THE first female to win duck stamp prestige was Vermont artist Nancy Howe with a
pair of king eiders standing in the marsh for the 1991-92 season.
Judging for the 2023-24 stamp will take place in September at the North
Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck. The public can attend
the judging. The species selected for the art focus this year are tundra (whistling) swan,
mottled duck, American green-winged teal, American wigeon and Barrow’s goldeneye.
junior
DUCK STAMP
Conservation & Design Program
august 2022
{ On average, 1.5 million duck
Hunters, artists
and stamp collectors
can purchase duck stamps at
outdoor stores or from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department.
Ninety-eight percent of the revenue goes directly to
acquisition and treatment of protected wetland habitat and
to purchase conservation easements for the National Wild-life
Refuge System. Since President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act in 1934,
sales of the winsome duck stamps have raised more than
$1 billion to help clean water, aid in flood control, reduce
soil erosion, and create outdoor recreation opportunities,
according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
Stamp collectors and art lovers can appreciate the detail
and beauty of the birds portrayed on the stamp. Since 1949,
American artists have submitted drawings or paintings
for the pride of landing the image. It is the only juried art
competition sponsored by the federal government.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
started a similar fundraising stamp and print program
in 1983. The proceeds support waterfowl research and
wetlands management. The NCWRC, founded in 1947
to help conserve the state’s fish and wildlife, is the regula-tory
agency that enforces fishing, hunting, trapping and
boating laws.
To involve youth in bird habitat
conservation, USFWS initiated the
Junior Duck Stamp Conservation
and Design Program in 1989. The
year-round, K-12 curriculum allows
students to explore waterfowl
habitat characteristics and
conservation principles through science, art, math and technology-focused
activities. Students are then encouraged to enter the Junior Duck Stamp
contest. The winning artwork is available to collectors on a $5 stamp.
{
stamps are sold each year,
yielding nearly $40 million
in proceeds for the federal
program.
BALANCING NATURE
STAMP COURTESY OF US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Federal Duck Stamps are miniature works of art. They are prized
by stamp collectors around the world. Nancy Howe became the
first female artist to win placement on the stamp with her depic-tion
of a pair of king eiders (1991-92).
16
WBM