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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2008
Contact:
Ashley Spratt, USFWS, 612-713-5314
Jim Leach, USFWS, 612-713-5406
EA 08-78
2008 Federal Duck Stamp Entries to be Unveiled at Bloomington Art Center Oct. 10
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the City of Bloomington, Minn., will unveil this year's Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest entries in a public ceremony at 9:00 a.m. this Oct. 10 at the Bloomington Art Center, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road. Two-hundred and seventy pieces of artwork will be available for public viewing Oct. 10 - Oct. 18, and the winning Federal Duck Stamp will be announced Saturday, Oct. 18.
Nita M. Fuller, the Service's Midwest Region National Wildlife Refuge System Chief, and Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead will unveil the artwork in a public ceremony that will kick-off week-long events associated with the 2008 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. The contest, hosted by Minnesota for the first time in its 75-year history, will be held at Bloomington Art Center Oct. 17-18.
In addition to public viewing opportunities at the art center, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and many partner organizations have planned family-friendly Federal Duck Stamp events beginning Tuesday, Oct. 7 at locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area. Events include a Meet the Artists night on Wednesday, Oct. 15 hosted by Wildlife Forever, where the public can meet previous Federal Duck Stamp winners, current entrants and former contest judges. Other events include bird walks at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, poster signing opportunities with 2007 Federal Duck Stamp winner Joe Hautman, educational seminars, and hands-on activities for people of all ages. Audubon Minnesota will also host a Padelford Boat birding trip on the Mississippi River the morning of Oct. 15.
Many of the Federal Duck Stamp events are free and open to the public. Dudley Edmondson, well-known Minnesota photographer, will offer a wildlife photography program for both kids and adults on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at Bloomington Art Center. Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club will host a youth and family hunting expo in Prior Lake on Thursday, Oct. 16. Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge will also host a Kids in Nature event on Tuesday, Oct. 14 for elementary students in the Twin Cities area. For a complete 2008 Federal Duck Stamp Calendar of Events, visit http://duckstamps.fws.gov.
2008 Federal Duck Stamp Contest partners and sponsors include Audubon Minnesota, Bell Museum, Cabela's, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs, Minnesota DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Waterfowl Association, Wildlife Forever, Pheasants Forever, Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club, Dick's Sporting Goods, Eagle Optics, City of Bloomington, and Bloomington Art Center.
Minnesota wildlife artists have won the Federal Duck Stamp contest 17 times since 1949 -more than any other state- and Minnesotans have purchased more than 9.1 million duck stamps since 1934. The winner of last year's Federal Duck Stamp Contest, Joseph Hautman, hails from Plymouth, Minn. His painting of a pair of northern pintail ducks was chosen from among 247 images by a panel of five judges last October.
The $15 Federal Duck Stamp is a vital tool for wetland conservation, with 98 cents of every dollar generated going to purchase or lease wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the stamp's inception, more than $700 million has been raised to acquire more than 5.2 million acres of habitat and hundreds of refuges across the nation to conserve America's fish and wildlife resources.
This year, the Fish and Wildlife Service marks the 50th anniversary of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Small Wetlands Program, created to stem the rapid loss of important small wetland and grassland habitat across the Prairie Pothole Region of the upper Midwest.
These prairie wetlands and grassland habitats acquired with Duck Stamp revenues are known as waterfowl production areas and are part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. In the last half-century, the Small Wetlands Program has developed into one of the most successful landscape-level conservation efforts in the United States, complementing the success of the Duck Stamp.
For more information about the Federal Duck Stamp Program, see http://duckstamps.fws.gov.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
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