Zoom-Only Presentation – Co-Sponsored with Land of Lakes Bird Alliance

Stephanie Schubel is the field lead, lead plover bander, and field team coordinator for the Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team (affiliated with the University of Minnesota and based out of the University of Michigan Biological Station).   She will be presenting her team’s current work and findings. 

Key Highlights of Her Work

• Field Leadership: For around two decades, she has led hands-on conservation efforts for the endangered Great Lakes Piping Plover population, coordinating field crews across nesting sites in Michigan and the broader Great Lakes region.

• Banding & Research: Schubel oversees the banding of chicks and adults to monitor individual birds, track survival rates, trace migration patterns, and collect genetic data to support recovery efforts.  

• Conservation Milestones: Her team’s work—combining nest monitoring, public education, predator management, and captive rearing—has helped the Great Lakes Piping Plover population rebound from a low of 12 to 17 pairs in the 1980s to a recent record high of over 85 breeding pairs.   

• Public Outreach: A central focus of her outreach is teaching beachgoers how to safely share habitat with these camouflage-nesting shorebirds (such as maintaining a ~100-foot distance and keeping dogs leashed).  

  Photo Credit – Melissa Groo