Brian Laird on WNC and for our last 15 minutes today with Memorial Day weekend looking warm and sunny for the most part.

High in the 80s today, this started off, some might even say,

perfect for a beach day.

And if you're heading around, say,

the Western end of the Rockaways this weekend,

specifically Jacob Reese Park,

you may also notice that as people flock to the beaches, we share those beaches with

literal flocks of birds, specifically the species called the piping plover. It's a fragile nesting bird if you don't know the piping

plover that has made its home on the western end of the rockaways around Jacob Reese Park.

That's in large part due to the volunteer work of the New York City Plover Project.

Now in its third year, the group is growing its project to introduce local school-age children to the idea of being stewards of conservation.

At the same time, another program called the La Rue Bea Collective

aims to make water safety in particular surfing

more accessible to kids in the rockaway.

So now ahead of the holiday weekend,

we will highlight these various efforts

and what it takes to make beaches safe and fun

for kids and birds and beyond.

Joining us now New York City Plover Project

founder, Chris Ellieri, and Aidan Gabriel,

founder of the La Rue Bea Collective.

Thank you both very much for joining us.

...