Judge Rules for Protecting Piping Plover Habitat

On August 18, a federal judge agreed with SELC and ruled in favor of designating critical habitat areas for the wintering piping plover on the beaches of North Carolina, in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. An off-road driving group and two North Carolina counties jointly filed suit to strike down this protection for the piping plover, which has been listed as a threatened species since 1986. Representing Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society, SELC intervened in the case to support federal efforts to safeguard the shorebird’s nesting areas and promote its recovery.