Alligator River/Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge P. O. Box 1969 Manteo, North Carolina 27954 Contact: Bonnie Strawser - 252-473-1131 Back to News Home Page

News Release

May 7, 2006

Pea Island Refuge Open House Huge Success, Great Fun!

Photo credits:Bonnie Strawser

Bob Glennon, former FWS planner (current Refuge Volunteer)
identifies native plants for Open House participants.

Refuge Volunteer Neal Moore is always nearby with a spotting scope set-up-- eager to introduce a few more folks to birding.

Heather MacLean (right), Coordinator for Paddling trips for Kitty Hawk Sports,
teaches proper paddling techniques while Jeff Ferrence (left) stands by for launching assistance.

Tom White, Jr., president of the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society, reports that the Pea Island Open House sponsored by the group on Saturday was a huge success. "We had a great turn-out",
White commented. "And everyone who came had a great time. It was looking like the weather wasn't going to cooperate, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day. Hopefully, we introduced a few new folks to the value of having these refuges set aside for wildlife and people!" White estimates that 100+ people came out to paddle, watch birds, have a nature walk, or participate in the beach scavenger hunt.

The Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society sponsors an Open House on both Pea Island and Alligator River once a year- usually one in the spring and one in the fall. For the past several Open Houses, Ralph Buxton of Kitty Hawk Sports has graciously donated kayaks and a staffer to assist with the events. This partnership is just one of the many ways that Kitty Hawk Sports and other local businesses assist in teaching people about Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges. Another major example is Wings Over Water (http://www.wingsoverwater.org) coming up November 7-12.

The Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Fish and Wildlife Office in Manteo (708 N Hwy 64). Participants at the monthly meetings plan events, work days, and special projects. Anyone interested in becoming involved with refuge volunteer projects is encouraged to attend the meetings. Contact Tom White, Jr. (252-473-3512) for more information.