedar sandbar.