Mission

The mission of the Pelican Island Conservation Society is to promote awareness, conservation, stewardship and use of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, and to support Refuge projects.

Pelican Island Conservation Society is an environmental organization with the following goals:

• To heighten awareness of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge as the nation's first National Wildlife Refuge.

• To provide education and outreach opportunities to the public.

• To promote the interests of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System through advocacy.

• To provide funding for the project and programs of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.

History

In 1993, a group of local citizens organized the 90th Anniversary Celebration (the first Pelican Island Wildlife Festival) in cooperation with Merritt Island NWR and Paul Tritaik, then the Refuge Manager of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (PINWR).  Following the Celebration, the group decided to form a “friends” group to continue anniversary celebrations and educational programs to support and promote the PINWR.  Late that same year, the Pelican Island Preservation Society (PIPS) was organized, with the mission to support and promote the PINWR and the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) in their efforts to conserve habitats and wildlife. In 2019 a decision was made to change the name to the Pelican Island Conservation Society (PICS).

Read our entire history here

About The Refuge

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (PINWR) was established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt thanks to local resident Paul Kroegel. It is located in the Indian River Lagoon, the most biologically diverse estuary in the United States. The waters and wetlands of PINWR form a complex ecological system supporting hundreds of species of birds, fish, plants, and mammals. A dozen federally listed threatened and endangered species live here, including the endangered West Indian Manatee, roseate tern, piping plover, wood stork, green sea turtle, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, and hawksbill sea turtle. Species listed as threatened include the loggerhead sea turtle, Atlantic salt marsh snake, eastern indigo snake, southern bald eagle, and Arctic peregrine falcon. Other common wildlife includes the raccoon, bobcat, osprey, ground doves, river otter, opossum, and many varieties of neotropical and resident songbirds.

VISIT THE REFUGE! The Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is open to the public.

The refuge features numerous informational signs with QR codes that provide in-depth videos and audio about each area. This information is produced by the Pelican Island Audubon Societ and can also be viewed HERE.

guided Tram Tours of the refuge will resume on wednesdays in mid-january through april. Tours are 8 to 10am. reservation are required and can be made by calling the Pelican Island NWR at 772-581-5557.

UNIQUE PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM

The National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters serve a purpose distinct from that of other U.S. public lands: Wildlife conservation drives everything on national wildlife refuges, from the purposes for which each refuge was established, to the recreational activities offered, to the resource management tools used. You may visit https://www.fws.gov/refuges/about to learn more about what makes the refuge system special and its mission.