Making room for the Snowy Plover

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Beach grass and ice plants are pulled out of the sand during a conservation effort for the Snowy Plover at Wall Beach here Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Removing the non-native plants allows for native plants to grow for the nesting habitat of the Plover. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andrew Satran)

Making room for the Snowy Plover

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Ria Boner, a Santa Barbara Zoo conservationist research coordinator, pulls an ice plant out of the sand during a conservation effort for the Snowy Plover at Wall Beach here Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. The volunteers worked with the 30th Civil Engineer Conservation Office in an effort to aid local conservation and endangered species. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andrew Satran)

Making room for the Snowy Plover

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Molly Astell, a Santa Barbara Zoo volunteer, pulls an ice plant during a conservation effort for the Snowy Plover at Wall Beach here Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. The volunteers worked with the 30th Civil Engineer Conservation Office in an effort to aid local conservation and endangered species. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andrew Satran)

Making room for the Snowy Plover

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- A Santa Barbara Zoo volunteer pulls an ice plant out of the sand during a conservation effort for the Snowy Plover on Wall Beach here Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Removing the non-native plant species allows the Plover to nest in the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Andrew Satran)

Vandenberg’s flying mission

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Staff St. Brandon Johnson, 30th Security Forces Squadron Raven operator and crime prevention officer, launches the Raven into flight here Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. The Raven is an unmanned aerial system used to protect base assets and aid 30th SFS members in drug prohibition and environmental studies. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jennifer Green-Lanchoney)

Vandenberg’s flying mission

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Tech. Sgt. Jeffery Fay, from the 30th Security Forces Squadron, inspects the Raven before conducting a test run here Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. The Raven is an unmanned aerial system that is operated by Airmen here at the 30th SFS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jennifer Green-Lanchoney)