Although diverse and problematic issues surround piping plover conservation, recent increases in the Atlantic breeding population give hope that major hurdles can be overcome. Even though reorganization of recovery team roles somewhat slowed progress toward recovery, creation of a new International Piping Plover Working Group holds promise for more effective, range-wide coordination of conservation efforts. The lawsuit against the USFWS has had positive aspects, highlighting conservation needs and potentially catalyzing concerted efforts to address habitat issues, especially those of winter habitat. In Michigan the recovery program has gradually become more coordinated and assertive. Institution of a statewide protocol for protection of nesting areas and increased coordination of protection will improve the program even further. Still, self-sustaining populations of piping plovers will never exist anywhere if humans continue to develop and populate coastal areas at the current pace and fail to protect adequate habitat that meets the plover’s needs throughout all stages of its life cycle.