Welcome to the Friends of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge!
We are a non-profit, community-based organization founded in 2003 by local individuals dedicated to supporting the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge in its efforts to conserve, protect and enhance the rich diversity of coastal habitats, seabirds and other wildlife. Check out our 2017 highlights.
Click on the Upcoming Events to see what is happening at Maine Coastal Islands NWR Visitor Center in Rockland.
Thank you to all our friends who supported our fundraising events and had fun as well!
Hope to see you next year for our Annual Seabird Cruise to Petit Manan Island and our Juried Art Show celebrating Maine Coastal Wildlife in July. And yes, we will have another Flock Party!
Sharon Boody-Dean with her Best in Show, “Curious Bear” mixed media
Come See Our Fins, Feathers, & Fur: Maine Coastal Wildlife Juried Art Show in August
The public is invited to view the selected art for the juried art show on coastal Maine wildlife at the Maine Coastal Islands Art Gallery at the wildlife refuge visitor center, 9 Water St. in Rockland. The Fins, Feathers & Fur show attracted 19 exhibitors, including 3 students from Montville to Freeport, Massachusetts and Mexico City. Twenty-eight pieces of art from a variety of mediums show the beauty and variety of coastal wildlife found here in Maine. Best in Show went to Sharon Boody-Dean, Lincolnville, for her Curious Bear unique mixed media piece. Aitana Fernandez Lloyd, a student from Mexico City, received Student Best in Show for her acrylic of a baby harbor seal. People’s Choice went to Amy Cornell, Union, for her oil on panel of a Great Blue Heron. Grace Yanz, Tenants Harbor, received Student People’s Choice for her watercolor of an otter. Many of the items are for sale with part of the proceeds supporting the Friends of Maine Coastal Islands NWR. You can view the art weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the month of August. Thank you to our juror, Thomas O’Donovan of Harbor Square Gallery, and Kim Bernard, local artist, who hung the show. Thank you to our local art supply stores, Rockport Blueprint and Huston-Tuttle for donating gift cards to our winners, continuing to inspire the connection of art and nature.
Learn more about Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge and see why the Friends work so hard to support these wild islands.
Programs
We sponsor programs at the Visitor Center of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge at 9 Water Street in Rockland, Maine.
If you would like to receive e-alerts of upcoming programs for families and/or adults, please contact us: info@mainecoastislands.org
Art Gallery
We also manage a beautiful art gallery at the Visitor Center. Join us for First Friday Art Walks in Rockland usually from 5-8 p.m. to view art that inspires and supports our conservation message.
Summer Island Interns
FOMCI supports the Refuge by contributing funds for seabird research and supporting student interns working on the seabird nesting islands during the summer. These interns are critical to the nesting success of our seabirds, protecting them from disturbance by humans and predators.
With the help of laptops that FOMCI purchased the summer island interns blog about their daily experiences. The blog can be found here.
