About Us

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.

Recently our organization’s name was changed to Pelican Island Conservation Society (PICS) to better reflect our values and mission.

Since the initial festival, PICS, in cooperation with the Refuge and the City of Sebastian, continues to host the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival each year, to highlight the anniversary of our nation’s first National Wildlife Refuge.  The festival is one of the top events held in Sebastian each year and attracts thousands of visitors.

PICS has worked on behalf of PINWR over many years on numerous projects including advocacy, fundraising, trail development, and refuge enhancements. PICS continues to work with Pelican Island NWR staff to support planned projects.  The “ultimate” project for our Refuge is to provide a proper Visitors’ Center to increase the visibility and knowledge about our country’s first National Wildlife Refuge, and to highlight the heritage of the Sebastian community.

Most recently, PICS has worked with the Refuge and the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce to install a webcam at the Refuge that allows for online viewing of Pelican Island. Click here to visit the dedicated Pelican Island web cam site.