Ten years ago, there were only 11,000 American Oystercatchers in the United States and the brightly colored shorebirds’ numbers were falling rapidly. Today, a coalition of more than 20 different organizations has stabilized that population and a recovery is underway.

 

On March 13, American Oystercatcher Recovery Campaign Coordinator Shiloh Schulte will talk about that population recovery and the collaboration that made it possible.

 

Schulte will deliver “Recovering the American Oystercatcher: A Story of Collaboration and Success” in Concord, Massachusetts, from 5:30 – 7:00pm. The event will be held at the Concord Art Association.

 

“Manomet and the American Oystercatcher Working Group just completed a comprehensive aerial survey for American Oystercatchers in the Eastern United States,” Schulte said. “Covering over 9,000 miles of barrier islands and salt marshes from Long Island to the Mexico border, the survey was accomplished in just over six weeks.”

 

More than 20 organizations from 12 states took part in the planning and execution of the coordinated air and ground surveys. The survey was the first one completed in a decade and preliminary results support the American Oystercatcher’s recovery.

 

“The successful completion of this complex project is a clear example of the power of the Collective Impact approach to conservation, with Manomet acting as the coordinating organization for a dedicated group of partners working toward a common goal,” Schulte said.

 

The event is free but registration is required. To sign up, please visit http://manometoystercatcher.eventbrite.com.

 

– Dave McGlinchey