29 JUNE 2012

Today, the "First Day of Sale" ceremony took place at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World at Hampton, Virginia. Both the Federal Duck Stamp (Officially called the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp) and the Junior Duck Stamp had their debut at this event.

Jerome Ford, Assistant Director for Migratory Birds for the USFWS served as MC for the ceremony, an event that saw about 200 people gather for the debut of the Stamps. The gathering was welcomed by George Wallace, Vice Mayor for the City of Hampton. Speakers included Martin MacDonald, Director of Conservation for Bass Pro Shops, Bob Duncan from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Wendi Weber, Regional Director for the Northeast Region of the USFWS, and Dan Ashe, Director of the USFWS.

Many mentioned the extraordinary contribution of the Federal Duck Stamp, collecting over $750 million dollars over the decades and securing over 5.3 million acres of valuable wetland and grassland habitat. The 20th anniversary of the Junior Duck Stamp was also a theme which was highlighted by more than one speaker during the ceremony.

Regional Director Wendi Weber made a special notice of the Federal Duck Stamp's impact on Virginia conservation and the fact that the Stamp had contributed to securing 20% of the state's National Wildlife Refuge property, a considerable percentage.

Dan Ashe, the Director for the USFWS, also went on to emphasize the evolution of the Stamp, from a hunting stamp to a great conservation program. He spoke about the importance of increasing the price of the Stamp, to correspond with inflation and the cost of living – and the cost of land – since the early 1990s. The 5.3 million acres was touted, but Ashe said it was "not enough," especially considering the crisis in the northern great plains, where the prairies and the potholes are under extreme duress, and pointing to a situation where the Stamp is needed "more than ever."

Both Stamp artists were introduced, Joe Hautman, winner of the 2012-2013 Federal Duck Stamp Contest, and Christine Clayton, winner of the corresponding Junior Duck Stamp Contest. They both spoke on the importance of the Stamp program and their commitment to the effort, both for art and for conservation.

8 JUNE 2012

The new Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly known as the "Duck Stamp," will be released three weeks from today, on 29 June 2012. The event will take place at the BassPro Shops in Hampton, Virginia. This is the "First Day of Sale" event for the 2012-2013 Federal and Junior Duck Stamps. The event begins at 10 a.m. here.

The event is open to the public, and attendees can meet the Federal and Junior Duck Stamp artists, Joseph Hautman and Christine Clayton, and a number of the recent contest judges. If you attend, you can be among the first to buy your 2012-2013 Stamps!

25 MAY 2012

The House and Senate Transportation Conference Committee is negotiating a final bill and there are several provisions very important to the National Wildlife Refuge System. Not only are traditional transportation funds that benefit refuges (like Refuge Roads) included, the Senate version contains an extremely important provision that would provide $700 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for both FY 2013 and FY 2014 without a further appropriation needed. This could mean as much as $100 million for refuge land acquisition for the next two years. The two major sources of funding for Refuge System acquisition are the LWCF and funding from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (MBCF). The MBCF is where the funds from Duck Stamp dollars are deposited.

In support of this LWCF option in the Transportation Bill being discussed, our Friends Group, the Friends of the Migratory Bird/Duck Stamp, today signed on to a letter of support for LWCF. You can find more details and the statement of support here.

24 MAY 2012

Today, the Friends of the Migratory Bird/Duck Stamp joined with over 1,200 organizations in an effort called "America's Voice for Conservation, Recreation, and Preservation."  AVCRP is a broad coalition of organizations representing millions of members with very diverse political backgrounds and areas of interest united behind a shared belief that natural resource conservation, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation, and investments in them, are vital to the future of the U.S.

These groups agree that the Federal budget cannot and should not be balanced disproportionately on the backs of conservation, outdoor recreation and preservation. Doing so will impose on the future generations whose well-being depends on the conservation and preservation of our common natural and historic resources.

The groups stand ready to work with Congress on any serious efforts to address our nation’s economic and fiscal challenges, as they relate to investments in, and tough choices about, the programs we care about. The groups have urged this Congress to address the federal deficit while still investing in critical conservation, recreation and historic preservation programs in 2012. You can find more information on AVCRP here and the letter to Congress here.

6 JUNE 2012

There was a Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC) meeting in Washington DC this morning. The MBCC considers and approves properties (fee-title or easements) that are added to the Refuge System (NWRs and WPAs) funded through the corresponding MBCF. The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (MBCF) is where Stamp dollars are deposited.

Today's three considerations and decisions for the Refuge System were not as large as usual, but that happens on occasion at MBCC meetings:

   Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge (Texas), 87.5 acres – fee title – $88,200.
   Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Mississippi), 640 acres – lease (a 5-year extension) – $19,200
   Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge (Louisianna) – 640 acres – lease (a 5-year extension) – $25,000

These mostly consist of bottomwood hardwood and marshes, rich in waterfowl and other bird species.

The MBCC also passes on approving North American Wetlands Conservation Act – NAWCA – projects, which it also did this morning. Canadian Standard Grants and U.S. Small Grants were approved. But these don't involve Stamp dollars.

For a press release from the USFWS on this MBCC meeting, see here.

20 APRIL 2012

A male Northern Pintail, painted by 17-year-old Christine Clayton of Sidney, Ohio, was selected to appear on the 2012-2013 Federal Junior Duck Stamp. The piece was selected by a panel of judges on 20 April at the national Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest, held at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Maryland. Matthew Messina of Avon, Connecticut, came in second place with his painting of a male Wood Duck. In third place was Hyun Wang of California for his rendition of a pair of Hooded Mergansers.All 53 entries for the contest can be viewed here.

Click here to see the FWS press release on the contest.