Coasts and Oceans

A flock of about 60 Sanderlings—small shorebirds—fly in a group above a crashing wave.

Coasts and Oceans

Protecting birds and people on our coasts.

Sanderlings winter all over the world. Photo: Matthew Reitinger/��Ͽ��¼ Photography Awards

Coastal birds are in crisis.

Threatened by climate change, development, overfishing, and pollution, seabird populations around the world have decreased by 70 percent since 1950. In North America alone, shorebird populations have decreased by 70 percent since 1973. Through our Coasts strategy, ��Ͽ��¼ is working to reverse this crisis in multiple ways.

Areas of Focus

Coastal Resilience Coastal Stewardship Gulf Restoration Marine Conservation

70%

Decline in seabirds globally since 1950

70%

Decline in North American shorebirds since 1973

Years of Atlantic Puffin conservation

Fifth-annual Seabird Fly-in Helps Advocates Find Their Voice in Washington

Fifth-annual Seabird Fly-in Helps Advocates Find Their Voice in Washington

Students from chapters across the U.S. traveled to DC to speak on behalf of birds. What they took back home will serve them for years to come.

Building Anew Along the Shores of San Diego County

Building Anew Along the Shores of San Diego County

Local chapters, universities, Indigenous groups, and ��Ͽ��¼ California collaborate to revitalize a shoreline that has long been left to the depredations of industrial action.

Welcome to the Island Where Egrets Rule

Welcome to the Island Where Egrets Rule

A century ago, ��Ͽ��¼ Texas made a commitment to protecting birds along the Texas coast. They started here.

Tufted Puffins are Getting a Boost in the Pacific Northwest

Tufted Puffins are Getting a Boost in the Pacific Northwest

��Ͽ��¼ and partners are launching new efforts to save this declining seabird.

50 Years of Project Puffin: An Oral History of an Incredibly Audacious Idea

An Atlantic Puffin stands on a rock with its wings outstretched, puffing out its chest and holding two fish in its large orange beak. Next to it is a worn looking painted wooden decoy puffin affixed to the rock.

50 Years of Project Puffin: An Oral History of an Incredibly Audacious Idea

In 1973 a young biologist hatched a plan to bring a charismatic seabird back to Maine. It was the start of a five-decade scientific adventure that would ultimately revolutionize seabird restoration.

Louisiana’s Most Ambitious Coastal Restoration Project Finally Takes Off

Louisiana’s Most Ambitious Coastal Restoration Project Finally Takes Off

By redirecting Mississippi River sediment, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion will combat the state’s land-loss crisis.

This Art Show Captures the Magic of the World’s First Restored Seabird Colony

This Art Show Captures the Magic of the World’s First Restored Seabird Colony

An immersive exhibit in Maine transports viewers to Eastern Egg Rock, where Project Puffin began.

How We Work, Where We Work

In order to address and reverse the drastic global decline of marine and coastal birds and build resilient coastlines, we work in specific ways to achieve the most impact.

Coasts and Oceans

Coastal Resilience

Climate change threatens birds and people on our coasts. Healthy coastal ecosystems like wetlands and beaches serve as the first line of defense for birds and coastal communities facing sea-level rise and stronger, more frequent storms.

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Coasts and Oceans

Coastal Stewardship

��Ͽ��¼'s Coastal Bird Stewardship Program trains volunteers to protect our coastal nesting birds through long-term monitoring, signage and fencing, beachgoer education, and working with coastal communities.

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Coasts and Oceans

Restoring the Gulf of Mexico

��Ͽ��¼ is working to monitor the health of birds and the places they need in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.

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Coasts and Oceans

Marine Conservation

��Ͽ��¼ is working to reverse the seabird crisis by focusing on sustainable fisheries management, marine protected areas, and our Seabird Institute.

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Coasts and Oceans

Razorbills Photo: Jean Hall/��Ͽ��¼ Photography Awards

The ��Ͽ��¼ launched in 1973 in an effort to learn how to restore puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine.

Now known as ��Ͽ��¼’s Seabird Institute, we work to share restoration methods that benefit rare and endangered seabirds worldwide. Through active restoration on seven seabird colonies in the Gulf of Maine, we listen and amplify what seabirds tell us about climate change, forage fish management, proposed offshore wind development, and other ocean conservation challenges.

Our Experts