[mou] Fwd: 2005-2006 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp now on sale

[Jim Williams]

Forward by Jim Willliams
Wayzata, Minnesota

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Paul J. Baicich" <paul.baicich@swarovskibirding.com>
Date: June 30, 2005 7:02:49 PM CDT
To: <paul.baicich@swarovskibirding.com>
Subject: 2005-2006 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp now on 
sale

Dear Birding and Conservation Friends,

I returned this afternoon from the "First Day of Sale Ceremony" for the 
new
Federal Duck Stamp, the stamp that is now available at post offices,
National Wildlife Refuges, some national retail chain stores, and 
various
sporting-goods stores nationwide. It was a highly impressive event, well
attended, and inspirational. (For you dedicated birders out there, it 
was
really nice to see Kenn Kaufman present, since he served as one of the
stamp's art-competition judges this past year.)

The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, which is the Duck
Stamp's official name, has been a stunning success story over its 
71-year
history. Started in a major wetland-and-waterfowl crisis in the 
mid-1930s,
the stamp has been used as a very effective funding mechanism for our
refuge system. It has accrued over $700 million and has been used to 
secure
over 5.2 million acres of valuable wetland habitat. About $25 million a
year is currently collected through yearly stamp sales.

Proceeds from the $15 stamp go into the Migratory Bird Conservation 
Fund,
used to purchase valuable wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge 
System.
(Indeed, about 98 percent of the revenue from the stamp goes through the
Fund to purchases these refuge wetlands.)  It is no accident that we may
have Ivory-billed Woodpeckers today because major chunks of stamp 
revenue
has gone to such places as Cache RIver and White River National Wildlife
Refuges. (It was interesting to note that both Senator Blanche Lincoln
[D-AR] and Interior Secretary Gale Norton mentioned the
stamp-and-woodpecker connection in relation to Cache River NWR at the
ceremony today in Washington DC.)

While some serious bird conservationists have been recommending
"broadening" the stamp (all the while insisting that the stamp's 
essential
goals be maintained), ALL concerned birders and bird conservationists
should support the current stamp by buying the 2005-2006 stamp right 
now!

After all, it's a bargain as a "$15 yearly pass" for all National 
Wildlife
Refuges that charge for entry, and it's already doing a great deal of 
good
for many bird species. Yes, it's NOT "just for waterfowl" or "just for
hunters"!

For more details on the current stamp program, look here:
<http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/> and
<http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/Info/Constituents/birder.htm>

  Paul J. Baicich
  Swarovski Birding
  National Wildlife Refuge Association
  P.O. Box 404
  Oxon Hill, MD 20750

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
	 ~Lao Tzu

             	                            -30-