Art contest will produce design
for 2008-09 federal duck stamp
BY
MIKE
SCHOONVELD
Times
Correspondent
The next
edition of the nation's oldest and most prestigious art contest will be held at
the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge near
Sanibel,
Fla.
The
contest is being held to choose the artwork for the 75th printing of the federal
duck stamp. It's a fitting location, since Darling was the nationally known
cartoonist and conservationist who designed the first federal duck stamp in
1934. The winning artwork will grace the 2008-09 stamp, which will be available
for sale in the summer of 2008.
Today,
the $15 stamp is the cornerstone of one of the world's most successful
conservation programs. Money from duck stamp sales are 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, nearly $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.
The
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a fabulous example of this
conservation legacy. It was created when President Harry Truman signed an
executive order in 1945 to create Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge, the direct
result of a campaign led by Darling to protect this special place. Darling lived
on nearby Captiva
Island, and in
1967, the refuge was named after him.
In
2006, more than 1.6 million people purchased a federal duck stamp. Every
waterfowl hunter over the age of 16 is required to buy one. In addition, the
stamps are highly sought by collectors, and can be used in lieu of a daily pass
to enter any national wildlife refuge in the country that charges an entrance
fee.
From
Darling's first design in 1934 through the 1949 stamp, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service appointed an artist to create the stamp. In 1950, the Service
started an annual contest to select the artwork for the stamp. A panel of five
judges with expertise in waterfowl, stamp design and artistic detail are chosen
for each year's contest.
Today,
the Federal Duck Stamp Contest is the only federally sponsored art competition.
Hundreds of prominent wildlife artists from across the country enter each year,
with the winning design gracing the following year's stamp. While the winner
receives no money from the government, the chosen artist benefits from the
increased visibility and sale of his or her prints and
artwork.
As
important as it is to select the art to appear on the 75th stamp, it's more
important to remind Americans how vital these stamp funds are for wildlife
conservation. Sure, duck and goose hunters will buy them, but so should anyone
who considers him or herself to be a nature enthusiast. It's the best way to
contribute to wildlife habitats across the country.
Duck
stamps are available at most post offices and in the sporting goods department
at many WalMart stores.
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