Funding will replenish a 1,000 foot beach to increase horseshoe crab spawning and egg abundance, which will in turn provide new foraging resources for Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, and other migratory shorebirds that use the Great Bay-Little Egg ecosystem, a key stopover for thousands of shorebirds. The project site is located along Forsythe’s wildlife drive, with an adjacent viewing platform, which will provide viewing opportunities for this amazing wildlife spectacle. Signage and stewardship (funded from another source) will be used to prevent human disturbance at the beach. This project will serve as an example of successful shorebird management, and the refuge intends to seek funding for additional replenishment opportunities in the ecosystem.
