Book-funded Conservation Project

In death as in life, Monty continues to be a trailblazing Piping Plover, forging new paths for his species and our understanding of it.

On this day, May 13, 2023, the anniversary of Monty’s untimely passing, Monty and Rose, LLC is proud to announce that it is partnering with Drs. Francesca Cuthbert and Sushma Reddy, University of Minnesota, to partially fund genetic research on Piping Plovers.  For the first time, the entire Piping Plover genome will be mapped, thanks to tissue obtained from Monty after his untimely death, as well as DNA that will be obtained non-invasively from his closest living relatives as circumstances allow.  The funds provided will also enable a broader genetic study to understand the level of genetic diversity in the Great Lakes Piping Plover population.  Funding in the amount of $12,000 was donated to fund this research.  Monty and Rose, LLC is deeply grateful to every person who has purchased books and made additional donations, thus enabling this research.

As we mark the anniversary of Monty’s passing, we lovingly remember Monty and Rose.  They bucked the impossible and nested on the busiest of beaches; they commanded prime lakefront real estate, shaped it and expanded it for generations of Piping Plovers and shorebirds to come.  They existed with grace, strength, persistence and resilience.  They opened human eyes to their charm and endearing personalities, the plight of their endangered species; the beauty of birds and the importance of conservation, especially in an urban setting.

With every wing beat, Monty and Rose and their progeny brought people together, weaving a network of collaboration and support that extended from the upper reaches of Michigan, throughout the Great Lakes, to the shores of Florida and the coast of Texas.  They brought people together whose path may have never otherwise crossed and showed how a common purpose that is pure and focused can collapse barriers and make friendships and conservation work bloom. 

Anyone wishing to make an additional contribution to this research effort can do so by visiting this link:  https://z.umn.edu/pipingplover.