 |
NEWS RELEASE
|
Annual Environmental Event to Celebrate Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
Community officials and volunteers expect thousands of visitors to converge on Sebastian's Riverview Park again this March to join in the celebration of the Second Century of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System. The goal of the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival is to promote the nation's 1st National Wildlife Refuge and showcase the unique nature, wildlife and economic alliance in Indian River County."This event is a 'one of a kind environmental celebration,' at least in the state of Florida", says Refuge Ranger, Joanna Taylor from Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. Taylor co-chairs a ~25 person volunteer planning committee composed of the Pelican Island Preservation Society, local business partners, City of Sebastian officials and other interested community members. "Interest in shaping this year's event has heightened as a result of the incredibly successful Centennial Celebration held last March which attracted an estimated 45,000 people over the course of 5 days", Taylor said. This year's Wildlife Festival will revert to a one-day event in Riverview Park, and will add some new activities at the new Pelican Island Viewing Area, located off A1A and north Historic Jungle Trail.
As a kick-off event to the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival, refuge staff will host 'Pelican Island Day' and a Time Capsule Dedication Ceremony on the Refuge on Saturday, March 13 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Refuge will have interactive educational stations set up along the Centennial Trail at the Refuge, where adults and children alike will have the opportunity to learn more about native plants and habitats, bird watching and butterflies of the Refuge. This will be a great time for folks to visit the Refuge, with staff and volunteers on-hand to enhance their Refuge experience. As part of this kick-off event, the Refuge will dedicate the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge Centennial Time Capsule at 1:00 pm. The Time Capsule will contain keepsake items representing both Pelican Island and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuges. The future staff of the Refuge will open the time capsule and review its contents during the Bicentennial on March 14, 2103.
The main public event, the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival, will take place at Sebastian's Riverview Park from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 14. Over 100 environmental exhibits will be featured, including environmental arts and crafts and local food vendors. "Among the highlights of the Festival is the live wildlife shows, which seems to be a big hit with the public," said Taylor. Wildlife such as the American bald eagle, peregrine falcon, American alligator and eastern indigo snake are presented up close and personal. It's a fantastic opportunity to learn about and see commonly unseen wonders of nature, and it's all for free. Other activities include environmental education activities and projects for children, live bands playing under the palms, pontoon boat tours to view the Pelican Island bird rookery, kayaking in the Indian River Lagoon, historical reenactments, and a breathtaking display of the Amateur Photography Contest entries. The free event caters to the general public, focusing on increasing the awareness and appreciation of our area's natural resources. It's a beautiful location, situated on the Indian River Lagoon, setting the perfect mood for people to relax, recreate, learn and have fun! Bring your lawn chair and listen to a variety of bands play throughout the day. All activities at the event are free with exception to reduced fees charged for both the boat and kayak tours being offered during the day.
The Pelican Island Preservation Society and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge host the event. Major event sponsors include Sebastian River Medical Center, Sebastian River Boat Tours, Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club, and Kayaks etc. For more information please contact Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge at 1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32961; Phone: (772) 562-3909; Email: pelicanisland@fws.gov; or, visit the website for a complete schedule of events at http://pelicanisland.fws.gov. Volunteers are needed to assist with the planning and execution of both events on March 13 and 14. For more information about volunteer opportunities, please call 772/562-3909 ext 310.
Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is open to the public daily from 7:30 am to sunset. New public facilities were created and opened last spring, in partnership with Indian River County, and include over 5 miles of foot trails and a boardwalk and a universally accessible observation tower, giving visitors new opportunities for wildlife observation, wildlife photography and interpretive programs. Boating and fishing is permitted in the open water areas of the Refuge within the Indian River Lagoon. The new facilities are located on north Historic Jungle Trail on Orchid Island, 3.7 miles north of the Wabasso Causeway on Highway A1A.
Pelican Island Preservation Society, Inc. (PIPS) is an environmental education organization whose purpose is to support and promote Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System in their efforts to conserve habitat and wildlife. PIPS has cosponsored and organized the annual Pelican Island Wildlife Festival since its inception 12 years ago. Proceeds from the Festival support local environmental education and ecological restoration projects at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge.
On March 14, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an Executive Order creating Pelican Island as the country's first national wildlife refuge. Roosevelt went on to establish an additional 54 national wildlife refuges during his two terms and set historic conservation values for America. These values have grown into a system, which today, consists of 542 National Wildlife Refuge on more than 95 million acres of America's most important wildlife habitat.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological Services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.