Wine for wildlife: Dune Bird’s new rosé supports Piping Plover conservation

From staff reports

Dune Bird Winery, located on M-22 between Leland and Northport, has announced a new collaboration with Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes (FOSB), a 501C3  nonprofit, partnered with the National Park Service, dedicated to protecting resources and heightening visitor experiences at  Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This collaboration is marked by the release of a special, limited release wine: Pink Plover—a sweet rosé crafted to raise awareness and funds for the endangered Piping Plover and other resource protection efforts along Lake Michigan’s shorelines.

“We’re incredibly excited to collaborate with Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes to raise both awareness and funds for the Piping Plover,” said Bekah Bell, brand culture and flight club manager at Dune Bird Winery. “This partnership allows us to bring together our love for wine and our commitment to environmental conservation—not only in our vineyards and winemaking, but also in our communities and along our shorelines.”

The Piping Plover is a small, endangered shorebird which breeds along the shores of the Great Lakes from April to August each year. Almost half of the Great Lakes population nests within the National Lakeshore. Dune Bird’s Pink Plover represents a community commitment to protect one of Michigan’s most beloved and vulnerable species. A portion of every bottle sold will go toward supporting conservation efforts for the Piping Plover and other Friends of Sleeping Bear resource protection programs.

 “The Friends of Sleeping Bear welcome Dune Bird’s creative financial support in helping conservation efforts at Sleeping Bear Dunes,” said Laura Ann Johnson, executive director of FoSB. “In supporting our partnership with the Park, we rely on the generosity of individual and business donations to help protect natural resources and enhance visitor experiences in the Park.”

Kicking off Michigan Wine Month, the public  is invited to join in launching Pink Plover rosé on Thursday, May 1, from 6-8 pm. The family friendly event will feature tastings of the new wine, live music by Luke Woltanski, opportunities to learn about the Great Lakes Piping Plover population along the National Lakeshore and in Northport, and other activities. Attendees will learn about how they can volunteer and contribute to protecting Piping Plovers and preserve natural resources Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Dune Bird Winery is located at 5620 N. Manitou Trail in Northport. The May 1 event is free to attend. Donations and purchases of Pink Plover wine will support Piping Plover conservation and Friends of Sleeping Bear resource protection initiatives. RSVPs are encouraged at the events link on Dune Bird’s website. For more information about the Pink Plover wine, the event, or to RSVP, please visit Dune Bird Winery’s website.

About the Piping Plover: Great Lakes piping plovers are small, migratory shorebirds. They are critically endangered and protected by federal law. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore provides the largest, high quality plover habitat in the Great Lakes. Almost half of the Great Lakes population nests within the Lakeshore.

In mid-April, this population of piping plovers migrates north to the Great Lakes shorelines. They lay eggs in May, and hatch chicks in June and July. Their speckled eggs and sand-colored appearance blend in perfectly on wide rocky beaches. During the breeding season, adults have a black eyebrow band and a single black neck band. Listen for their characteristic peep-lo call.

Piping Plover Conservation Efforts:

Sleeping Bear Dunes partners with local, state, federal, and tribal organizations to protect Great Lakes piping plovers. The following actions are critical for nesting success:

• Monitoring nesting habitat, observing plover behavior, and locating all plover nests within the Lakeshore.

• Building predator exclosures to protect adults and nests before the eggs hatch.

• Roping off sections of the beach to provide habitat away from human activity.