Plan to join us in march, 2026 for the 123rd anniversary celebration with president theodore roosevelt!

Thanks to everyone who participated and supported us for another amazingly fun celebration of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge this year!  We enjoyed a wonderful fireside chat at the Heritage Center, Vero Beach with President Roosevelt to start the weekend off.  We will be sharing a few photos from the weekend’s events here and on our Facebook page soon.  VeroNews.com also has a story with some photos from the fireside chat here.

Save the dates of March 13-15, 2026 to celebrate the 123rd anniversary of Pelican Island as the first National Wildlife Refuge. Joe Wiegand, aka President Theodore Roosevelt, will be joining us, bringing the history of Pelican Island, our nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge, to life. Events are planned at various locations and will feature a wildlife display and other activities.

The Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is located at the north end of Jungle Trail There are signs for the Refuge at the northern entrance to Jungle Trail, about 3.5 miles north of the A1A/route 510 intersection. Once on Jungle Trail, the first facility you will come to is a Welcome Area and restrooms on the left. A little farther south on the right, you will encounter the Centennial Trail and Pelican Island Viewing Area. The Centennial Trail includes planks chronicling the establishment of each refuge in the country, leading to the overlook of Pelican Island. For more information about the Refuge, visit their website at www.fws.gov/refuge/pelican-island.

The Pelican Island Conservation Society is the “friends” group for the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. Your participation supports the Refuge, as well. Thanks for your interest and engagement! Below are some of the events that were held as part of this year’s celebration. Details will be announced as plans are developed for next year’s event.

Schedule of Events

Friday, March 14, 2025

Fireside with Theodore Roosevelt, Heritage Center, Vero Beach. Photo by Sandy Peterson

  • School visit with President Roosevelt

  • “Fireside Chat” With Theodore Roosevelt. The featured event will be an evening fireside chat with President Roosevelt at the Heritage Center in downtown Vero Beach. The evening will include after-dinner drinks and desserts including Indian pudding - one of Teddy’s favorites. President Roosevelt will regale us with stories of his childhood and how he became known as the “conservation president.” He will also talk about how he came to designate Pelican Island as our nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge. There will be ample opportunity for mingling and backslapping with President Roosevelt. There will also be a continuous slideshow of historic photos of the Refuge, Paul Kroegel, the first Refuge warden, wildlife and more recent images from the Refuge.

Saturday, March 15, 2025
Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Dr., Vero Beach, 10am to 3pm

Teddy Roosevelt with Sandy Peterson and US Fish and Wildlife staff

Rodney Kroegel Conservation Area, 11296 Indian River Drive, Sebastian

  • Rodney Kroegel was the son of Paul Kroegel, Pelican Island’s first game warden. The Area is adjacent to the Paul Kroegel homestead in Sebastian and is now conserved by Indian River County. The Area has yet to be opened to the public, awaiting installation of interpretive signage and restoration of Rodney’s photography workshop. Please visit the Indian River County Conservation Lands Program website for location information and watch for details as to when it will allow for visitation.

Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Drive, Vero Beach, 5:00pm to 7:30pm

  • Sunset wine and cheese cruise to Pelican Island with Teddy Roosevelt, aboard the ELC’s pontoon tour boat. Please come with your appetite and be ready to nosh, while we enjoy a scenic cruise with President Roosevelt to catch the birds returning for their evening roost at Pelican Island, and learn a bit about the history of Pelican Island from the President himself. We will provide various wines and water, along with some delectable treats for the trip.

 

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