Erica Adams finds her nest in Empire

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore (SBDNL) biologist Erica Adams is living the dream as she monitors the endangered Piping Plover and is a lead on educating the public.

Adams, 29, originally from Rochester Hills, has paved her way through the National Park system at various parks throughout the country, but eventually wound up back in the Sleeping Bear Dunes in 2019.

“You just can’t not love ‘em (Piping Plovers). They have a way of taking over your life and I love it,” Adams said. “They embody the area ... We’re also protecting the integrity of the beaches. We’re giving space to the other native flora and fauna to thrive and to be protected,” she said.