‘Birds Borrow the Beach’
‘9,000 miles, I sure need a break’
‘Shorebird Rest Stop’
‘Please give me a hand’
These are just a few of the messages that students are using to create wildlife education signs to welcome our returning shorebirds and horseshoe crabs to Delaware Bay. The signs have been placed along Bayshore beaches, reminding visitors that we share these beaches with wildlife – particularly two very important species- horseshoe crabs and shorebirds.
Using art as a tool for conservation, over 240 young students from New Jersey and Delaware including from Brandywine Springs School, Crestwood Memorial School, and D’Ippolito Elementary School; created artwork that was used to create weatherproof signs for beaches. These signs will help people understand how they can be respectful visitors by sharing the beach with birds and horseshoe crabs, as well as encouraging more people to get involved in conservation actions. Local partners, including naturalists, scientists, and community leaders have selected the artwork that will be installed on the beaches.
If you can’t make it to the beaches this year consider visiting the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Wilmington, DE where there will be over 20 pieces of the student artwork on display near their Delaware Bay Salt Marsh exhibit. For hours and more information: delmnh.org
