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2008 Federal
Duck Stamp Contest
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For
the Media |
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2008
Federal Duck Stamp Contest Reporters "Tip Sheet" |
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Media
contact for 2008 Federal Duck Stamp Contest information: |
Rachel
F. Levin, USFWS, 703-298-9256 (cell), rachel_levin@fws.gov
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print
friendly version (pdf) |
The Federal Duck Stamp Contest
America’s longest-running
reality show. The Federal
Duck Stamp contest is America’s
original reality show: contestants vie for a prestigious honor… a
panel of judges decides who stays and who goes… the field
gets narrowed… the tension builds… and
finally a winner is chosen. The contest was instituted in 1949, and since
then hundreds of talented and ambitious waterfowl artists have competed
for wildlife art’s highest honor: having
their design chosen as the Federal Duck Stamp.
Being Simon Cowell
(of wildlife art). Each year, five judges and one alternate are
selected who can critically judge each Duck Stamp Contest entry based on
the artistry
and composition, biological accuracy of the species and habitat depicted,
and suitability of the image to be reproduced as a 1 ¾” x 1 ½” stamp.
Interview a former Duck Stamp contest judge and find out how tough it really
is to choose one winner from among hundreds of high-quality art entries.
A full list of previous Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest judges is available
online
by going to: http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/federal/federal.htm and
clicking on the “Database of Judges” link on the far right.
How
a star is born. Interview Duck Stamp contest winners from previous
years who can tell
you just how long it takes to create that winning art and how it feels
to get “the
call” telling them they’ve won. Federal Duck Stamp Contest winners
receive no prize for their work other than a pane of Duck Stamps carrying their
design. However, winning artists may reap thousands of dollars by selling prints
of their designs, which are sought after by hunters, conservationists and art
collectors. Winning the contest launches an artist’s career into a whole
new dimension. See every Duck Stamp since 1934, as well as the names of the winning
artists at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/federal/stamps/fedimages.htm.
Developing
the winners of tomorrow. You’ve heard of the Federal Duck Stamp,
but what
about the Junior Duck Stamp? Kids in Kindergarten through twelfth grade have
an art contest all their own—and on the way to creating their painting
of a duck or goose, they learn about wetlands, wildlife and conservation. Learn
more about this extraordinary program that sees some 30,000 entrants each year
and interview past Junior Duck Stamp winners.
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Federal Duck Stamp History:
One stamp. More than 5 million acres. More than $700 million. Since 1934, sales
of
Federal Duck Stamps have raised more than $700 million to acquire habitat for
national wildlife refuges in all 50 states. Find out which refuges near you
have been purchased in part with Duck Stamp dollars at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/Conservation/conservation.htm . Then go visit, meet the refuge manager and explore the refuge to see the
spectacles of wildlife that Duck Stamp dollars have helped protect.
Be
green: Buy a Duck Stamp. Hybrid cars, carbon-neutral travel, compact
fluorescent light bulbs… there are hundreds of ways to “be green” and
be kind to the planet. One of the simplest and most cost-effective ways is
to buy a Federal Duck Stamp. Ninety-eight percent of the $15 you spend on a
Duck Stamp goes directly to saving the planet by purchasing wetland habitat
for our national wildlife refuge system. Protecting wetlands benefits birds
and a host of other wildlife – but people benefit too, since wetlands
help to filter our drinking water. Who knew it was so easy being green?
A
rite of passage, a family tradition. For many families, waterfowl
hunting has been a
tradition for generations. During the Dust Bowl era, wetlands and waterfowl
populations were declining, and waterfowl hunters supported the creation
of a revenue stamp
to essentially “tax themselves” to raise funds for habitat conservation.
Since then, every waterfowl hunter age 16 or older has been required to purchase
a Federal Duck Stamp each year. Interview waterfowl hunters in your area, such
as members of a local Ducks Unlimited or Delta Waterfowl chapter, and ask them
about when they bought their first Duck Stamp and what it means to invest in
the conservation of our nation’s natural resources.
It’s
not just for ducks. It’s known as the Federal Duck Stamp, but
millions of birds, mammals, fish, insects and plants can thank the Migratory
Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp for the habitat they dwell on. Duck Stamp
dollars are used to acquire wetland habitat that is home to a variety of wildlife.
That’s why more and more birdwatchers, hikers and others who simply enjoy
nature are buying duck stamps. Talk to your local Audubon Society or birdwatching
group to find out why they are enthusiastically encouraging their members to
buy Duck Stamps.
Buy a Duck Stamp so your kids can connect with nature. Children
today suffer from what one author and researcher has dubbed “nature-deficit
disorder”—a disconnect from the natural world that can be linked
to the rise in obesity, attention disorders and even depression. Research
shows that direct exposure to nature can affect the physical and emotional
health of both children and adults. In order to make that connection with
nature, people need natural places to go. Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds
from the $15 Federal Duck Stamp go directly to purchasing habitat for our
national wildlife refuge system—creating places where wildlife thrive
and where people can forge that important bond with their natural world.
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Local/Regional Story Ideas:
Minnesota: A Haven for Wildlife Artists. When it comes to the Federal Duck Stamp
Art
Contest, Minnesota is the “winningest” state in the land. Wildlife
artists from Minnesota have
won the contest 17 times since 1949, when the art competition was instituted
(previously the
Duck Stamp image was commissioned) – including of course the 2007 contest
winner, Joe
Hautman. What’s the secret to their success? Find out by interviewing
one or more of these
talented, homegrown artists. See every Duck Stamp since 1934, as well as the
names of the
winning artists at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/federal/stamps/fedimages.htm .
Waterfowl
Production Areas: Prairie Jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge System
(thanks to Duck Stamps). In 1958, Congress amended the Duck Stamp
Act to authorize the Fish and Wildlife Service to use money from the sale
of the
Federal Duck Stamp to buy small wetland areas to preserve waterfowl habitat.
These small wetlands dotting the Prairie Pothole Region of the upper Midwest
became known as waterfowl production areas, or WPAs. In the past 50 years,
the Service has conserved nearly 3 million acres of wetlands and grasslands
on WPAs,
through acquisition or perpetual easement, as part of the National Wildlife
Refuge System. All WPAs provide habitat for a vast variety of waterfowl,
shorebirds,
grassland birds, plants, insects and wildlife. They also help reduce erosion,
clean and protect ground water and reduce flooding. WPAs owned by the Service
provide ample opportunities for public access and wildlife-dependent recreation
such as hunting, wildlife watching and photography. Talk to the managers
of these small but powerful lands and see them for yourself. Most waterfowl
production
areas are managed under administrative structures called wetland management
districts. For a list of district contacts, go to: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Refuges .
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