The Merritt Island Wildlife Association (MIWA) is a Florida nonprofit corporation with a mission to: “Promote conservation, awareness, appreciation, and use of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) and to support Refuge programs.”
We are a Refuge Friends group, one of over 200 such organizations that support National Wildlife Refuges and other US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) facilities, from Maine to Hawaii and Alaska to Florida.
We operate under a Cooperative Agreement with the USFWS and manage a gift shop called the Bookery inside the MINWR Visitor Center. MIWA is an affiliate of the Washington, DC–based National Wildlife Refuge Association, which advocates for the entire National Wildlife Refuge System and chairs a coalition of 22 national wildlife, conservation, and outdoor recreation organizations.
MIWA was formed in 1994 with the goal of supporting projects, internships, community outreach, and environmental education programs to benefit Refuge visitors and MIWA members.
MIWA is governed by a Board of Directors elected for staggered two-year terms at our annual meetings. The Board represents a broad range of interests within our membership, including wildlife observation, photography, hunting, fishing, boating, hiking, education, business, the space industry, and local government.
As federal budgets shrink each year for resource agencies, organizations such as the Merritt Island Wildlife Association play an increasingly larger role in providing support for activities and programs that would otherwise not take place.
We would like to thank not only our MIWA members, MINWR refuge volunteers, and supporters, but also all the friend groups, volunteers, and everyone who is dedicated to the protection and conservation of precious places such as our refuge.
So, wherever you are, we encourage you to get out to your local park, seashore, or refuge and enjoy the wonders they hold and find out what you can do to help.
