There’s a certain group of uniformed rangers at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore who are usually met with respect, interest — and cuddles. Of course, we’re talking about the BARK Rangers, the four-legged dogs and their two-legged owners who help patrol the lakeshore and remind visitors of the park’s pet policies.

The team of BARK volunteers — about 15 pups strong, coordinated by the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes — to help protect the fragile and federally protected piping plover population in the park. An important job that comes with puppy kisses, wet paws and wagging tails, says Carly Maki, BARK program volunteer.

Maki has been with the program since it started in 2016 and often patrols with Biscotti, her cockapoo (pictured above), who goes crazy when she gets out her telltale orange patrol vest, along with his harness, badges and BARK bandana.

“He knows we’re going out to walk the park, and he gets the zoomies with excitement,” Maki says. “It’s hilarious!”

Biscotti – and the dogs like him – are doing their part to help the piping plover population flourish in the park.

“The birds are so skittish, and the one reason they abandon their nests is because of dogs and other animals,” Maki says.

Piping plovers are in the lakeshore from April to August and come up here specifically to breed. The endangered species is making a slow comeback, after falling to just 13 nesting pairs in the Great Lakes in the 1980s. There are three types of piping plovers. The park is home to the federally endangered Great Lakes piping plover, which can be found throughout the Great Lakes. The Sleeping Bear Dunes, however, is home to over half of these precious Great Lakes piping plovers.

“This year, so far, monitors have counted 28 nests with 90 eggs,” Maki says. “Every day is exciting as we check the count. It’s very hard to find the nests, which look like rocks in the sand. You have to study the behavior of the birds to find the nests.”

Maki works closely with Erica Adams, the Piping Plover Program Coordinator for the park, who actually started the BARK program as an intern in 2016.

“The reason we started this was because we had a high percentage of nesting pairs here, but we had low compliance for our dog policies,” Adams says.

From an intern, to now employed at the park, Adams said she has loved seeing the program progress over the years. “Plus, you can’t beat the photos with the pups,” she says, laughing.

When asked about the state of the Piping Plovers, Adams grows more serious.

“The population is on a bit of a plateau,” she says. “It’s incrementally moving in a positive direction, with now 74 nesting pairs counted in the Great Lakes, which is our highest pair count to date. But there’s more work to do.”

Once a nest is located, the park puts up rope and will protect the nest with a metal exclosure to keep out predators. Maki says the birds make nests by scraping little holes in the sand, and laying one egg a day, for several days, making an organized nest which generally hold 4 eggs. The male and female then rotate brooding. When the birds hatch in 27 days, about two are expected to survive and fledge. 

“Then, by the middle of August, they are off again, flying back down the southern Atlantic Coast or the Gulf Coast,” Maki says.

As nesting season is upon us, some beaches are closed to dogs entirely, while others are roped off, with a strict leash law adhered to. (SEE MAP.) Petersen Beach is closed to dogs again for the second year, Maki says, after finding nests in the area. This is an unpopular decision, she knows, but she advises people to head about 10 minutes up the road to Esch Road instead, which allows dogs.

Most people are compliant, but Maki said it’s not about handing out tickets, but rather a means to educate and protect the shore that we all love and want to keep.

“We aren’t law enforcement, although we can call them if needed,” she says. “Instead, our job is to remind people to keep their dogs on leash, so they don’t ruin a perfectly beautiful day at the beach for themselves or the birds.”

As a federally protected species, Maki said that you can get a hefty ticket for having a dog off leash in a protected area. In addition, if a dog damages a nest, owners can face jail time.

“We want to talk to people before that happens,” she says. “It’s actually a great way to meet a lot of people from all over the world – and their pups!”

By making the beaches safer, Adams says the birds will keep coming back to nest again. The key to their growth is giving the small, skittish birds – weighing just 2 ounces – a chance to thrive in their breeding habitat.

Adams added that the BARK program isn’t only good for the plovers. The policies help protect other dune life — like the sensitive killdeer bird and the federally threatened pitcher’s thistle, which is native to sand dune shorelines along the upper Great Lakes.

Plus, limiting dog access gives shorebirds a space to get a breather from the many people and pups who visit the area.

“The piping plover is an umbrellas species,” Adams says, “By protecting them, you are also protecting others. We appreciate all that comply with pet policies in the park, as good stewards of the land and the wildlife.”

Those interested in the program can find out more on Friends of Sleeping Bear’s website. 

For a full list and map of pet-friendly Lake Michigan beaches within the Sleeping Bear Dunes where leashed pets are allowed (and a list of no pet areas) head here. 

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