The Manomet Center is hosting a Washington D.C. reception today with two U.S. senators to celebrate and support the recently drafted Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Conservation Plan.

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Ben Cardin of Maryland will speak at the May 10th event, which will be held from 5:30-7:30 pm in the Russell Senate Office Building.

The Conservation Plan is the result of a wide-reaching collaboration between dozens of conservation groups, scientists, federal and state officials. The Plan aims to recover and then conserve the populations of shorebirds throughout their life cycle along the Atlantic Flyway of the Americas.

“Because of its enormous geographic scale, shorebird conservation is too big for any one organization, government or treaty organization,” said Charles Duncan, director of Manomet’s Shorebird Recovery Project. “Creating this plan ensures that the many people and groups involved are agreed on priorities and strategies, have mutually reinforcing roles and responsibilities, and common means of evaluating success.  In short, the Plan means we can all speak with one voice.”

Manomet worked with the northeast office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide the organization and guidance in creating the Plan.

Manomet’s involvement was led by Stephen Brown, director of the Shorebird Science Division, and Conservation Specialist Brad Winn. That work culminated in early February when more than 50 contributors gathered at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for a final planning session.

If you would like more information please contact David McGlinchey at dmcglinchey@manomet.org or 508-224-6521.