# Sharing the Shore with Mel Julien

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-spark-bird-podcast-7244275/sharing-the-shore-with-mel-julien
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-spark-bird-podcast-7244275/sharing-the-shore-with-mel-julien.md
Podcast: [The Spark Bird Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-spark-bird-podcast-7244275)
Published: 2026-03-13T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://338315cd-f04c-4c41-9dc9-36df2d149905.libsyn.com/mel-julien
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/338315cd-f04c-4c41-9dc9-36df2d149905/Mel_Julien.mp3?dest-id=4822875
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-spark-bird-podcast-7244275/episodes/sharing-the-shore-with-mel-julien
Duration seconds: 2165

## Resource

In this episode of The Spark Bird Podcast, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally talk with Mel Julien, the Community Engagement Director for the NYC Plover Project. Mel shares how the Piping Plover became her spark bird after rediscovering the beach near her childhood home during the pandemic. What began as a curiosity about shorebird nesting signs soon led her to volunteer with the NYC Plover Project and eventually join the team working to protect these endangered birds on New York City's beaches. Links & Resources from This Episode 📸 Follow Mel's birding and conservation journey on Instagram at @meldjewels and connect with her professional work on LinkedIn . 🏖️ Learn more about the NYC Plover Project , whose mission is to protect endangered Piping Plovers and other beach-nesting birds on New York City's beaches through education, community, and volunteer engagement. 📱 Stay up to date with the NYC Plover Project's work and shorebird updates by following them on social media– Instagram (@nycploverproject) , Facebook , X , and Threads . Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-spark-bird-podcast-7244275/episodes/sharing-the-shore-with-mel-julien/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-spark-bird-podcast-7244275/sharing-the-shore-with-mel-julien.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.