Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges Visitor Accessibility & Programs at Pinckney Island NWR Volunteer Presentation John Petraglia Pinckney Island NWR
Agenda Visitor Accessibility & Programs at Pinckney Island NWR • Background: Grant, …. • Project Status & Schedule • Volunteer Positions & Organization • Discussion • Volunteers Select Positions Page 2
Partnership Page 3
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge • The National Wildlife Refuge System includes more than 560 Refuges covering more than 150 million acres of land and water across the US and territories. The system is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Service , part of the US Department of the Interior. • The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge lies on both the South Carolina and Georgia sides of the Savannah River. • Complex Headquarters and Visitor Center – Hardeeville, SC • The Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex consists of seven National Wildlife Refuges scattered along nearly 100 miles of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. Page 4
Refuge Locations in SC Pinckney Island NWR Ga./SC Border Bluffton, SC Kingfisher Pond Visitor Center Tybee NWR Discovery Center Hardeeville, SC Jasper County, SC Page 5
Friends of the Savannah Wildlife Refuges • Working closely with and supporting the efforts of the F&WS staff assigned to our refuges • Public outreach and education • Fund raising to support the refuge • Staffing Savannah NWR Visitor Center and Nature Store • Refuge maintenance and improvement • Advocating for the refuges at all levels of government • and much more The Friends Website: http://www.coastalrefuges.org/ The Giving Marketplace: Friends of the Savannah Wildlife Refuges Page 6
Friends of the Savannah Wildlife Refuges • 501(c)(3) in South Carolina since 2008 • No paid staff --- All Volunteers • Friends Mailing List: 852 Total, 370 paid Members; 564 active Members (194 with late dues) • The Friends manage the Visitor Center nature store, The Gator Hole. The stores yearly sales are approximately $40,000 – $50,000. • Projected Annual Revenue/Expenses - $62,500/$19,850.00 • All net income is used for projects on our Refuges in consultation with Refuge staff. Page 7
Community Foundation Grant Visitor Accessibility and Programs at Pinckney Island NWR • Grant items: Electric Shuttle, bikes, binoculars, signage, etc. • The grant items are to facilitate in-depth educational experience and outdoor activities including wildlife photography classes, staff/volunteer led tours, roving volunteer interpreters. • Provide accessibility to the refuge for the elderly, the very young and mobility impaired. • Provide increase visitor comfort, safety and refuge information. • The grant is consistent with unfunded Refuge plans for Pinckney Island NWR and the grant proposal will be submitted with the approval of the Refuge Complex Project Leader. Page 8
Pinckney Island NWR • Pinckney Island is between the mainland (Bluffton) and Hilton Head - 4,053 acres • Most heavily visited of the Savannah Refuges Visitors (approx. per year): 200,000* * Based on traffic counter Pinckney Island History NWR Page 9
Pinckney Island NWR Map 14 Miles of Trails Bluffton Hilton Head Haigh Landing Page 10
Pinckney Island Trails 14 miles of hiking trails on the refuge and nine recommended hikes • Ibis Pond - 1.2 miles (1.9 km), round trip; one and a half hours • Shell Point - 4.6 miles (7.4 km), round trip; four hours and 15 minutes • Wood Stork Pond - 2.7 miles (4.3 km), round trip; two and a half hours • Osprey Pond - 3.0 miles (4.8 km), round trip; three hours • Nini Chapin Pond - 3.6 miles (5.8 km), round trip; three and a half hours • Bull Point - 5.0 miles (8.0 km), round trip; five hours • Dick Point - 7.4 miles (11.9 km), round trip; six and a half hours • Clubhouse Pond - 6.2 miles (10.0 km), round trip; five and a half hours • Page 11 White Point - 7.8 miles (12.6 km), round trip; seven hours
Grant Cost Items Year 1 Year 2+ Item # Equipment Items Grant Friends Friends 1 15-Seat Electric Shuttle for programs and $22,000 roving nature interpreters a. 15-Seat Electric Shuttle $22,000 $0 b. Shuttle maintenance (1 year) $0 as needed as needed 2 Bikes: for group programs and loaners to reach remote parts of the refuge a. Bikes (15) $3,500 $0 b. Bike maintenance (per year) $0 as needed as needed 3 Trailer to transport bikes to/from storage a. Transport $2,500 $0 b. Maintenance (1 year) $0 as needed as needed 4 Brochures & advertising to announce $750 $0 as needed events 5 Reception tent, table, chairs, picnic tables $500 $0 as needed 6 Signage: descriptions, directions, trail $5,500 as needed as needed kiosks, etc. 7 Binoculars (15) for individuals and $2,250 $0 as needed programs. 8 Bottled Water $0 as needed as needed 12 Total $37,000
Equipment Page 13
Guided Tours • Birding, Nature, Photography, etc. • Adult and Children Only Programs • Shuttle, Bike, Walking Tours • Loan binoculars • Shuttle Tours: – Water available on very hot days – Bathroom on specified tours Page 14 14
Services Self-Guided • Loaner bicycles (future) • Loaner binoculars Roving Docent • Short rides • Commentary and Guidance • Water available on very hot days Page 15 15
Project Status / Schedule Status • Equipment - Majority Received or Ordered • Logistics - Completed • Volunteers - Over 50 Schedule • Aug 16 th - Volunteer Meeting • Mid Nov. - Trail Run: BoD and Refuge Staff • Late Nov. - Inaugural Programs Page 16 16
Organization • Manager & Assistant - Report to BoD PKN Committee - Supervise all PKN Committees - Programming and Services - Volunteers - Publicity - CF reporting & compliance with grant requirements - Financials • Equipment Maintenance - Monthly Shuttle battery topping, maintain Shuttle, bikes, etc. Page 17 17
Volunteer Positions • Visitor Assistants – Check-in participants, loan bikes/binoculars, purchase supplies, and everything else! • Docents Tour Guides – Roving Docent • Shuttle Drivers – Drive shuttle for tours and roving docent Page 18 18
Volunteer Status Over 50 Volunteers as of Dec. 1, 2016 The more volunteers the more frequent the programs. Page 19 19
Volunteer Position Selection Select Volunteer Position(s) & Send to John Petraglia johnpetr17@gmail.com Page 20 20
Thank You On Behalf of the Friends of the Coastal Wildlife Refuges and Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex Thank You for Volunteering 21
Contact Information John Petraglia johnpetr17@gmail.com Vice-President Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges, Inc. 649 Beech Hill Lane Hardeeville, SC 29927 A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization www.coastalrefuges.org http://www.fws.gov/refuge/savannah 19 22
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