With nesting season for Western snowy plovers now underway, the U. S. Bureau of Land Management is reminding outdoor enthusiasts that protection measures are now in place at the Mike Thompson Wildlife Area, South Spit Humboldt Bay.

Special rules to protect the nesting shorebirds will be in place until Sept. 15. Under the rules:

· Dogs must be leashed in areas on the ocean side of South Jetty Road. They may be off leash on the Humboldt Bay (east) side of the road.

· Vehicles are allowed to access the waveslope only on designated and signed access corridors. Speed limit on the wave slope is 15 mph. Vehicles are not allowed in the dunes.

· The waveslope area immediately west of the marked plover restoration area is closed to vehicles.

· Public access is not permitted in the marked plover restoration area during the breeding season.

· Horses are allowed only on the ocean side of South Jetty Road.

· Kites, model airplanes and flying devices are not allowed within 300 feet of the restoration areas.

· Depending on the location of Western snowy plover nest sites, temporary closures to the waveslope and marked vehicle access corridors may be established.

“While these rules might cause some inconvenience, they are important in protecting the plovers’ ability to reproduce,” said Lynda Roush, manager of the BLM Arcata Field Office. “Disturbances from people, dogs and vehicles force the birds from their nests, exposing eggs to predators and cold, and reducing the birds’ chances at successful breeding.”

Western snowy plovers are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Details on the birds and the need to protect them can be found at http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/arcata/western_snowy_plover.html. Additionally the BLM regulations for protecting Western snowy plovers can be found at http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/arcata/southspit.Par.83329.File.dat/SouthSpitInterimFinalSuppRules.pdf.

More information on activities at the South Spit can be found at www.blm.gov/ca/arcata.