In 2026, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) marks four decades of collaborative conservation, connecting people, places, and partnerships across the Americas since the first site designation in 1986.

What began in the 1980s as conversations between scientists along the shores of Delaware Bay quickly grew into something much bigger. Researchers studying shorebirds started asking a simple question: what would it take to protect the critical places these birds depend on across their entire migration?

From those early conversations—long before email or social media—the idea of a hemispheric network took shape. Guided by partners across institutions and countries, it grew from the ground up. Within just a few years, dozens of sites across the Americas had already been identified as essential for shorebirds.

In this Small Sit, Rob Clay Ph.D., Vice President of Flyways, Manomet and Director of the WHSRN Executive Office, reflects on this journey and celebrates the people behind WHSRN and the partnerships that continue to carry this work forward.

English–Spanish interpretation will be available.