KSC comprises 140,000 acres, much of which are a wildlife refuge that exists alongside the launch pads, processing facilities and other sites, including the hazardous rocket propellant facilities. This other kind of "space" that comprises more than 500 different species of wildlife and 1000 species of plants bears testimony that nature and technology can peacefully coexist.

When KSC was first established, NASA bought all of northern Merritt Island to provide the needed isolation for launches, leaving huge tracts of undeveloped land in their natural condition. In 1963, in cooperation with NASA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. In 1975 the Canaveral National Seashore was created and is managed by the National Park Service. The refuge is one of the finest in the United States, managing habitat for 21 federal- and state-listed threatened and endangered species, more than any other single refuge in the U.S.

Each Christmas, the Audubon Society conducts a count of the abundant bird population, many of which have migrated from points north. Fishing and duck hunting are permitted in season in certain areas; restrictions apply.