Friends of Maine's Seabird Islands...
Welcome to the Friends of Maine's Seabirds Islands! We are a non-profit, community-based organization founded in 2003 by local individuals dedicated to encouraging the conservation and appreciation of seabirds, their nesting and coastal habitats, and to support the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
FOMSI Board Member, Patti Reilly, Remembered
Board member Patti Reilly, 56, died Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, due to complications suffered in an automobile accident in October. Patti graduated from the University of Illinois, with her master’s degree in ornithology. She married Brian Reilly and lived in Springfield, Ill., with their children, Noelle and Tom. Patti worked as a biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, where she worked with high quality natural areas. Patti moved to Seal Harbor in 2005 to work as the New England biologist for Ducks Unlimited. Since 2006, Patti worked for Cardno Entrix, an environmental consulting firm, where she studied the effects of oil spills on birds and other wildlife. Patti was a loving wife and caring mother. She also was an artist and potter with an infectious smile and an effervescent personality. In addition to our Board, she served on the Mount Desert Planning Board. She enjoyed hiking, biking, sailing and loved spending time with her family and friends.
Patti brought a lot of energy, creativity and professionalism to the Board, and she will be greatly missed. Her family has generously requested that memorial contributions be made to FOMSI.
Art Gallery in Visitor Center & Headquarters Open
The Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and new headquarters for FOMSI is open!
Monday - Friday 8:30 to 4:30, stop by the gallery to see our current installations.
Grant Application Deadline for 2013
If you missed the grant application deadline for the 2012 season, please mark your calendar for 2013! FOMSI annually makes available a limited amount of funding to individuals, agencies, and non-profit organizations for:
~ student and island researcher support
~ education/outreach projects
~ support of refuge priorities
~ seabird research projects
Summer Island Interns
FOMSI supports both the Refuge and its close partner, the National Audubon Society’s Puffin Project, 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. In 2011 we purchased mattresses and laptop computers to help further their scientific endeavors and to aid in a good night’s sleep.
With the help of their laptops the summer island interns blogged about their daily experience. The 2012 bolg is up and running, so please visit it to see what the interns are experienceing this season. http://mainecoastalislands.wordpress.com/
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