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Insights > For nature, for all: Entergy grants $70K to Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc.
For nature, for all: Entergy grants $70K to Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc.
01/22/2025
Funds will help open free wilidfire conservation center
Coldwater, Mississippi is home to one the state’s most earnest efforts to preserve wildlife and protect natural habitats – Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation, Incorporated, and Entergy’s Environmental Initiative Fund will soon help the organization expand its facilities through a nearly $73,000 grant.
MWR plans to open the Valery E. Smith Nature Center – a free community resource which will be located at the organization’s existing wildlife hospital.
The center, named for MWR’s founder, will provide hands-on opportunities for visitors to learn about wildlife preservation and the organization’s effort to care for orphaned and injured native species.
“Entergy is excited to support Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation’s new effort to educate and connect visitors with conservation resources and native wildlife. For more than two decades, we have used our Environmental Initiatives Fund to invest in similar projects that promote environmental stewardship, and make lasting impacts on the communities we serve,” said Haley Fisackerly, President and CEO of Entergy Mississippi.
Key features at the center will include:
- Raptor Garden: Observe ambassador raptors up close in their newly designed enclosures.
- Native Plant Garden: Take a peaceful stroll through the garden, featuring a variety of Mississippi’s native plants which attract and support local birds and pollinators.
- Box Turtle Habitat: Witness the natural behaviors of box turtles in a dedicated habitat that mimics their natural environment.
- Interpretive Center: Enjoy live animal exhibits and interactive educational displays that offer insight into MWR’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife.
- Valery E. Smith Memorial: Learn about the history and founder of MWR.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to responsible stewardship of resources and demonstrates our readiness to operate and manage a larger, more ambitious facility in the future. By taking this step, we continue to build momentum toward our ultimate vision of expanding our capacity to save and protect wildlife,” said Mykl Wallrath, executive director of Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation.
The Valery E. Smith Nature Center is planned to open in 2025.
Since 2001, the Environmental Initiatives Fund has supported projects and programs that reduce emissions, protect natural resources, and restore wetlands and forests across Entergy’s four-state service area. The fund educates customers, employees, communities and owners on the value of natural resources and other environmental improvements.
