General Meeting
April 23
Our National Wildlife
Refuges and the Perils
they face
Speakers
Retired USFWS Regional
Director Walt Stieglitz
Pelican Island NWR
Manager Paul Tritaik
Come learn about our National
Wildlife Refuges, where they
are, the purpose they serve,
and why they are so important
to our country. Also learn
about the perils they face and
what you can do to help
preserve these last great places
on earth.
We will be electing our
governing board at this
meeting as well. Snacks will
be served.
The General Meetings start at
7:00 p.m. North Indian River
County Library located at 1001
Sebastian Boulevard (C.R.
512) in Sebastian.
Visit PIPS on the web at
www.pelicanislandfriends.org
Pelican Island Preservation Society, INC. --- Pelican Flyer -- April 2007
From the President’s Desk
By Bonnie Swanson
"Make Each Day Earth Day"!
As a Principal of an elementary school I am in constant awe at how children
blossom and learn. I see so much potential and hope for the future through the eyes
of these little ones. Right now they are preparing an Earth Day Performance
entitled " Make Each Day Earth Day." I get to play the queen bee in a skit the first
graders will be doing about the importance of bees and their life cycles. I marvel at
how they investigate, giggle, and see that these tiny insects are so important to the
life.
What happens when we become adults? Do we forget about all these wonders of
natural life? What is the legacy that we will leave these students who will be
graduating from high school in the year 2018? Will our refuge be there for them?
Will any national wildlife refuges be there for them? Will there be any green spaces
for them?
Please take time to work on behalf of our Refuge or any other project that promotes
the idea that Each Day should be Earth Day. Be a responsible member of this
generation to take up for the next generation that has not learned to use their voices
politically yet!
UPDATE - REFUGE FUNDING CRISIS
By Walt Stieglitz
As reported in the last issue of the Pelican Flyer, the National Wildlife Refuge
System is facing a very serious funding deficit which is resulting in substantial
reductions in personnel and a significant loss of capability to manage refuges. The
end result locally is that the total staff for the Pelican Island and Archie Carr
Refuges is scheduled to be reduced to two by 2009 - down from a 2003 staff of six.
Two positions, the biologist and biological technician, have already been
eliminated. PIPS has been very active in organizing support for a substantial
increase in operations and maintenance funding in Fiscal Year 2008 (starts 10/1/07).
Nationally, our goal is to add another $118 million above the current year funding
level of $382 million. PIPS has initiated large scale letter writing campaigns in
cooperation with other organizations, obtained resolutions of support from the
Brevard and Indian River County Commissions, Friends of the St. Sebastian River,
Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Sebastian, and worked
with Congressional staff members on the problem. We will submit written
testimony to the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees who oversee the
budget for the Refuge System. Also, the writer will testify in person, on behalf of
PIPS, before the House subcommittee on April 19. Your support for this project has
been very helpful, and is deeply appreciated.
1
 Thank You Volunteers!
Over 70 volunteers showed up at
Sebastian Inlet on March 17 to enjoy
barbeque pork and chicken and
receive recognition for their
volunteer contributions to Pelican
Island & Archie Carr National
Wildlife Refuges in 2006. Special
thanks to Sebastian Inlet State Park,
Kayaks, Etc, the Pelican Island
Preservation Society (PIPS),
OspreyWatch and Jim Nevins for
helping to sponsor this wonderful
event.
The big news is that last year’s
volunteer program grew to a new
record of 378 active volunteers. The
highest number of volunteers on any
given year before this was 254
during the Centennial Year. Last
year, volunteers contributed 4,028
hours to both refuges, almost
reaching the Centennial year record
of 4606 hours.
Volunteers are recognized annually
and are given a small gift as they
reach a certain number of total
hours. Below are the milestone
achievers, special category achievers
and the projects they worked on in
2006.
Special thanks
Pelican Island Wildlife Festival
Committee Volunteers: Terry Baird,
Kristen Beck, Mike Beck, Joel Day,
Elaine Dickhaus, Tim Glover, Sherry
Hamlin, Julita Kosiak, Steve Massey,
Bob Montanaro, Jim Nevins, Kim
Poole, Brad Rieck, Walt Stieglitz,
Bonnie Swanson, Bill Urban, Scott
Webb
Festival Support: Barbara Bromberg,
Carol Christy, Mary Collis, Lawrene
Montowski, Charlene Todd
Tree Transplanting Project: David
Cox
Refuge Advocacy: David Cox, Jerry
Heyes, Walt Stieglitz, Bonnie Swanson
PIPS memberships: Heather
Stapleton
Pelican Island Preservation Society, INC. --- Pelican Flyer -- April 2007
Volunteers: Steve Massey,
Suzanne Valencia
Maintenance: Alice & Bill
Rowe, John Belknap, Julita
Kosiak
Pepper Busting/Habitat Rest:
Suzanne Valencia
50 Hour Milestone
Pat Bisig
Started in 2006; Pelican Island
restoration, archaeology survey,
outreach events
David Bludworth
Started in 2000; Theodore
Roosevelt impersonator
Barbara Bromberg
Started in 2006; Pelican Island
restoration, butterfly garden,
trash pick-up, Wildlife Festival
Dick Catri
Started in 2003: Emcee Wildlife
Festival
Carol Christy
Started in 2003: ‘Refuge Rover’,
Wildlife Festival
Carol Davis
Started in 2005; butterfly garden
Elaine Dickhaus
Started in 2006; Pelican Island
restoration, PIPS board member,
archaeology survey, Coastal
Cleanup, Wildlife Festival
Diana Digiacomo
Started in 2005; butterfly garden
Bev Harrison
Started in 2005; butterfly garden,
archaeology survey, Coastal
Cleanup, Wildlife Festival
Jean McCarthy
Started in 2006; Pelican Island
restoration, butterfly garden,
archaeology survey
Bonnie Swanson
Started in 2005; PIPS President,
Wildlife Festival Chair
Jane Tutton
Started in 2004; turtle surveys,
Wildlife Festival
100 Hour Milestone
Tim Glover
Started in 2001; PIPS board member,
PIPS web master, Wildlife Festival
Committee, archaeology survey
Chris Pinson
Started in 2002; Wildlife Festival boat
tours
Alice Rowe
Started in 2003; gate painting, Wildlife
Festival
Ed Olson
Started in 2001; Pelican Island
restoration, archaeology survey,
Wildlife Festival, butterfly garden
John Belknap
Started in 2006 as our first Work
Camper; maintenance, habitat
restoration
250 Hour Milestone
Suzanne Valencia
Started in 2003; Sierra Club Outings
Coordinator, butterfly garden, Coastal
Cleanup, habitat restoration, Volunteer
Coordinator for Refuge Work Days
Chris Vann
Sea turtle surveys
Scott Webb
Started in 2003; Wildlife Festival
Committee, PIPS board member,
archaeology survey, Coastal Cleanup,
Turtle Watch Program scout, outreach
events
500 Hour Milestone
Julita Kosiak
Started in 2006 as our first intern;
maintenance, habitat restoration,
Confiscated Cargo exhibit, Wildlife
Festival
750 Hour Milestone
Bob Montanaro
Started in 2002; Wildlife Festival
Committee, Turtle Watch Program
scout, outreach and interpretive
programs, wildlife photography, PIPS
newsletter
1500 Hour Milestone
Jerry Heyes
Started in 1997; President Friends of
the Carr Refuge, Turtle Watch
Program scout
2500 Hour Milestone
2
Walt Stieglitz - Walt has the most
hours of any active volunteer on our
team! Started in 1997; PIPS board Thank You Festival Sponsors!
member, Wildlife Festival Committee,
Refuge advocacy The Wildlife Festival is presented by the Pelican Island
Leadership Recognition Preservation Society, US Fish & Wildlife Service, City of
Cheryl Cummins (past PIPS Sebastian, and many, many volunteers.
President) We could not execute this event without the money, time,
Bonnie Swanson (current PIPS
supplies and services donated by our loyal sponsors. Please
President)
Jerry Heyes (FOCR President since
thank them for making this event possible.
1998) Brevard Zoo ★ Bonnie Swanson ★ Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
Volunteer Group of the Year ★ DonRay Art ★ Florida Power & Light ★ Florida Today ★
Pelican Island Elementary School Friends of Historic Roseland ★ Idea Garden ★ Indian River
Creation and maintenance of the Federal Credit Union ★ Indian River Medical Center ★ Indian
Refuge butterfly garden through the
River Photo Club ★ Jungle Jim ★ Kayaks, Etc. ★ Official
Nature of Learning Stewardship
Project
Dinning Guide ★ OspreyWatch.org ★ Pepsi ★ Perception
Volunteer of the Year/Most Hours Kayaks ★ PODS ★ Press Journal ★ Publix ★ Riot Kayaks ★
Bob Montanaro River Front Groves ★ Runner’s Depot ★ Sebastian Animal
OspreyWatch outreach and wildlife Hospital & Bird Clinic ★ Sebastian River Medical Center ★
photography, Wildlife Festival Sebastian River Middle School ★ Steve Schubert ★ The Ad
Committee, Turtle Watch Program Agency ★ Treasure Coast Herpetological Society ★ Tropical Art
scout, PIPS newsletter & Frame ★ Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sebastian Post ★ WAL
Volunteers of the Year/Best of Show MART ★ WINDSOR Properties ★ Exhibitors, for their silent
Bonnie Swanson auction donations
PIPS President, Wildlife Festival
Chair, Refuge advocacy
Suzanne Valencia
Sierra Club Outings Coordinator,
butterfly garden, Coastal Cleanup,
habitat restoration, Volunteer
Coordinator for Refuge Work Days
Scott Webb
Started in 2003; Wildlife Festival
Committee, Wildlife Festival Exhibitor
Coordinator, Wildlife Festival sound
guy, Wildlife Festival merchandise
coordinator, Wildlife Festival water
boy, PIPS board member, archaeology
survey, Coastal Cleanup, habitat Photo: Jack Morton
restoration, Turtle watch program Above: Visitors to the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival have a close
scout, outreach events, volunteer encounter with a 2-year old alligator held by Jungle Jim.
cookout chef assistant Below: The start of the 5k run.

Photo: John Dubon

Pelican Island Preservation Society, INC. --- Pelican Flyer -- April 2007 3
 Pelican Island Preservation Society
P.O. Box 1903
Sebastian, FL 32978-1903
Wow!
by Heather Stapleton
It has been a busy year as far as PIPS memberships go!
Just since December, PIPS memberships have increased
from 143 to 208! That is a 69% increase in
membership! And, that does not even include our
generous corporate sponsors. 46 of you joined during
the Pelican Island Wildlife Festival, setting an all time
record.
As you know, in this time of drastic budget cuts to the
National Wildlife Refuge System, memberships to
friends of groups, like PIPS, are more important than
ever. The NWRS has suffered a chronic shortfall in
funding for many years. In order to keep some refuges
operating, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now must
impose major personnel reductions.
Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, the nation’s
first national wildlife refuge was once a showcase
refuge, but it is no longer considered a priority. Like
most refuges, it is suffering from significant reductions, Visit PIPS on the web at
including loss of staff. www.pelicanislandfriends.org
What Does Your Membership Support?
• Restoration of the Refuge. This past year PIPS
funds help to support plantings in the butterfly Pelican Island Preservation Society
garden, restoration of Pelican Island proper, and MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
transplantation of 143 sabal palms and 12 live oak
Please check one:
trees.
• Refuge advocacy. This year we contacted over 1200 Student (under 18) - $5/yr.
citizens urging them to contact Sen. Mel Martinez, Individual - $10/yr.
Rep. Dave Weldon, and Secretary Dirk Kempthorne Family (Joint) - $15/yr.
urging them to support funding of $500mil in 2008 Contributing - $50/yr.
for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Corporate / Business - $100/yr.
• The Annual Wildlife Festival. On Saturday March
10th, we celebrated the 15th Annual Pelican Island
Supporting - $250/yr.
Wildlife Festival. Life - $500
What Does Your PIPS Membership Include? Name(s)___________________________________
• 4 annual issues of the Pelican Flyer delivered to your
door! Company__________________________________
• 6 environmental education programs Address___________________________________
• Members-only events – last summer we hosted a
PIPS only turtle walk. Look out for more events to City/State/Zip______________________________
come!
Phone(Day)____________(Eve)________________
Pelican Island Preservation Society thanks you for
joining us in the preservation of Pelican Island National Email_____________________________________
Wildlife Refuge! Send completed application & dues to
And more importantly, your refuge thanks you PIPS Membership
for your support. P.O. Box 1903, Sebastian FL 32978-1903
Pelican Island Preservation Society, INC. --- Pelican Flyer -- April 2007 4