About us and the Refuges We Support
Our fundamental mission is to increase awareness and support for our coastal wildlife refuges in Alabama and Mississippi that include the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, and the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we rely on grants and donations in order to promote wildlife stewardship, support refuge land acquisition, and to provide advocacy and financial support for refuge habitat management and visitor services.
The FBSNWR was established to help support the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in protecting one of the largest undeveloped parcels of land on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The Refuge is home to many species of wildlife and plants, some of which are endangered.
We are now involved with supporting the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge as well as the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge. It’s our aim to support the refuges with what they are unable to do for themselves.
Funding and donations for Friends of Bon Secour provide advocacy and financial support for refuge habitat management and visitor services as well as support refuge land acquisition.
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Named one of the 10 Natural Wonders of Alabama, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge comprises 7,000 acres on five parcels of land.
Congress established the Refuge in 1980 to preserve the coastal dune ecosystem and to protect threatened and endangered species along with migratory birds.
The Refuge is the last large parcel of undeveloped land on the Alabama Gulf Coast. It offers four hiking trails that range in difficulty from easy to strenuous and provides an up close and personal experience for nature lovers.
The name Bon Secour is French and means “safe harbor,” a very appropriate name for this undisturbed piece of paradise. From sandy beaches and rolling dunes to wetlands with a dense growth of evergreens and deciduous trees, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge features a diverse habitat.
More than 370 species of birds have been identified at the Refuge during migratory seasons. The largest are typically ospreys and several species of herons. Four species of hummingbirds have also been identified in the Refuge. Mammals such as the red fox, armadillo, and coyotes call the Refuge home, as does the endangered Alabama beach mouse. Endangered sea turtles also use the sandy, unspoiled beaches for nesting from May to October.
Visit the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Website.
Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1975 under the Endangered Species Act, the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is home to the last of the wet pine savanna habitat, as well as its namesake the Mississippi Sandhill Crane. The namesake bird is the rarest birds in North America, and it only exists within the confines of the refuge and surrounding private lands. Less than 5% of the crane’s original habitat remains, and they share their refuge with a rich variety of other birds and plant species.
Visit the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge Website.
Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge is located in coastal Mississippi and Alabama, and is a study of transitioning ecosystems. From the wet pine savanna landscape to the Escatawpa River System down to the Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. As freshwater turns to brackish water which turns to salt water, marshes, bayous, and streams are formed.
Visit the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge Website.